Candlestick rescue Video-

spanker_jeep · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:46 am Post subject: Candlestick rescue Video-

If you find any of this gear please post it here on I windsurf. Glad this man survived. Thanks to the sailor with the marine band radio.

http://vimeo.com/917905

Tammy · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

The rescued sailor's gear was not lost. The coast guard took it on board too. Thanks to the Oyster Pt. harbor Mstr and the Coast Guard for saving this guys life. The marine radio is a MUST have for all Bay Area sailors!

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1661 Location: San Francisco

Can you post some details of what happened to this sailor? Was he injured or just stranded in the conditions? Do you know his name?

Epenrose · Joined: 05 Nov 1997 Posts: 402

Isn't there and old saying "don't go out further than you can paddle yourself in".

Not making a comment on this rescue but why does it seem that so many think the USCG is a taxi service.

I trust that the majority will go out only as far as they feel they can get themselves back in under their own steam.

I have made it back paddling in 2 1/2 hrs from mid bay, 2 hrs 15 mins at Dillon a mile out it 5 - 8 foot swell. Did it kind of suck, sure, did I expect the USCG to come fish me out, nope.

What is worrying about all these posts to me is that one day a whole bunch of radio crazies are going to call in and someone will really be in trouble and teh USCG will just think it's another kook who can wait.

With a few exceptions seems like most of the rescues would not be needed if people stayed within their ability.

The only rescue I can remember on the coast is the kook who slept on the beach for three days South of Davenport. I saw him go out that day, he had no idea what he was doing, dumped his board and swam in with his sail, smart!

He could easily have paddled around the cliff and gotten back, instead wasted 3 days of USCG funds getting into a situation that was above his head.

If the coast guys are getting slammed and losing gear on mast high days and helping each other get in why are there so many rescues everywhere else?

It is only a matter of time where someone loses their life because the USCG is on a taxi run.

Again, not about this post, just a general comment.

ctuna · Joined: 27 Jun 1995 Posts: 1125 Location: Santa Cruz Ca

He got his gear in the boat and back to Oyster Point. He was in the water quite awhile and drifted to just beyond the end of the rocks. It was hard to see him as the water was so churned up by the gale force winds. Other people were trying to sample the situation and getting trashed on there smallest stuff . After they took him in he got a ride back to the parking spot . I asked him if he had gotten hypothermic or anything and he said he was Ok He couldn't waterstart because of the extreme gusts was the story he was on a 5.5. The wind sensor was reading 14 to 45 with and average of 30 but I think on the Water there were zones wilder than that I saw a few people that would hit the High wind zone and just get blown out of the water.

ctuna · Joined: 27 Jun 1995 Posts: 1125 Location: Santa Cruz Ca

Even if you had de rigged yesterday if you were already beyond the point you couldn't have paddled in against that wind. Also I think the wind came up suddenly . There was one pretty experienced guy that got stuck along the highway and waited along time to find a hole to get back in

Tammy · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

andydavis · Joined: 11 Apr 1999 Posts: 319 Location: Point Isabel

Arrgh · Joined: 05 May 1998 Posts: 864 Location: Rio

Another vote for Tammy.

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

Unless this guy was hurt, or broke his gear, this was rider error, plain and simple. From what I read, the error was mis-judgement of conditions and abilities. What could have possessed anyone with yesterday's predictions and actual conditions to rig a 5.5 and go out in offshore winds is beyond me. I don't care if it went from 25 to 50 in a matter of 15 minutes. 25 is too much for a 5.5, unless you weigh 250+ pounds. Even then, all signs were indicating correctly conditions in the mid 30's w/ gusts to 50. These are 3.7 on down conditions. Even the big guys at 3rd yesterday were powered on 3.7's.

Hey, we all have to learn and want to challenge ourselves. I get that. The place to be yesterday if you were feeling a little out of your element, would have been Coyote Point where the worst you would have gotten was blown back onto the beach once you realized you were in over your head.

We should all be looking out for each other on the beach and on the water. Someone with more experience should have politely pointed out to the the sailor rigging the 5.5, that his rig would be too much for the conditions. If that was the smallest thing he had, then it was a day to either re-locate, or simply watch.