Fatality crossing waves

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
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

Lieutenant
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Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
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

Captain
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Jun 1, 2010
Messages
3,918
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........
 

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,344
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

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
435
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

Lieutenant
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
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

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
742
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

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
4,640
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

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,344
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

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
841
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

Commander
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
2,842
Re: Fatality crossing waves

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

sasto

Captain
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
3,918
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

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,590
Re: Fatality crossing waves

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

mpsyamaha

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
400
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

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
1,858
Re: Fatality crossing waves

I wonder if a pfd would have helped?
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
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.
 
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