2010 Caribbean 1500 Rally

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

My guess would be whatever caused them to divert to the Abacos also contributed to the tragedy. Autopilot down, exhausted crew? Steering problems?

[pierre0121]

The trip seemed arduous from the beginning with long delays, high seas forecast (15-20' for the first week), a departure in a near gale, rounding Hatteras on the inside, etc. The fastest boats flew through this event but the boats in Class 7 were most at risk because slower, under the threat of a low pressure system going southwest from Cape Cod before stalling and turning East toward Bermuda. Rule 62 was in Class 7. I can only imagine the terror and the tiredness in trying to enter the Abacos in a rage, at night... I pray for Laura and for the survivors of Rule 62.

Pierre

[btrayfors]

Apparently, the Rule 62 was swamped while nearing the North Bar Channel. Here's the relevant paragraph from the CRA website:

Quote
Black said, “with great sadness, we report that Rule 62, a Jeanneau 46DS, was swamped while attempting entry into the Bahamas. Richard and crew Laura Zekoll were washed overboard and recovered. The life raft was launched. Richard, Debra, Laura, and a fourth crew member, David Sheppard from Ellsworth, Maine entered the life raft with life jackets on and attempted to row it to safety. The life raft subsequently overturned in swells. Richard, Debra, and David were separated from Laura and washed up on the beach. The search for Laura Zekoll is still continuing.” Unquote

Very sad.

Bill

[xxuxx]

OMG....I was one of the last people to speak with her before they departed Hampton, Blue Water Marina. She came up to us and introduced herself to us as we were 2 of only a few women departing on this 1500 mile voyage. She was an articulate, upbeat, friendly, engaging woman. We are an all woman boat delayed in our departure in the 1500, waiting on new crew due to the departure delay. Our prayers are with her. We leave next week.
I agree with one posters theory of what happened. "Rule 62" was on course for the inlet when something happened, perhaps a large wave swamping them, resulting in a 2/3 mile drift to the reef. I have surfed off that beach and it can get really big. Rule 62 is from AA and states: don't take yourself too seriously!
I hope and pray for her with all my heart and soul.

[GordMay]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution finally picked up the news:

“The search continues for a 46-year-old Atlanta woman who was on a sailboat that capsized off the coast of the Bahamas.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Bahamian Defense Force are looking for Laura Zekoll, who's been missing since Saturday night. She was one of four people aboard a boat named "Rule 62," along with Richard and Debra Ross of Atlanta and David Sheppard of Ellsworth, Maine. The boat was swamped while attempting entry into the Bahamas.

According to the Cruising Rally Association, all four managed to get on a life raft with lifejackets on and tried to row it to safety.

"The life raft subsequently overturned in swells," the association said in an update. "Richard, Debra and David were separated from Laura and washed up on the beach." ...”

More ➥ Boat capsizes in Bahamas, Atlanta woman missing *| ajc.com

[RTB]

This is so sad....from the CRA site - The US Coast Guard has suspended its activity. The BDF will suspend its activity today.

[MarkJ]

That is sad, RTB

But if the surf is still up we also have to consider the safety of the search crews.

Very diffiult situation.

[MarkJ]

Laura Zekoll has been missing since Saturday night. The search ended about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Russell Tippets, chief petty officer for the 7th Coast Guard District.
"After 25 hours of searching and covering more than 1,600 square miles, our search and rescue coordinators felt they had done everything possible to find this missing person," Tippets told the AJC.
The Coast Guard used a Jayhawk helicopter, Dolphin helicopter and C-130 plane in the mission.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force also will suspend its search Tuesday, while the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association "will continue aerial surveys of the vessel and area," according to an offshore sailing group, the Cruising Rally Association.
The group's owner, Steve Black, said he was told by BASRA on Tuesday that "conditions are not favorable for finding Laura Zekoll alive."

Coast Guard ends search for missing Atlanta woman *| ajc.com

[pressuredrop]

saturday we had some of the biggest waves in south florida ive seen in about 5 years, 10 to 15 foot faces easily, but conditions were very clean with a light north north west wind, (i have been surfing non stop since last friday)
i cant even imagine what those waves looked like on the other side of the bahamas, the fact that 3 of them made it to a sandy beach (i assume) with out getting obliterated on the reef is some kind of miracle... prayers for the missing fourth

[speciald@ocens.]

Got in last night on the 1500. Trip was slower than usual; took us 24 hours longer than last year. Seas and wind were mostly behind us for the trip and then died in the last 24 hours. Seas were as much as 12-14 foot swells but not at all uncomfortable and not as high as predicted. Winds peaked at 50 kts in squalls but were mostly in the 30's true. Rule 62 had worse weather behind us and diverted to the Bahamas as they were worn out. We are are all terribly saddened by the loss of boat and crew.

[Sailorcanuck]

Here's my view of what happened (although we will hopefully learn the whole story later):

If you look at the GPS track on Google Earth it shows a hockey stick shape at the very end before the boat is wrecked on shore. The update from the locator is not continuous as has been stated already, so the shape of the track is basically the last two location updates - one at the heel of the hockey stick shape and the last one on the beach. In reality, they likely carried on the straight course past second last position point but current drift and huge sea conditions set them off of the proper course channel to make the cut thus causing the boat to wreck on a reef then drift down to its final location where the next course update took place.

I'm hoping that Laura may still be found although at this point the chances are getting very slim.

[bcalfee]

We were in a 38' boat in the C1500 and bailed after 24 hours. The seas from one quarter and 30-40 knot wind on the other quarter made for an exhausting day, even though we had a Monitor wind vane steering. C1500 posted that we had "withdrawn". I guess we had, even though we had reported to C1500 that we had sustained major hull and rudder damage when passing through the Oregon Inlet in NC. We were slammed on the bottom over and over as we crossed a shoal that had formed in the channel. Although we feared for our lives and called the coast guard for help, we were able to get through thanks to the ruggedness of our old Hallberg Rassy.

My point in all this is that after 24 hours of very rough conditions we opted to try the inlet rather than continue on around Diamond shoals and Hatteras to Beaufort NC. We got a glimpse of what Rule 62 was up against and at the same time, we can't imagine the struggle on Rule 62 to make it back to a harbor after so long at sea in bad conditions. Hand steering for that long is exhausting, especially with a relatively small crew of 4.

I must say that, although we were ignored by the C1500 staff when we had our "incident", we have been very well taken care of by the folks of the Seven Seas Cruising Association. Joan from Norfolk SSCA called us within an hour of arrival in Wanchese, NC. She was tracking all the boats and was worried about us. Since then she has offered to drive down and pick us up. offered to house Lara and Isobel during or repair and has connected us with people to make our life easier while we are on the hard. I would never do the 1500 again, and I will support the SSCA for life.

[PamlicoTraveler]

I am curious why you chose Oregon Inlet. Was it one of your bailout points?

Given the seas, were any of the crew seasick? I would like to hear more from you and others in the rally.

[YOGAO]

Incredibly sad to hear about Rule 62 and her lost crew, Laura...

Definition of rage:
Fury. A feeling of intense anger. Violent storms or fires.

One of the really key things to take away from this is the concept of "RAGE" conditions in the Bahamas at certain cuts. Very aptly named, because the volume of water that moves through these cuts cannot be appreciated by looking at the notes on a chart and current speeds of up to 'x' knots. Even Skip's description of wave action are inadequate.

Simply put, when RAGE conditions exist, you are best to lie offshore until they subside, or find another way in.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mike

[BojanglesIV]

@bcalfee - It seems your critique of the 1500 is a little harsh. You chose to exit the Rally after 24 hours. Did you expect that there would be a shore team to greet you in North Carolina? It seems a little unrealistic to expect 1500 staff will line the US coastline, Bermuda and the Bahamas on the off chance that someone decides to bail on the BVI destination.

I've sailed the 1500 twice and the Atlantic Cup once and can speak very highly of the organization. They take safety very seriously and the entire fleet is highly supportive (with actions, not just words) when others are in trouble.

What they cannot do however, is make a November crossing of the Gulf Stream a flat calm, placid affair. It's lumpy out there and folks should be ready for that.

-
As for Rule 62 - I can barely imagine their grief right now. Laura and the rest of the crew should be enjoying rum drinks at Nanny Cay right now.... but they're not. It's an awful tragedy and I feel for them.