Fatality crossing waves

[Home Cookin']

this is sad, sobering and right terrifying. Read and heed, so that this gentleman did not die in vain. Note that he was an experienced, professional captain.

http://cruisersnet.net/jupiter-inlet-death-this-past-friday/

 

[JoLin]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

I saw this a week or so ago on another forum. Jupiter inlet is apparently well-known for tricky and downright dangerous conditions, but ANY inlet needs to be treated with a lot of respect.

This was a highly experienced captain in a good boat. Damn shame.

 

[shrew]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

wow that is unfortunate. a cautionary tale. I'm surprised an experienced charter captain tried to plow through the breakers at the inlet so fast. That looks like the textbook results of overtaking large waves in a following sea. I'm sure the guy did it 1,000 times before with no issues.

As the boat crests the wave he begins surfing down the face. The breaking wave behind the boat pushes the boat into the trough. When the bow hits the trough it plows into the back of the next wave and slows the boat, but the momentum along with the following seas and the engine all continue pushing the boat. The effect is similar to slamming on the brakes with no rear brakes or no breaks on a trailer. The stern starts to come around and the boat broaches.

I would think that timing the approach to the inlet at slack high or low would improve conditions. I know there was surge and swells from offshore, but those conditions can be exacerbated by an oppossing outgoing tide. Sometimes inlets are simply impassable under certain conditions, or at least need to be navigated with extreme caution.

 

[sasto]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Capt. Tom.....we miss you! Tom was a well respected captain whom I had the pleasure of fishing against him in a tournament at Chub Cay, Bahamas, The Garlington he was on is built here locally, with myself and friends involved. She is one tough battlewaggon with one tough and intelligent captain (also an attorney). Many of us think there were other circumstances involved (health) other than the sea conditions. You just never know........

 

[maharg]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Terrible

 

[Philster]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Now I know why my heart races coming in tough inlets. Jumping breakers does require nerves, timing and respect.

I gotta say, in frame one I did not know that was actual frame #1 of series capturing the horrible event, and before I read the article I didn't like the angle at which he was about to overtake the breaker.

However, that being said, it is usually is a preponderance of things that line up. In this case: a bad angle; what appears to be rip currents and a deep trough. And, in the end, it was navigable, but he just could not hold on.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

wow that is unfortunate. a cautionary tale. I'm surprised an experienced charter captain tried to plow through the breakers at the inlet so fast.

How can you tell how fast he was going? You're looking at the surf breaking over standing waves on a bar. He could've been going 1/10th of a knot in that picture.

I think the only "mistake" he made was falling out of the boat. The boat didn't capsize or crash and the crew gained control of it.

The full picture set is here: http://pnyr.big1059.com/cc-common/gallery/display.html?album_id=249965

-E

 

[shrew]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

How can you tell how fast he was going? You're looking at the surf breaking over standing waves on a bar. He could've been going 1/10th of a knot in that picture. I think the only "mistake" he made was falling out of the boat. The boat didn't capsize or crash and the crew gained control of it.

The full picture set is here: http://pnyr.big1059.com/cc-common/gallery/display.html?album_id=249965

-E

I can't tell how fast he was going. I can only go by the article that was attached by the OP.

"An experienced charter boat captain was killed at Jupiter Inlet this past weekend when he was running his boat back through the inlet and overtook a breaking wave."

It didn't say he was overtaken by a breaking wave, it said he overtook a breaking wave. The pictures certainly look like he overtook the wave as well.

However, if you say that the results in the picture cannot and do not ocur when overtaking large breaking waves in a following sea, then I'll defer to your knowledge and expertise.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Who captured this accident? They took some amazing pictures.

Since I own such a small/ light boat, it's hard to imagine those big ones get thrown around to that extreme on such a beautiful looking day. It definately looks like he was crossing on an angle rather steep.

Very sad story. RIP

 

[skargo]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Man,
those pics are hard to look at and to see the sequence of him going overboard...My thoughts go out to his family.

 

[Philster]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Overtaking a breaker is common/normal. Heck, I will go so far as to call it the preferred method of entering an ocean inlet wherein the rollers eventually break.

I don't think that (overtaking a breaker) can be classified as too fast.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

A case of anything can happen at any time. The boat sailed away fine, and he would still be with us if he could have hung on. We've all made misjudgements...sometimes you don't get to learn from your mistakes(if that's what happened). It could have just been some bad luck....well the worse kind of luck.

Ian

 

[45Auto]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Looks like a seat belt would have been a good thing for him.

 

[sasto]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Just goes to show you....No matter how much you think you know.... and think you understand .....about the waters you boat in, Mother Nature can take that away.....Capt. Mike

 

[109jb]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Very sad. Thankfully though nobady else on the boat was severly injured.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

I put the photos together to make a short clip. You can see how violent the boat rolled...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2BsevU1Y_U

 

[Challenger84]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

I put the photos together to make a short clip. You can see how violent the boat rolled...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2BsevU1Y_U

WOW that is crazy!
Bless his family.
That is a 51' yacht too.. man I can't image anything like that happening.
If only he could have hold on a little tighter....

 

[mpsyamaha]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

i live only a few miles from jupiter inlet, and can attest to how tricky it can be. the day that this happened the seas we really not that big. the current is very very strong in that inlet and it was just a bad chain of events from the way i understand it. quite amazing that a professional photographer happened to catch it on film. RIP.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

I wonder if a pfd would have helped?

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Fatality crossing waves

Rest in Peace, such a shame to loose someone.

I remember when I lived in Washington state, we used to loose a few every year, on the Columbia river bar, you catch that bar wrong and your in for a very bad ride..

Condolences to all involved.