Thank you all so much for your kindness and condolences. I am so overwhelmed at your thoughtfulness it brings tears to my eyes. I logged into the site here at the Fire Station, and the guys couldn't believe it either...They're like "you never even met these people?" "That's unbelievable!".....and it's true you are all wonderful.
Sit down and read:
Monday August 20, 2007 Damariscotta River (mouth) South Bristol Maine. Conditions perfect....flat water light wind 70? degrees.
My boat is a 2120 DVSC I purchased in March with 80 hours on it. I put on 141 thus far for a total of 221. I know the boat and what it can do. I love it still and will have it one day again.
I was four hours into a sightseeing cruise with my Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin. We were 18 miles South of my home in Bremen Maine. Had decided to just follow the coast and point out wildlfe, notable homes, forts, etc. After leaving Christmas Cove I decided to turn back for home. Followed my GPS "line" back out. Everything was the same except the tide....It was now coming in. Nothing looked different to me while passing in front of Inner Heron Cove Island when a huge swell lifted the boat straight up and set us down...It gave me that roller coaster feeling in my stomach. I realized immediately I was in a bad spot and turned to port at a 45 degree back to safer water. Too late! I see an enormous swell to my left that I "surfed down " briefly before it went over and capsized my boat.
My Uncle David was in the cabin with me. The door was pinned open (Thank God) and both side windows were open. The water filled in immediately. I had no time to take a breath, and though I was going to drown. My Uncle was thrown on top of me and we had to joust quite a bit to try and find the door. I made it through right behind my Uncle and went immediatey up where I found a triangular air pocket (where the deck meets the cabin). I saw my Uncle still face down in water but moving his arms violently. I reached over and picked up his chin and he took several big breaths. I assured him he was OK and to hold on when I went to check on my Aunt and cousin. I dipped down under the gunwale and saw my cousin by the bow and my 70 year old aunt clinging to the upside down engine (which stopped on its own). They were terrified. I told them to relax and hang on and that Uncle David was OK. I took a breath and went back for my Uncle ( time elapsed about 30 secs). I reached up and felt my Uncles back. His body just pulled downward. He showed no sign of life.
Getting him immediately to surface I brought him to the stern where it is the lowest. I set his head in boat and gave two rescue breaths...Nothing. I gave a couple more and we got pounded by another swell. The horror and frustration of trying to breathe for a man that is being pushed under water is something you can't even imagine. This continued (the rescue breathing and wave pounding for at least 5 minutes. There was a lobsterman who witnessed everything fifty feet away...I realized he couldn't endanger his crew or boat to come closer. After being beat up a little more we drifted to a safer spot where the lobsterman could assist. He grabbed my Uncle by the arms and held him while I crawled up onto his boat. We hoisted my Uncle up and onto his deck and I immediately started one person CPR on my Uncle. Another lobsterboat plucked my Aunt and cousin out. I continued CPR for 5 minutes until Coast Guard arrived. A gentleman jumped in and assisted me,,doing compressions while I breathed for Uncle. We sped to dock and met awaiting ALS (Advanced Life Support) out of Boothbay. I assisted applying defib machine while Medic intubated my Uncle. No shock was advised (he was asystolic or flatlining). He was then chemically treated with atropine and epinephrine while CPR continued all the way to hospital.
At hospital they worked him for aprox 20 minutes and called it. He was dead.
The Marine patrol, Coast Guard, Lobsterman, ALS and Emergency room people were all wonderful. It could have been much worse. My Aunt loves me dearly and calls me her hero. Her whole family has helped me get through this with their love. I attend the wake later today,,,I will be there the whole time.
I go through it a million times in my head, and have had nightmares, but I will be back in saddle when I can. Everyone says to stop beating myself up and that there's nothing I did all I could, but that's a tough pill to swallow. It's such a painful lesson.
I contacted and thanked all the folks involved and asked them all about the spot where the swell came from flat water. It was a wrong place wrong time thing and that is all. Incoming tide at low water is the only time it does that. I passed over it earlier on the outgoing without a ripple.
and several other times this Summer. Chief Smith of the Coast Guard stated "there's no knowledge like local knowledge."
I contacted insurance people but will deal with it all later. It is the last thing on my mind. The Coast Guard pulled my boat (upside down) to Gamages Ship Yard in South Bristol Me. They righted it with a barge and the bilge kicked on and drained it completely. It sustained some heavy damage to roof and rear cabin. Engine cowling damaged. Rocket launchers ripped off. They said the engine turned over but wouldn't start. They drained all the oil added new oil fogged cylinders and took out the plugs. The guy there said the insurance folks will prob write it off but I'll find out about that later.
Has anyone out there ever capsized a boat? It is unthinkable. Bless you all for your kindness. Please don't do anything special. You've done so much and I'm very touched by this.
Thanks again,
Bill
[email protected]
ps Dale I'll be in touch..Thank you so much for everything.
Terrible news.
