searay40dad
Active Member
- Oct 23, 2006
- 1,161
- Boat Info
- 2001 480 Sedan Bridge w/ Novurania RIB
- Engines
- 660 hp CAT 3196's
Heading to the water after work today for an 8-day vacation. The 4th is always bittersweet for our boating group because of a tragic loss we suffered as a group on the night of July 4th years earlier. This year will mark the 10 year anniversary of a horrific night we'll never forget when one of our boating family members had an accident and drowned leaving behind 4 little girls and a wife. Our friend was larger than life, in his mid-40's and had just sold his business and retired. He had also just bought his dream boat, a 560 Sedan Bridge, and three of us had just returned from a nice boat trip together to meet up with the rest of the group for a tie-up to watch the fireworks. Lets just say it was as good as times get. Many kids aboard and all were having a great time. After all had hit the rack except for most of the men, our buddy went to cross from one boat to another, slipped, hit his head and fell between the boats. No one saw him fall but we heard the bone-chilling thump and splash--we immediately knew what had happened. We all went into the water but we were in 15' and by the time you get to the bottom, feel around frantically and make your way back up, you're gassed. Doing it over and over becomes physically impossible. Plus, if you've ever been under water in pitch black knowing there's 8 big boats tied up somewhere above you and you can't see or have no idea where you're going to be breaking the surface at, it's beyond horrifying.
But two things still stand out to me today. One is the sound of the hooks & chains the search and rescue team uses to drag for a body when they clank against an aluminum john boat hull. The second was my 400EC was on the end, which meant I was the boat that carried the 4 little girls and mom back to their homeport to meet the rest of their family at the first crack of dawn. The littlest went into the cabin and played nintendo with my son like nothing ever happened. she was too young to understand. The others, all in shock, loaded my boat down with everything they wanted to keep to remember their father because they knew they'd never step on that Sea Ray or maybe any other boat for that matter again.
I know this post is a downer right before a day to celebrate but if it gets one of you to think during the holidays, then all is well. A couple lessons, tie the boats as tight as possible when rafting up and always make the kids wear jackets when they cross boats. Enjoy the holidays and be safe out there folks.
To Capt Brent...you'd be so proud of the girls...and my boat is still shinier than yours.
But two things still stand out to me today. One is the sound of the hooks & chains the search and rescue team uses to drag for a body when they clank against an aluminum john boat hull. The second was my 400EC was on the end, which meant I was the boat that carried the 4 little girls and mom back to their homeport to meet the rest of their family at the first crack of dawn. The littlest went into the cabin and played nintendo with my son like nothing ever happened. she was too young to understand. The others, all in shock, loaded my boat down with everything they wanted to keep to remember their father because they knew they'd never step on that Sea Ray or maybe any other boat for that matter again.
I know this post is a downer right before a day to celebrate but if it gets one of you to think during the holidays, then all is well. A couple lessons, tie the boats as tight as possible when rafting up and always make the kids wear jackets when they cross boats. Enjoy the holidays and be safe out there folks.
To Capt Brent...you'd be so proud of the girls...and my boat is still shinier than yours.
