Close Calls

[Tailspin]

With the Storm Season approaching and a new season of Deadliest Catch,I know that most have had a spook or two in there fishing life, so lets here some experiences and tales of running from the weather.
There have certaily been a few occasions in my family from the commercial and sporty days.

 

[marula]

Anchored out at constance in my 17 footer one year during swiftsure weekend i watched the sailboats pass by and the line extended from victoia to race rocks. The reference to "driftsure" crackled by on the radio for most of the morning as the water was calm. Later in the day the winds felt different and looking to the west, any sailboats rounding the corner of race rocks were severily healed over. Thats it, gear and anchor up ! As this process was underway you could literly see the sail boats one at a time heal over as the storm worked its way east. By the time all the anchor gear was in and I was under way we were in 5 foot or more seas with storm force winds such as many sailboats turned back including one i passed with a broken mast ! My little boat constantly was buring its bow in the waves as i zigged zagged and plowed my way back to fleming beach. We were soaked through as the waves crashed over us. What is normally 15 minutes took 45 and had the big motor failed i would most likely have been turned broadside into the winds and been breached.

Oddly enough experience and instinct kicks in and you just work your way home with only a heightened sense of awareness, but I was in way to rough of water for that size of boat

I now have moved up to a 21.5 footer mainly for days like that.

 

[marula]

Anchored out at constance in my 17 footer one year during swiftsure weekend i watched the sailboats pass by and the line extended from victoia to race rocks. The reference to "driftsure" crackled by on the radio for most of the morning as the water was calm. Later in the day the winds felt different and looking to the west, any sailboats rounding the corner of race rocks were severily healed over. Thats it, gear and anchor up ! As this process was underway you could literly see the sail boats one at a time heal over as the storm worked its way east. By the time all the anchor gear was in and I was under way we were in 5 foot or more seas with storm force winds such as many sailboats turned back including one i passed with a broken mast ! My little boat constantly was buring its bow in the waves as i zigged zagged and plowed my way back to fleming beach. We were soaked through as the waves crashed over us. What is normally 15 minutes took 45 and had the big motor failed i would most likely have been turned broadside into the winds and been breached.

Oddly enough experience and instinct kicks in and you just work your way home with only a heightened sense of awareness, but I was in way to rough of water for that size of boat

I now have moved up to a 21.5 footer mainly for days like that.

 

[vince gee]

Jeff White-Trailblazer lucky guy.....Time Bandit saves the day!!!

 

[vince gee]

Jeff White-Trailblazer lucky guy.....Time Bandit saves the day!!!

 

[scott craven]

One time i was a little shaken up returning from Constance bank to
Oakbay. There was a freighter headed east of Trial island which threw
a huge wake. Most freighter waves tend to peter out, but this one just seemed to keep building, so i ran parallel with it for a while
hoping it would diminish.
So getting closer and closer to it , i committed to cross over
It was close to 8' high and cresting, my boat dropped into the trough
and all i could see was water. [xx(]
I powered up the other side and came out OK, but it scared the crap
outta me.
I have been in bigger seas, in larger boats with no problem.
That wave was one to remember.

 

[scott craven]

One time i was a little shaken up returning from Constance bank to
Oakbay. There was a freighter headed east of Trial island which threw
a huge wake. Most freighter waves tend to peter out, but this one just seemed to keep building, so i ran parallel with it for a while
hoping it would diminish.
So getting closer and closer to it , i committed to cross over
It was close to 8' high and cresting, my boat dropped into the trough
and all i could see was water. [xx(]
I powered up the other side and came out OK, but it scared the crap
outta me.
I have been in bigger seas, in larger boats with no problem.
That wave was one to remember.

 

[Lipripper]

holy cow.... where to start:
-out bymyself in pedder bay, round dec 23rd fishing some winters...... forgot to tighten the distributer while tuning it up a week before... died killed the batteries trying to figure out where it was supposed to be... nobody out... it was blowing easterly so it pushed my up on the dnd property...... lmao right after 9/11 they werent impressed.
-wake at 2 am to loran alarms going off the moring of the salmon opening. was achored on the big bank fire up the motor closer to swiftsure....stayed in the wheelhouse all they way to Ucee.
- b-lining to ucee during sockeye season when it picked up pretty good and really fast.... popped a staby out then dipped the pole on the other side....interesting couple of seconds.
- barkley sound dragging shrimp in about a 25kn southwesterly...not to bad.... with the net hanging at the side it instantly switch to about 35-40kns coming right out of the canal and a instant 6-7 foot chop..... blew us over the net, hung up on the zincs.....got wet that day, side shots till we ripped the net off, bout a 4 ft hole in 'er
- Commercail jigging lings on the outside of the big bank in the fog..... run up check the radar (for only one rotation...mistake) a couple mins later hear a rumble....then see a gaint Hyundai though the fog....that was close a freighter at a 100 ft is large
- wake sometime during the night to the motor running....fell back asleep....wasnt too unusuall. wake up in the am, the captain heard a boat through the hull an got up. we had a guy anchor a little too close for being a bout 15 miles out (tide swing and 500ft of anchor line out) so this 80 ft hake dragger grazes our bow( we were ready) and right into the side of this troller anchored beside us, took off the pole an most of the bow works... he limped back to vic, season done..... lucky guy, the dragger watch guy was sleeping.
- alomost got hit by a polish processing vessle called the casiopia (lol remember it well) 2 twice out on the troller, then out in the fog coho fishin off sooke on the bellbouy
LOl there were many more, but also all the more good experiances, never change them for anything in the world

 

[Lipripper]

holy cow.... where to start:
-out bymyself in pedder bay, round dec 23rd fishing some winters...... forgot to tighten the distributer while tuning it up a week before... died killed the batteries trying to figure out where it was supposed to be... nobody out... it was blowing easterly so it pushed my up on the dnd property...... lmao right after 9/11 they werent impressed.
-wake at 2 am to loran alarms going off the moring of the salmon opening. was achored on the big bank fire up the motor closer to swiftsure....stayed in the wheelhouse all they way to Ucee.
- b-lining to ucee during sockeye season when it picked up pretty good and really fast.... popped a staby out then dipped the pole on the other side....interesting couple of seconds.
- barkley sound dragging shrimp in about a 25kn southwesterly...not to bad.... with the net hanging at the side it instantly switch to about 35-40kns coming right out of the canal and a instant 6-7 foot chop..... blew us over the net, hung up on the zincs.....got wet that day, side shots till we ripped the net off, bout a 4 ft hole in 'er
- Commercail jigging lings on the outside of the big bank in the fog..... run up check the radar (for only one rotation...mistake) a couple mins later hear a rumble....then see a gaint Hyundai though the fog....that was close a freighter at a 100 ft is large
- wake sometime during the night to the motor running....fell back asleep....wasnt too unusuall. wake up in the am, the captain heard a boat through the hull an got up. we had a guy anchor a little too close for being a bout 15 miles out (tide swing and 500ft of anchor line out) so this 80 ft hake dragger grazes our bow( we were ready) and right into the side of this troller anchored beside us, took off the pole an most of the bow works... he limped back to vic, season done..... lucky guy, the dragger watch guy was sleeping.
- alomost got hit by a polish processing vessle called the casiopia (lol remember it well) 2 twice out on the troller, then out in the fog coho fishin off sooke on the bellbouy
LOl there were many more, but also all the more good experiances, never change them for anything in the world

 

[tyeegalore]

To make a long story as short as I can....Mid Nov on the Queen Charlotte's, we loaded a 16 ft aluminum with all the gear, food and camp for an 11 day trip to bottom fish and bow hunt in a remote spot south of the last road access on South Moresby Island. The weather report was for a storm starting about noon, we left the beach at about 9am. Mother nature changed its clock and the winds hit us when we were about 1 hr from shore, the boat started to take on water we turned around as every wave was now coming over the bow. We made it back to Boulder Point before a wave filled the boat enough that it was no longer floating, instead we were submersed just under the water surface ( thank goodness for floatation)and our gear that could float was all over the water surface and heavy items like the wood stove etc went to the bottom. Other than getting hypothermia and losing some gear we were able to collect most of the gear in the little bay near the point as it hit shore. I swam to shore, my partner stayed at the back of his boat and rode the waves till the boat hit shore. We took all gear that was left out of it and baled the water out and reloaded all the gear and when it calmed down we got the boat back and stayed the 11 days near the end of the road south of Sandspit. No fish but 3 bucks each!

 

[tyeegalore]

To make a long story as short as I can....Mid Nov on the Queen Charlotte's, we loaded a 16 ft aluminum with all the gear, food and camp for an 11 day trip to bottom fish and bow hunt in a remote spot south of the last road access on South Moresby Island. The weather report was for a storm starting about noon, we left the beach at about 9am. Mother nature changed its clock and the winds hit us when we were about 1 hr from shore, the boat started to take on water we turned around as every wave was now coming over the bow. We made it back to Boulder Point before a wave filled the boat enough that it was no longer floating, instead we were submersed just under the water surface ( thank goodness for floatation)and our gear that could float was all over the water surface and heavy items like the wood stove etc went to the bottom. Other than getting hypothermia and losing some gear we were able to collect most of the gear in the little bay near the point as it hit shore. I swam to shore, my partner stayed at the back of his boat and rode the waves till the boat hit shore. We took all gear that was left out of it and baled the water out and reloaded all the gear and when it calmed down we got the boat back and stayed the 11 days near the end of the road south of Sandspit. No fish but 3 bucks each!

 

[yo mama]

I've had more than a few moments over the year but I think the best was early season up north. We were sitting at the lodge hunkered down on the 5th day of a huge northwestly blowing steady 40-45kts. One of our counterparts had run around from Naden Harbor to Masset to gather supplies 5 days earlier and got stuck due to the storm. I was eating lunch when a few of the managers were discussing how they were going to get the staff member back with the supplies that were despertly needed. Just the they looked my way and said can you run over and get them in the Grady? Well what the hell is the to do if I don't... So Myself and one other head toward Masset. Going there we were running with the tide and it was not bad untill we hit the leadgenday Wiah Pt. If you've been there during a good wind you will know why. Needless to say the wind was screamin' and the waves (12-13 footers)were breaking in the back of the boat. So after a long run we made it to town. Now getting back. I admit this wasn't the smartest move now but at the time it was a different story.

We header out of Masset being the only ones on the water, not even the commercial boys were out. all good untill we neared Wiah. A mini perfect storm. The time had fully swung and was now fight the 45 knot winds. The waves were stacked running close to 16 up to 20 footers with all of about 5 seconds between them. You would come down the wave and would have the next one breaking on you before you even started up it. I honestly belived if I got that boat sideways, I would of flipped it instantly. I took us 3 1/2 hours to run what normally takes up 45 minutes. My body hurt just from holding the wheel so tight. Needless to say it gave a whole new respect for the ocean.[:0]

 

[yo mama]

I've had more than a few moments over the year but I think the best was early season up north. We were sitting at the lodge hunkered down on the 5th day of a huge northwestly blowing steady 40-45kts. One of our counterparts had run around from Naden Harbor to Masset to gather supplies 5 days earlier and got stuck due to the storm. I was eating lunch when a few of the managers were discussing how they were going to get the staff member back with the supplies that were despertly needed. Just the they looked my way and said can you run over and get them in the Grady? Well what the hell is the to do if I don't... So Myself and one other head toward Masset. Going there we were running with the tide and it was not bad untill we hit the leadgenday Wiah Pt. If you've been there during a good wind you will know why. Needless to say the wind was screamin' and the waves (12-13 footers)were breaking in the back of the boat. So after a long run we made it to town. Now getting back. I admit this wasn't the smartest move now but at the time it was a different story.

We header out of Masset being the only ones on the water, not even the commercial boys were out. all good untill we neared Wiah. A mini perfect storm. The time had fully swung and was now fight the 45 knot winds. The waves were stacked running close to 16 up to 20 footers with all of about 5 seconds between them. You would come down the wave and would have the next one breaking on you before you even started up it. I honestly belived if I got that boat sideways, I would of flipped it instantly. I took us 3 1/2 hours to run what normally takes up 45 minutes. My body hurt just from holding the wheel so tight. Needless to say it gave a whole new respect for the ocean.[:0]

 

[Lipripper]

lol the only part of that i didnt like about that TG is that if that was me, my smokes would have gotten wet and would have made for 11 days of pi$$y lipripper


I think of these and the posts to come........live an learn

 

[Lipripper]

lol the only part of that i didnt like about that TG is that if that was me, my smokes would have gotten wet and would have made for 11 days of pi$$y lipripper


I think of these and the posts to come........live an learn

 

[Mongoose]

First boat out in sooke Fishing in the thick Fog, Hugging the shore line (could only see about 50' away if that). My boat 16' F/G and 115 merc with 3 of my buddies who has never been fishing in a boat or even seen sooke from a boat all weary being in the thick fog. I Set down the down riggers did a few laps around secertary and to possesion.

GPS died, and fog was still thick, no biggie ill just stay parrell with the shore line i said to my buddies. After going to the shack and back we decided to to go around secetary island. The Tides were moving and as soon as we made it half way around the island the current pulled us out towards the shipping lanes. The waves got smaller but the swells got larger and fewer in between. Sounder soon started to read some pritty deep numbers as we moved up and down 12'. My buddies found that fun going up and down 10+ feet, I did for a bit too. Then one rod went off and soon did the other (pinks). So put the boat In N as my buddies brought in there First pinks. Now we were Really out in the shipping lanes drifting out further and further with no working GPS and being thousands and thousands of feet away from land. My biggest fear was seeing a freighter up close. ( numious times my a buddy would say " Land 30' ahead) causing me to alter my course, back when we were around land.) So a freighter could come fast out of no where.

So up went the lines and down went the throttle. Hitting those swells at 40mph was sure fun till you realised you were doing donuts after circling a pop can. "Great, lost in the fog with no sign of it letting up and gas levels going down and the chance of being hit by a tanker" i said to my buddies. They didnt like hearing that and wanted to go home. Luckly i have a small pocket compass kept in the bow (I took the large one off my boat a few days before the trip for some cleaning) And used that to goto land and took a left and headed towards sooke. I made it to the boat ramp with about 5L left of gas to spare. That was my first time being lost in the fog, it wont be the last im sure. But was fun tested my navigational skills and mental picture of sooke, and also being 17 at the time so were my buddies, I keep extra batterys on board now

 

[Mongoose]

First boat out in sooke Fishing in the thick Fog, Hugging the shore line (could only see about 50' away if that). My boat 16' F/G and 115 merc with 3 of my buddies who has never been fishing in a boat or even seen sooke from a boat all weary being in the thick fog. I Set down the down riggers did a few laps around secertary and to possesion.

GPS died, and fog was still thick, no biggie ill just stay parrell with the shore line i said to my buddies. After going to the shack and back we decided to to go around secetary island. The Tides were moving and as soon as we made it half way around the island the current pulled us out towards the shipping lanes. The waves got smaller but the swells got larger and fewer in between. Sounder soon started to read some pritty deep numbers as we moved up and down 12'. My buddies found that fun going up and down 10+ feet, I did for a bit too. Then one rod went off and soon did the other (pinks). So put the boat In N as my buddies brought in there First pinks. Now we were Really out in the shipping lanes drifting out further and further with no working GPS and being thousands and thousands of feet away from land. My biggest fear was seeing a freighter up close. ( numious times my a buddy would say " Land 30' ahead) causing me to alter my course, back when we were around land.) So a freighter could come fast out of no where.

So up went the lines and down went the throttle. Hitting those swells at 40mph was sure fun till you realised you were doing donuts after circling a pop can. "Great, lost in the fog with no sign of it letting up and gas levels going down and the chance of being hit by a tanker" i said to my buddies. They didnt like hearing that and wanted to go home. Luckly i have a small pocket compass kept in the bow (I took the large one off my boat a few days before the trip for some cleaning) And used that to goto land and took a left and headed towards sooke. I made it to the boat ramp with about 5L left of gas to spare. That was my first time being lost in the fog, it wont be the last im sure. But was fun tested my navigational skills and mental picture of sooke, and also being 17 at the time so were my buddies, I keep extra batterys on board now

 

[tyeegalore]

Hey Ripper, there was lots that I learnt from all the mistakes that we made that day as well, like leaving at 9am instead of first light, like taking too much food and gear, like not delaying the trip for 1 day when the weather report was so poor etc etc. Looking forward to seeing others close calls as you say there's lots to learn from all these posts.

 

[tyeegalore]

Hey Ripper, there was lots that I learnt from all the mistakes that we made that day as well, like leaving at 9am instead of first light, like taking too much food and gear, like not delaying the trip for 1 day when the weather report was so poor etc etc. Looking forward to seeing others close calls as you say there's lots to learn from all these posts.

 

[Lipripper]

One of the most important things I think that I have learnd is there is no such thing as a bad experiance.......



...... they are all learning experiances