In His Own Words, the Survivor Details Heroism of Bay Breeze Crew

Dear Harbor Bay Ferry Captain and Crew:

Last Thursday, October 2, 2003, I launched my San Francisco Bay Pelican sailboat at the Grand Street Marina in Alameda. This is a small wooden sailboat with a two-horsepower outboard. I motored and sailed out the Estuary and began sailing on the Bay out towards Angel Island. After reaching this area and experiencing high winds and the rudder popping out of its slot, I returned back under the Bay Bridge and was going to return, but given a nice afternoon and favorable winds, decided to circumnavigate Alameda. It was around 2:00 p.m. at this point. Sailing southbound, well past the large boat anchorage, the rudder popped out again. While trying to put it back, a gust or swell knocked me overboard without warning.

I was fortunate to grab onto the kicked up outboard and was pulled along by the boat as it turned to sail back north. After a mile of this and unsuccessful attempts to pull myself up the transom or attract any help, I pulled around the Pelican to the low side and swamped it while trying to climb in. At this point, I need to admit that my sailing experience was mostly as a youngster. I tried twice to right the boat by standing on the centerboard, but the sails filled too quickly with the strong wind, and the unstable craft, filled with water, turned again.

Trying to conserve my energy, I stuck a floating paddle upside down into the centerboard slot, and this made a good handhold as I clung for my life in the now-hostile Bay on the upside-down boat. Perching on the motor mount and gripping the paddle, the Pelican began drifting slowly towards the Hornet. For a good two hours I hung on, yelling and waving at any boat in sight, but I couldn’t attract any attention. I hoped to drift to the old base or somewhere I could walk to safety before dark, or any worse fate.

It was then that the Bay Breeze motored into sight. Waving and calling for help, I hoped the Captain would spot me and was relieved to see the ferry slow and crew and passengers waving at me. Very expertly, the Bay Breeze maneuvered alongside, and the crew lowered a ladder and hauled me up out of the chilly water. It was only then that I’d let go of the Pelican. Louie and the rest of the crew brought me a cell phone so I could call my wife, along with a warm blanket and hot coffee.

I’m only now beginning to recover from this ordeal and am grateful for your alert and expert rescue that Thursday afternoon.

Thank you for your expert rescue and kindness.