Training comes in handy for heroic scouts

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Ahoy.

What are the odds of a boatload of Boy Scouts sailing through the

fog and spotting a lost scuba diver floating in the Pacific Ocean?

Well, that is exactly what happened last Sunday while the Argus,

which is the Boy Scouts’ 99-year-old topsail ketch, was heading home

from Catalina Island to the Newport Sea Base.

The Argus was sailing a course to avoid the foggy shipping lanes

that had ship traffic that afternoon and the excitement began when

the fog started to burn off. Lady Luck was looking after Dan Carlock,

a diver from Long Beach, after he was separated from his diving

partners by about 10 miles.

Troop member Zack Mayberry spotted a diver waving for help, and

then Zack called out the frightening call that no captain ever wants

to hear while in the ocean -- “man overboard.” Fortunately, the

ship’s crew had conducted a Man Overboard (MOB) drill the day before,

so the crew was prepared to pluck Carlock from visiting the briny

depths of Davey’s Locker.

While Capt. Fred Bockmiller maneuvered the vessel, the crew

executed the rescue, according to First Mate Al Sorkin. These scouts

will remember this life-saving rescue for the rest of their lives and

I am sure they will receive medals from the scouts.

So how would you respond in a man-overboard situation? It can be

very difficult, depending on the ocean conditions, to spot someone

who has fallen overboard. It can be especially tough to pluck them

out of the ocean.

The first person to realize someone is overboard spreads the alarm

in a loud voice and let’s the crew know which side the rescue needs

to be made. The crew member would say, “Man overboard -- port side.”

Most importantly, this crew member becomes what is known as the

“Pointer” and continuously points to the victim in the water.

Skipper can immediately mark the location with GPS if so equipped,

plus the skipper can alert the Coast Guard or local authorities if

help will be required to rescue the person. Do not get overly

excited, but if you see the person fall in, then immediately turn the

boat in the direction of the man overboard to get the stern

(propellers) away from the person, and sound the whistle signal of

five short blasts.

At the same time, another crew member throws the life-ring to

that side or to the person in the water. The pointer continues to

point to the victim. Others may join in as pointers. Someone who is

not the pointer will don a lifejacket to be ready to jump in the

water as a rescue swimmer. Another person should be prepared to jump

in as well, but only as a last option.

The skipper will advise on a leeward or windward recovery, and

hopefully the crew can save the person in the water. Do not forget to

use your swim ladder and be careful not to run the person over with

the boat.

When someone falls overboard unseen, and the time they fell in is

unknown, then you can use the Williamson Turn to back track or follow

your GPS track line. You start the Williamson Turn by immediately

noting your present course and maintaining your current speed.

Then you turn 60 degrees to either side (starboard add and port

subtract), and calculate the reciprocal course from original course.

Once you have reached the 60-degree turn, veer to the reciprocal in

opposite direction as the 60-degree turn to complete a 180-degree

loop. Forexample, if you are on a heading of 000 then turn starboard

to 060. When your compass reads 060, immediately turn to port until

you get a 180 reading on the compass. Hopefully, Lady Luck will work

in your favor, too.

BOAT SHOW OF THE WEEK

The Southern California Marine Assn.’s boat show is at the Newport

Dunes until Sunday, and the hours are noon to 9 p.m. today, 10 a.m.

to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more

information, call 888-BOAT-INFO or visit https://www.scma.com.

Remember to tune in to my “Boathouse Radio Show” every Sunday from

4 to 5 p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170), or listen over the Internet at

https://www.boathouseradio. com. You can call the listener line at

(888) 344-1170.

Safe Voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to mike@boathousetv.com or visit https://www.boathousetv.com.