Boater shares first-hand experience of Avalon storm

Wow what a good story. Worth reading.

The Log Newspaper | California Boating & Fishing News - Boater-shares-first-hand-experience-of-storm

Here another:

The Log Newspaper | California Boating & Fishing News - After-the-Storm-Avalon-boaters-share-stories-give-advice

Wow.....Some pretty heroic efforts by the Harbor Patrol...

Holy Cow! I have to wonder what I would do in that kind of situation. I really try to stay in port if there is any hint of foul weather (yes, I am chicken) but there is always a chance of getting caught off guard, especially when the forecast is THAT far off.

Marty...................

I'm left wondering if a realignment of the mooring field is in order so the boats will be aligned into the wind during the most threatening conditions. To those familiar with the harbor, would that leave boats vulnerable to the more benign but more regularly experienced winds/waves in the harbor?

How about extending the breakwater from the casino side. Make a narrow channel to enter the harbor with a protective breakwater in front like Marina Del Rey.

Thanks for posting.

In my 30yrs of boating experience, there have been I guess about 10 times where the weather picked up completely unexpected. A harbor with an open fetch to the ocean combined with one of those events results in this sort of thing. Weather forecasts are not perfect, and if you try too hard to eliminate all risk, you end up with forecasts that continually "cry wolf".

Kudos to the harbor crews, they really were working hard to help in really bad conditions.

Wow. Extremely well written.

I'm starting to see why I am so out of step with mainstream boaters.

I'm starting to see the light.
It seems the contingency plan that many have is to call someone to pull your ass to safety, when the going gets tough.

And to think, I thought it was "when the going gets tough, the tough get going"

There are a lot more Rebel Hearts out there then I ever realized.

That was well written, thanks for posting the link. We sailed to Catalina last summer and spent a great time there, although we took a mooring ball on Decanso Beach on the outside, not inside. They sure do pack those mooring fields tightly, although I can understand why, intense demand for them. We took the dingy up and down the mooring field fairways just blown away by the millions in boat values lined up side by side, row after row. Boy that must have been dangerous chaos when that hit. I'm kind of surprised it wasn't far worse, which is probably a testament to the harbor patrol and others who came to the rescue of so many. We were amazed at the skills of the harbor patrol and water taxi drivers maneuvering through the mooring fields.

That first link was a great read.

Avalon Harbor has a poor "flush" resulting in "NO Swimming" notices on occasion when the fecal count is too high. Extending the breakwater would only exacerbate the problem.

Wxx3 said:

Wow. Extremely well written.

I'm starting to see why I am so out of step with mainstream boaters.

I'm starting to see the light.
It seems the contingency plan that many have is to call someone to pull your ass to safety, when the going gets tough.

And to think, I thought it was "when the going gets tough, the tough get going"

There are a lot more Rebel Hearts out there then I ever realized.

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Are the doors on your Krogan the standard ones or are they custom over sized?

Ahh Capt Bill,

Yes, I agree it comes with the territory that boaters must be prepared for the weather.
40 knots on Catalina Island is not out of the ordinary.

As I have said before, if you boat based on a weather forecast, bad things will eventually happen. I think that is pretty evident.

And to trust a mooring that you did not make yourself is also looking for trouble.

Or are you saying something else?

Dropping an anchor out of the question if the mooring lines part?

Capt.Bill11 said:

Are the doors on your Krogan the standard ones or are they custom over sized?

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psneeld said:

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Hey, It's Capt Bill being Capt Bill.

I thought he was agreeing in his own way

Otherwise what part is he disagreeing with?

Tying the mooring line to the windlass??
Not being able to handle 40 knot winds
Fending off other boats by putting your body parts between them

psneeld said:

This question might dissapear....

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That's OK, I think I got the answer.

And no, putting the mooring line directly on a windlass is not the best idea. Nor is using your body to fend off. Although I don't remember reading that. Just something about putting an inflatable and extra fenders between two boats. So I'll have to reread it.

As to the wind, in and of itself that was a minor problem I'd say. The waves and surge were by far the main cause of the disaster. Just like in a hurricane that makes land fall at high tide with a strong storm surge.

Since I wasn't there, it wasn't a predicted event and its apparently a crowded, very open harbour, I'm not going to pass judgement on the people involved quite so quickly.

Very well written article that was captivating from the beginning to the end.

We have been in a mooring field in the Virgin Islands when bad weather came through tossing sailboats around and flipping tenders. We bounced off another boat that night but none of it compares at all to what these folk went through and my thoughts go out to the Kiwi gentleman and the other person who didn't make it.

We look forward to visiting Catalina one day as I understand it can be magical.

Again a really interesting article that painted a very clear picture.

"Magical" is the word. Last summer we were moored in Avalon, and the Sicilian suggested we go ashore so I can enjoy a two scoop waffle-cone sundae for lunch at Big Olaf's. I knew right then and there something was amiss. I'm settin' there enjoyin' my "lunch" and she shows up with a new hand bag that was so "cute" she had to have it. A "magical" moment.:lol:

Excellent accounting. Disastrous consequences from this experience. I've see rough times riding out storms aboard boat in New England harbors during the 1960's. None had this bad an outcome.