It would be fair to say that our Geographe Bay Race Week campaign on the Janet Anne did not end well. Leaving the jetty for the final morning race on a short course, we believed we had great prospects. We had actually completed the short course on Day 3 and although the last in the fleet, this was only by a minutes margin. We were delighted when the Finish Boat sounded the horn and we think they were pleased about not having to wait for us to finish too because they gave us 3 toots for good measure. Keith and Mum were so delighted that afternoon that they met us on the jetty with a bottle of champagne on a silver tray!
Heading out with the race fleet
On Day 4 we sailed shorthanded while Jan drove Keith to Bunbury for an MRI. The race turned out to be a drifter taking us over 2 hours and 3 attempts just to get around the Day Buoy. For lack of wind, we drifted on the current for almost a 1/2 nm away from the that wretched buoy! Abandoning the race, we sought permission to have a practice run through the finish line. Once again they wouldn't be kept waiting for us.
The forecast for Day 5 was pretty good. Wind of about 18kts. The Janet Anne needed at least 12-15kts to get her going so we really thought we should be able to complete the race and who would know? On handicap we might look like contenders!
We discovered that if you got to the Start Boat early enough,
they'd throw jelly snakes to eat. YUM!
The end of the iconic Busselton Jetty 1.8 km or 1nm long!
We had plenty of excitement at the start line among the fleet in our Jib and Main division and all the argie bargie that entails. Furthermore, the division that had started ahead of us had 'broken' and were recalled to start once again 5 minutes after us. We tried to be the least interference we could to 'proper' racers but try as we did, a couple of boats were forced to give way to us. We were in the thick of it for the 2nd time within 15 minutes and that had our blood fairly pumped. We got around the Day Buoy without incident and then headed out to seaward to Marker 9 with the wind behind us. The forecast was accurate and we were in a solid 18kts of breeze with up to 1m of fetch. Geographe Bay is in the lee of Cape Naturaliste so there isn't any swell as such but there was a bit of chop as we got further from shore (about 2nm).
Our track on approach to Marker 9
The Bloke was careful to check how we girls felt about the race at each stage. Did we feel
comfortable to go on etc? We agreed that we felt just fine, a little wet, but fine. We were actually sort of keeping our fleet in sight. We timed them going around Marker 9 about 20-25 minutes ahead of us. We were certainly on a PB. I activated the Navionics App on approach to Marker 9 since I'd dropped a marker pin for it's GPS a few days earlier. We needed confirmation of the buoy position once the last of the boats had gone around it as it was otherwise a bit hard to spot. As usual the buoy came up fast once clearly visible and we executed a tidy tack at approximately 11:05.
We were going along nicely and occasionally having water come over the gunnels. This was mostly pumped away but once we were on the wind, a bit more water was accumulating in the stern. Sitting to leeward in case we needed to release the jib, my foot was in an ankle deep puddle. A stronger gust of wind caught us out and being unable react and to release the main fast enough, we shipped a bigger wave which caused us to heel further and actually scoop yet more water than could reach the bilge sumps. Oops we were pulled over by the weight of the water at around 11:15.
Sensing that the Janet Anne would likely overturn The Bloke ordered us to be clear of the boom and any rigging, including floating ropes that might entangle us, and prepare to be in the water. We were in the water in a heartbeat. Once we had each found a sheet (rope) to hold onto and not drift away from the boat, we activated our life jacket toggles. All 3 lift jackets which had been suitably tightened ahead of the race, inflated without delay or incident. Doug Abbott, a fellow cruiser, had once been fished out of Bass Strait after 3 hours and in sharing his story had stressed the importance of life jackets having a snug fit and preferably to have a crotch strap too. We remembered Dougie's story and had adjusted Jan's floppy vest ahead of Race 1. Unfortunately the boat's EPIRB was still attached in it’s bracket next to the tiller and VHF Radio. Both were on the side that was in the water. Flares were in a water tight compartment but also only accessible under water. In any case, the watertight compartment was helping keep the Janet Anne from sinking. We hoped we wouldn't need to reconsider those.
This pouch has saved my phone on a couple 'swims'.
Fortunately my mobile phone was in a waterproof pouch around my neck. I thought I'd be taking photo's! Janet also had a phone in a waterproof satchel in an internal pocket of her spray jacket. We considered that as a back-up since it was wedged to her body by her now inflated life jacket. We needed to call for help. 000 was a first instinct. I climbed up on what turned out to be the rudder, so I could remove the phone from the pouch and make the call as quickly as I could in case the boat sank. A wet phone was of no help. At 11:17 we made a 000 call. The screen was difficult to see inside the pouch and through wet spectacles. The call was made one-handed while hanging on to a slippery boat and trying to avoid getting the iPhone wet or dropping it. Answering questions made by the 000 call operator was impossible. Knowing emergency calls are recorded I just gave information that the vessel the Janet Anne was capsized in Geographe Bay in the vicinity of Race Mark 9 in Geographe Bay Race Week and that there were 3 people in the water all with deployed life jackets. I hung up to save battery power. The iPhone was replaced in the pouch to preserve it.
Naturally our call was returned at 11:19 but at this stage the phone could not be answered as we were trying to manage ourselves onto the hull. This was followed by another call at 11:22. We guessed that this was a call to attempt verification and to get more detail.
We spent some more minutes getting Jan up onto the keel and then higher and out of the water since she’d cut her legs on the keel barnacles. We wanted minimum blood in the water as well as to reduce immersion time. Lucky for us the water was quite warm. Managing the phone inside the pouch was difficult but eventually I managed to find the ‘Favourites’ list. Accessing the number/ keypad or to return missed calls on ‘Messages’ was attempted but unsuccessful! By 11:27 I called Lucas in Brisbane (call duration 27 seconds). He didn’t answer. In fumbling, I then accidentally called Mum recording a 4 minute "pocket call". Mum did not respond of course because she was in Busselton with Keith!
At 11:32 after more fumbling and hanging on, I called Amy who was also in Brisbane, dialing via the ‘Favourites’ list knowing she was home, I asked her to phone 000, tell authorities that we were in Geographe a Bay etc as per initial 000 call and confirming 3 crew were in the water but were uninjured. Call duration 19 seconds. Our thinking was that by asking for a second 000 to be made it would confirm that our earlier call was not a hoax.
At 11:34 still fumbling with the iPhone one handed, I made a repeat pocket style call to Mum and cancelled it, also making an accidental call to Roger. Oh dear, having the phone in the pouch made things very difficult. My hands weren't too steady either. Luckily Lucas returned my call at 11:34 (champion!) so I asked him to call 000 and relay our information. He phoned 000 on a land-line and relayed questions. I then also asked Lucas to immediately call Keith as he would know who to call at the GBYC Race Week control tower. We wanted E V E R Y O N E that would listen, to know that help was needed!
Our Navionics track commenced about 5-10 minutes ahead of our rounding of Buoy 9 and concluded on our safe return to Keith's jetty.
There were a couple of incoming calls during the next 10 minutes but it was impossible to answer. By this time we had spotted the VMR vessel tasked with the job of retrieving #9 Race Marker and I was standing on top of the upturned and bucking hull, supported by a tensioned rope and waiving furiously, hoping to attract attention. We had heard on race radio (Ch77) some 5-10 mins before we rounded Mark 9, that race control believed that all vessels had already rounded the buoy and that it could be retrieved. They were wrong of course. We were confident that so long as our message was relayed to this vessel that they would find us quite soon. We found out later that the VMR crew had been informed of a capsized yacht near the race mark but they reported back that there was nothing to be seen. Yikes! Race control told them to look harder as there been three 000 calls. In the sea-state a small white boat with a blue bottom creates the smallest imaginable profile. The bright yellow of the inflated life vest tubes were our best chance of being seen and that yellow needed to be as high up as we could make it - at least as high as a race buoy and above the waves!
The Bloke inspecting and deflating those great life vests. Job done!
It seemed like the VMR boat would never turn to face in our direction but eventually they headed for us. We were fortunate that the conditions were not too wild and catching the hauling-line not too difficult. Jan was the first to be yanked out and The Bloke the last. By the time we'd been safely transferred, a second VMR vessel had arrived and they took on the job of towing in the poor Janet Anne. Flotsam was already drifting off with the current....floor boards, spare ropes, cushions, an esky containing fruit AND significantly, some of Mum's Christmas cake ... darn it!
Anything and everything that was unsecured had drifted off including the floorboards and engine housing. The EPIRB was still in it's holder though!
Forlorn and sitting at her jetty, the Janet Anne awaits the Insurance Assessor.
As soon as we were aboard we called Keith at 12:03 to reassure him (and Mum) that we were all safely aboard the VMR vessel and could he please notify Lucas and Amy so they would not worry unnecessarily for any longer. It's probably 45 minutes that we'll remember for a while. And so ended the Janet Anne's tilt at glory in Geographe Bay Race Week.
Jan's small lacerations
We are immensely grateful to the volunteers that serve the marine community along our shores: in this instance to Busselton Volunteer Marine Rescue. To them we owe our happy ending.
Sharing a drink and a hug with long time golfing buddy Fastie, and calming the nerves after all that!
On a sad note, 12 hours later and 50 nautical miles to our north in the vicinity of Cape Bouvard (our old sailing grounds before we sailed for Eastern shores) another boat capsize played out quite differently following a keel loss. The skipper and one crew on a well known WA ocean racing boat, SV Finestere, died racing in the Fremantle to Bunbury and return race . The remaining 4 crew were rescued in the middle of the night and in difficult conditions. Life is a fragile state and can end in sudden and unpredictable ways. Live it full and live it well!
