Scary and sad

[John Jones]

Even after a lifetime on the water the ocean can get you.  Jupiter Inlet is no place for 1 second of distraction.


Jupiter Charter Boat Captain Dies
Thomas Henry, 61, Died After Fall From Boat

POSTED: 6:53 pm EDT September 6, 2010
UPDATED: 10:10 am EDT September 7, 2010
JUPITER, Fla. -- A Jupiter charter boat captain died Monday from injuries suffered after falling off the boat.

Thomas Henry was injured when he fell from his boat Friday, according to Gabriella Ferraro of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Henry, 61, was bringing his boat “Waterdog” into the Jupiter inlet in high waves and rough conditions when he fell overboard and was pulled from the water unconscious by lifeguards.

http://www.wpbf.com/news/24901477/detail.html

Now check this 42 photo sequence of the accident.  The seas don't look that bad until you realize that the boat buried between the waves is a 48' Garlington.  Apparently he stuffed the bow, then the following waves turned the boat 90 deg. and nearly rolled it.  Starting about picture 14 you can see the captain going over the side.

http://pnyr.big1059.com/cc-common/galle ... _id=249965

Prayers for the captain's family.

[bumpster]

That is a sick inlet. I used to fish there in my 200 Osprey and you really need to be on your game. There is a sandbar just outside on the NE corner and the waves crash the inlet hard on an outgoing tide. I have seen flat seas with 6ft standing men in the inlet.

[seabob4]

HOLY !!!

[wingtime]

Yeah my Uncle used to have a 12 Meter Trojan that he kept in a slip behind Charlie's Crab so I'm familiar with that inlet.  My cousin sent me a link about that accident on Friday but I didn't hear that he died.  That is tragic.  At least he went out doing what he loves.

[Aswaff400]

HOLY !!!

X2

[wingtime]

HOLY !!!

X3

After looking at those picks Seabob nailed it.  you would think your safe in a boat that size but WOW!

[RickK]

whoa  

[gran398]

That was a huge groundswell. Perhaps left-over from the hurricane. God Bless the family.

[gran398]

Not passing judgement. I was onboard a 54 Rybovich making a similar entry in February 1992, Lake Worth Inlet, Palm Beach. Big sea. We were three of 55 boats in the fleet who chose to sailfish that day.

Seasoned professional captain. Had captained this boat for nineteen years at that point in time. His full-time job.

Big sea. A hard falling tide. We get in Lake Worth Inlet, looks like a washing machine. We were in seven to nine foot swells all day, hard north wind that time of year, beating against the Stream. No big deal. We thought.

Entering the inlet (looking back of course) we should have held offshore, and fished 'till the tide change (incoming).

Not a problem, we're in a Rybovich, I guess.

Get in the inlet, goes from bad to worse. the nine footers go to short-stacked sixteen footers. She broaches over hard (as in the pic sequence.) But in our case, we have a very heavy breaking chop thrown on top, due to the wind. The anglers are sitting port and starboard in the forward cockpit against the salon bulkhead, on the freezers. When she broaches, we're thrown mid-air, and CROSS each other in mid-air, and end up in opposite corners of the transom. I'll never forget it. A big sportfish, reduced to a cork in the sea.

I have different ideas regarding what I would have done if I were the captain. Frankly, I thought he -footed around in running that inlet. You need to come in with quick power; everything we read regarding inlet navigation states be ready with the power, to prevent a broach-over. But easier said than done, I guess.

In summary, we were fortunate, and got back to the dock. The captain, when I mentioned it, looked at me blankly, like it never happened....

Betcha he laid in the next morning.