We awoke this morning to no messages overnight from Charly and Nomi. By 11am we were really worried. In addition to the engine problems, we knew that Nomi was having trouble with her electrical system. We had visions of them sitting on the mooring buoy with not even enough power to charge their cell phones to be able to communicate and call for help. We decide (despite being exhausted and having work meetings we were supposed to attend) to head back to Blake to rescue them. Dave starts the engine and Melissa starts prepping the boat for departure – at which point Charly sent a text that they were fine. They spent a rough choppy night on the buoy and went back to sleep. After some debate about the wind forecast they decide to sail back to Shilshole. So we headed out so that we could be there ahead of them. That way Dave would be able to tow them with the dingy to their slip as sailing to a slip is not always easy or advisable.
We got a slip assignment at Shilshole and tied up, and got settled. The winds were really light, but Charly and Nomi very slowly made their way back across Puget Sound. It was close to 4pm by the time they reached Shilshole and Dave headed out in the dingy to tow them back in. When they got close to the marina entrance, there was another boat with a failed engine attempting to sail to their slip. Nomi maneuvered out of their way, but alas in the process put themselves “in irons” – a sailing equivalent of putting your car in neutral. You can’t go anywhere and its hard to get the boat pointed back into the wind. They started to drift towards the break water. Charly offers to hop off and push the boat off the rocks. Nomi instructs him not to do this as it isn’t safe.
Fortunately, Nomi was able to navigate the boat away from the break water and Dave came along side with the skiff to give them a tow back into their slip. Dave was tickled that his new electric motor had plenty of power for this maneuver. Once safe and sound in the slip, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
Later when discussing the day’s events over wine, the topic of Charly offering to try to push the boat off the rocks came up. Dave got very emotional about this and through a lump in his throat explained that you don’t ever risk your life for a boat. Boats are there to protect you. Its their job to give up their life for yours if it comes to it – not the other way around.
