Cruising Nets
Cruisers around the world still frequently participate in daily radio nets, despite the prevalence today of cell phones, satellite phones and on-board e-mail systems. One of the purposes of these nets is to keep track of boats and be available if an emergency arises. While often these nets are more concerned with the best marina, local bureaucratic policies, and so on, occasionally matters of real importance transpire. This is when the use of the High Frequency Single Sideband radio in such nets still proves its worth.
We have been participating in the Patagonia Cruiser's radio net since leaving Mar del Plata on the Argentine coast, November 2006. It is run by a German, Wolfgang, an ex-cruiser, who lives in Villarica in the Lake District of Chile. The boats that participate may be anywhere on the Argentine coast, the Falklands, Antarctica, Chile, Peru and as far as Easter Island. As the reader may recall from our entry after Tamara's Antarctic cruise a few month ago, the Patagonia Cruiser's net and "Falkland Bob" in Stanley were a critical part of our communications plan for that voyage. Nancy has been running the Net from on-board Tamara for the last month while Wolfgang is in Germany.
Glenn, from Victoria, B.C., on his boat Kim Chow, had been single-handing around the world nonstop the hard way — east to west. Glen logged on to the Patagonia net in April as it is the only such network in the extreme Southern Ocean. At that time he was about 400 miles from the Falklands en route from South Africa, almost 200 days into his voyage. He had quite a task ahead of him, going around Cape Horn, east to west, in late autumn or early winter, against the prevailing strong to storm force westerly winds common to the Horn.
Between April 20th and the 22nd, Glenn was reporting 30-50 knot SW winds, and not making much headway. On April 23rd when reporting into the Net, he indicated that he had fallen and hurt his ribs but seemed OK.
When beginning each broadcast, the net controller, in this case Nancy, asks if there is any emergency or medical traffic to be given priority. On April 24th Glenn came on first to say Kim Chow had suffered a knock-down and been rolled early that morning. He had been tossed around violently, banged his head, thought he had a concussion, injured his shoulder badly, re-injured his ribs, and was dazed and in shock. He was currently headed downwind with a 200 meter long drogue out astern (to slow him down, assist in steering, and help keep the yacht under control in extreme conditions), but had taken several breaking waves over the stern. One wave took his life raft overboard, and another had damaged his main hatch, with water now coming down the companionway. The seas were approximately 6 meters (20 ft).
Mark asked Glenn several questions, trying to access his situation and asked if he wanted us to start notifying rescue authorities as to his status. Mark knew there was a possibility that the Falkland Island Fishery Patrol ship might be the closest rescue vessel, and another net participant, Scully, on Mariam Burke, who was in Puerto Williams, offered to ask the Chilean coast guard if they would telephone Stanley Port Control. We told Glenn we would stay on frequency all day if he needed to communicate.
Three hours later the Argentine Prefectura (coast guard), now informed of the situation, called Glenn on the Patagonia Cruiser's Net frequency and notified him that they had a research vessel, the Puerto Deseado, 350 miles SE of his current position. They would divert the ship, which had a doctor on board, to his position. However the ship was about forty hours away, laboring in the extreme conditions, then reported as in excess of fifty knots. Glenn was hoping to be able to make the Falklands but was glad a ship would be in the area.
Pablo, Glen's contact with the Prefectura at the Argentine rescue control center, spoke excellent English, was very level headed and reassuring. Pablo would keep in touch with Glenn every couple of hours. He also called Glenn's wife to let her know Glenn's current status. Glenn was hurting but lucid and seemed OK. We, and other boats on the Net, spoke to Glenn several times during the day to give him support, and occasionally relayed position reports and other information as radio propagation conditions required.
On April 25th Glenn logged into the Net and sounded groggy and slightly down. He reported still being hit occasionally by a large wave, and was still taking on some water, though under control. Pablo called Glenn and relayed and translated for the doctor on board the Puerto Deseado. Glenn indicated that he thought he had been unconscious an hour, had a gash on the side of his head, his shoulder hurt and he thought he might have broken a rib or two. He also stated that he thought his self-steering vane was smashed and couldn't be fixed at sea, and that his engine was inoperative.
Glenn called Mark in the afternoon to speak with him about the possibility of abandoning Kim Chow, knowing Mark has some experience in this area. With the weather forecast it was going to take him at least a week to get into Stanley, Falklands, and Glenn was beginning to realize that in his current physical state, and with no self-steering vane, that he might not be up to the challenge. A very difficult decision and one no cruiser wants to make. An hour later Glenn called Pablo to let him know that when the Puerto Deseado reached him he was going to abandon Kim Chow. Once Glenn had made that decision Mark spoke with him to help him prepare for a potentially rough transfer to the Puerto Deseado and to go over a safety and communications check list. The Puerto Deseado was due to be in his area early the next morning.
On April 26th, The Argentine Prefectura, the Puerto Deseado, and Glenn were communicating on the Net frequency, so we had the radio on 24 hours in order to stay in touch and relay as necessary. The Puerto Deseado was now on scene with Kim Chow, but forced to heave-to and wait for the sea state to abate before taking Glenn off Kim Chow.
It wasn't until the next day, April 27th, we heard on the Net frequency now fully utilized by the Argentine ships and rescue control center, as well as Falkland based aircraft, Ham radio friends of Glenn, and the regular Net participants that Glenn was finally on board the Puerto Deseado. We received confirmation from Glenn himself when he logged into the Net at 9:00 am. He had been picked early that morning, was happy to be on board the Puerto Deseado and extremely grateful for everyone's help. But the Kim Chow was gone.
We haven't heard from Glenn since, as the frequency has now gone back over to the regular Net participants, but we will contact him when we get to a land based Internet. If interested, there is probably now information on his web site, http://www.kimchowaroundtheworld.com/.
Kim Chow was the third cruising yacht, that we know of, this season to be lost at sea in this region. Just after we left Puerto Williams in March a Polish sailboat, who was checking in on the Net, was also hit by rough seas off Cape Horn and the captain, also single-handling, had to abandon his boat into a lift raft. His was picked up by a large fishing boat after he set off his EPIRB but the yacht was lost. And we also heard of an Argentine sailboat that was abandoned off Isla de los Estados. All persons on board rescued. Luckily, in all these cases, there has been no lost of life.
As for Tamara, we are currently on Chiloe Island, about 60 miles from Puerto Montt, our final destination for this voyage.
We have been participating in the Patagonia Cruiser's radio net since leaving Mar del Plata on the Argentine coast, November 2006. It is run by a German, Wolfgang, an ex-cruiser, who lives in Villarica in the Lake District of Chile. The boats that participate may be anywhere on the Argentine coast, the Falklands, Antarctica, Chile, Peru and as far as Easter Island. As the reader may recall from our entry after Tamara's Antarctic cruise a few month ago, the Patagonia Cruiser's net and "Falkland Bob" in Stanley were a critical part of our communications plan for that voyage. Nancy has been running the Net from on-board Tamara for the last month while Wolfgang is in Germany.
Glenn, from Victoria, B.C., on his boat Kim Chow, had been single-handing around the world nonstop the hard way — east to west. Glen logged on to the Patagonia net in April as it is the only such network in the extreme Southern Ocean. At that time he was about 400 miles from the Falklands en route from South Africa, almost 200 days into his voyage. He had quite a task ahead of him, going around Cape Horn, east to west, in late autumn or early winter, against the prevailing strong to storm force westerly winds common to the Horn.
Between April 20th and the 22nd, Glenn was reporting 30-50 knot SW winds, and not making much headway. On April 23rd when reporting into the Net, he indicated that he had fallen and hurt his ribs but seemed OK.
When beginning each broadcast, the net controller, in this case Nancy, asks if there is any emergency or medical traffic to be given priority. On April 24th Glenn came on first to say Kim Chow had suffered a knock-down and been rolled early that morning. He had been tossed around violently, banged his head, thought he had a concussion, injured his shoulder badly, re-injured his ribs, and was dazed and in shock. He was currently headed downwind with a 200 meter long drogue out astern (to slow him down, assist in steering, and help keep the yacht under control in extreme conditions), but had taken several breaking waves over the stern. One wave took his life raft overboard, and another had damaged his main hatch, with water now coming down the companionway. The seas were approximately 6 meters (20 ft).
Mark asked Glenn several questions, trying to access his situation and asked if he wanted us to start notifying rescue authorities as to his status. Mark knew there was a possibility that the Falkland Island Fishery Patrol ship might be the closest rescue vessel, and another net participant, Scully, on Mariam Burke, who was in Puerto Williams, offered to ask the Chilean coast guard if they would telephone Stanley Port Control. We told Glenn we would stay on frequency all day if he needed to communicate.
Three hours later the Argentine Prefectura (coast guard), now informed of the situation, called Glenn on the Patagonia Cruiser's Net frequency and notified him that they had a research vessel, the Puerto Deseado, 350 miles SE of his current position. They would divert the ship, which had a doctor on board, to his position. However the ship was about forty hours away, laboring in the extreme conditions, then reported as in excess of fifty knots. Glenn was hoping to be able to make the Falklands but was glad a ship would be in the area.
Pablo, Glen's contact with the Prefectura at the Argentine rescue control center, spoke excellent English, was very level headed and reassuring. Pablo would keep in touch with Glenn every couple of hours. He also called Glenn's wife to let her know Glenn's current status. Glenn was hurting but lucid and seemed OK. We, and other boats on the Net, spoke to Glenn several times during the day to give him support, and occasionally relayed position reports and other information as radio propagation conditions required.
On April 25th Glenn logged into the Net and sounded groggy and slightly down. He reported still being hit occasionally by a large wave, and was still taking on some water, though under control. Pablo called Glenn and relayed and translated for the doctor on board the Puerto Deseado. Glenn indicated that he thought he had been unconscious an hour, had a gash on the side of his head, his shoulder hurt and he thought he might have broken a rib or two. He also stated that he thought his self-steering vane was smashed and couldn't be fixed at sea, and that his engine was inoperative.
Glenn called Mark in the afternoon to speak with him about the possibility of abandoning Kim Chow, knowing Mark has some experience in this area. With the weather forecast it was going to take him at least a week to get into Stanley, Falklands, and Glenn was beginning to realize that in his current physical state, and with no self-steering vane, that he might not be up to the challenge. A very difficult decision and one no cruiser wants to make. An hour later Glenn called Pablo to let him know that when the Puerto Deseado reached him he was going to abandon Kim Chow. Once Glenn had made that decision Mark spoke with him to help him prepare for a potentially rough transfer to the Puerto Deseado and to go over a safety and communications check list. The Puerto Deseado was due to be in his area early the next morning.
On April 26th, The Argentine Prefectura, the Puerto Deseado, and Glenn were communicating on the Net frequency, so we had the radio on 24 hours in order to stay in touch and relay as necessary. The Puerto Deseado was now on scene with Kim Chow, but forced to heave-to and wait for the sea state to abate before taking Glenn off Kim Chow.
It wasn't until the next day, April 27th, we heard on the Net frequency now fully utilized by the Argentine ships and rescue control center, as well as Falkland based aircraft, Ham radio friends of Glenn, and the regular Net participants that Glenn was finally on board the Puerto Deseado. We received confirmation from Glenn himself when he logged into the Net at 9:00 am. He had been picked early that morning, was happy to be on board the Puerto Deseado and extremely grateful for everyone's help. But the Kim Chow was gone.
We haven't heard from Glenn since, as the frequency has now gone back over to the regular Net participants, but we will contact him when we get to a land based Internet. If interested, there is probably now information on his web site, http://www.kimchowaroundtheworld.com/.
Kim Chow was the third cruising yacht, that we know of, this season to be lost at sea in this region. Just after we left Puerto Williams in March a Polish sailboat, who was checking in on the Net, was also hit by rough seas off Cape Horn and the captain, also single-handling, had to abandon his boat into a lift raft. His was picked up by a large fishing boat after he set off his EPIRB but the yacht was lost. And we also heard of an Argentine sailboat that was abandoned off Isla de los Estados. All persons on board rescued. Luckily, in all these cases, there has been no lost of life.
As for Tamara, we are currently on Chiloe Island, about 60 miles from Puerto Montt, our final destination for this voyage.
Labels: Chilean Channels, Tamara
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