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June 10, 2000 Saturday
Earth Explorer Sailboat activity and rescue of James P. Little,
Chicago, IL.
Today the crew of Earth Explorer had a race practice planned to
hone our skills of large fleet race starts and various spinnaker sets
and takedowns. Earth Explorer is a Tartan 10 racing
sailboat, 33ft long, which we sailed in the Mackinaw race last
year. The Crew this day consisted of Dee Van Leeuwen, Dorothy
Cutrone, Andy Fisher, Lyn Parsons, Jason Schwyn and his wife Dr. Carrie
Phillips. Carrie is a medical doctor at Northwestern Memorial
Hospital in Chicago. We met at Belmont Harbor, Chicago, at 10:00
and loaded and left the dock at about 10:30. It was a warm 82 degree
sunny but breezy morning. Motoring out I saw a new Tartan 10 owner
Dr. Poulus on his boat "Flame" and bid him a good day. Leaving
the harbor, the crew prepared the boat rigging to raise the jib and
spinnaker. The wind today was gusty southwest. The harbor was
shielded from southwest winds due to a series of large 10 to 15 story
apartment buildings. However once outside the harbor we could feel
the true wind speed and the boat anemometer registered speed of 15 to 20
kts. The time was approximately 11:00 motoring about ¼ mile east
of the harbor entrance when I did a final check of the near by boats for
traffic before raising the mainsail. We decided to put in a double
reef due to the gusty winds. It was then, when one of the sailboats
previously observed was no longer visible. Another member of our crew
saw and pointed to a capsized boat about 1/3 mile to the northeast. With
focused observation, we saw 2 sailors in the water, attempting to right
the small boat. The crew consisted of a man and woman. He was attempting
to right, standing on the centerboard, but almost immediately was hit by
another gust and capsized. The boat was a 15 ft Vanguard. The water
temperature was 58 degrees. The Vanguard sailors were dressed in
T-shirts, shorts, and PFDs.
We immediately changed direction and headed toward the capsized boat.
After about 15 minutes of 3 more capsizes, two Jetskis motored in to
offer assistance and the woman crawled up out of the water. Next a
larger 25 ft. motorboat with 8 people helped by sending 2 men in wet
suits to right the boat. The Vanguard boat righted, the woman swam back,
and they started again. After sailing 3 minutes they capsized again. By
1130 the wind was increasing to 20 to 25kts. A storm was approaching the
area from the south.
This time the woman crew was exhausted and she asked the Jet ski
boater to take her back to the harbor. The owner of the Vanguard
continued to right and sail the boat. We later learned his name as James
P. Little. However each time he righted the boat, he had limited
progress and as the strong southwest winds were blowing him directly
away from the harbor and "out to sea".
All the other potential rescue boats left the area so we offered to
tow him back. We dropped a 100ft floating line which he tied to his bow.
We started towing but again, due to the strong winds, the boat capsized,
and turtled. James was holding to the slippery bottom. We abandoned the
towing and decided to just rescue the sailor. As we approached we could
see he was shaking uncontrollably. The winds also increased to an
average 30 kts with gusts to 40. About 30% of the southern sky was
filled with the thunderstorm.
I maneuvered from downwind and slowly pulled Earth Explorer to
within 5ft of his position, the centerboard of his turtled boat. Lyn
tossed the line of our Lifesling. James was pulled to and caught the
lowest rung of our rope ladder. Four of our crew dragged him in, as dead
weight. He was totally exhausted. We laid him down in the seat of the
cockpit and struggled to remove his wet clothes and dry him off. He was
covered with dry towels. James had been in the cold water for about 45
minutes. The time was about 1215. Dee later commented that his skin felt
cold like a dead fish.
As I throttled up the Earth Explorer motor, Jason called on
the radio, Channel 16 to alert the authorities, and to request an
ambulance at the Chicago Yacht Club dock at Belmont. Dee cradled his
head, Dr. Carrie took his pulse( it was 90) and toweled his shivering
body. I could see his face and his eyes were rolling, as he nearly went
unconscious. Also, his legs were cut and bruised in several places. The
wind was now 30 to 40kts and waves hit our Tartan-10 boat and drenched
the entire crew.
After struggling upwind back to the harbor we entered and motored up
to the Chicago Yacht Club dock at about 12:45. The CYC desk manager
called for a ambulance. By this time James Little was talking and was
able to take small amounts of water. The Chicago Fire Dept. ambulance
arrived the paramedics lifted James off of Earth Explorer on to a
seated gurney. Dr. Carrie introduced her credentials and instructions.
Oxygen was administered for about 15 minutes. Afterwards, we provided
James a powerade drink for electrolytes. Dr. Carrie was concerned for
possible kidney damage. James was recovering and declined transport to a
hospital. By 13:30 he was able to stand up and walk on his own.
The Chicago Police Marine Unit 6 also arrived, Officer Mike
Belluomini took the report along with Dave Strandberg. The
Vanguard was to be towed back in by Lifeguard boat from Diversey harbor.
They called it a hazard to navigation.
James Little (28) had just purchased the Vanguard 15 and was taking
his fiancee Kristen Gabel out for an initial sail. James had been on the
sailing team of his college. James and Kristen, residents of Chicago,
are to be married in October. James was very appreciative and thanks the
entire crew of Earth Explorer. Kristen shook my hand and said,
"Thanks for saving him."
June 11, 2000
Speaking to James Little as a follow up, he related that his body
felt sore, as if in a car wreck. He rested the remainder of Saturday.
The only damage to the boat was a broken spreader.
Owner of Earth Explorer: William Luksha
Crew: Dee Van Leeuwen, Dr. Carrie Phillips, Jason Schwyn, Lyn
Parsons, Andy Fisher, Dorothy Cutrone. |
