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Just Another Day!
On May 15, 2002 “Recovery” was to pick up her first family of the season. Doug and I were bringing her to the Inner Harbor from Rock Creek in Anne Arundel County. Departure was 7:30 am. It’s about two hours from Rock Creek to LightHouse Marina where we’d be given permission to tie up and pick up more crewmembers and our family. We were given space on one of their breakwaters. Weather was calling for high winds, 15-25 mph out of the northwest. We had reservations about the winds but hated to postpone the first cruise of the season.
Arriving at Mark Kahan’s Fairview Marina where “Recovery” is berthed, it was obvious that the weather report was accurate. Even in “Recovery’s’” protected cove whitecaps were everywhere! After several agonizing minutes evaluating the weather we decided to go! “Recovery” is heavy and very stable and we would be in fairly sheltered water for most of the day so we felt we’d be OK.
The wind was directly on our stern, blowing us into our slip. We needed to get out of the slip clean and then maintain enough speed not to be pushed backwards into the pilings as we made our turn to head out of the creek. This can be tricky because as you turn, the wind hits you broadside and may keep you from completing your turn. It can push you sideways, which if you have the room isn’t too bad. We didn’t have the room!
We made sure the old 4-108 was good and warmed up. With only two of us on board it would be a bit tricky getting the lines off without losing control of the boat but we managed. Doug helped keep us straight in the slip while I put her in reverse and backed her out giving extra speed as we cleared the last pilings. I kept the power on as we backed into the strong wind. “Recovery” pulls to port (left) when in reverse. We let her have her head and as she moved to port the wind caught her and helped her turn even more. Half way around we shifted into forward, spun the wheel, gave her a strong dose of diesel fuel and pulled her into the wind as pretty as you’d ever want to see!
As we came out of Rock Creek into the Patapsaco River the wind really kicked up. Big white caps everywhere. Plus it was cold! Glad we brought extra clothes. This is May, right? The wind was right on our nose as we proceeded up the river towards the Inner Harbor. We decide not to sail. We would have had to tack back and forth all day to get to where we were going. We had a very narrow window---2 hours! Motoring into this wind wasn’t too bad and we found protection behind the dodger. We hunkered down for our plod up the river.
Almost two hours later as we approached Fort McHenry, we could see LightHouse Marina in the distance. Through binoculars I confirmed what I had expected---our docking space on the breakwater would put us broadside to this strong wind. The flag at the marina was straight out! We would have to come about and ease up to the dock with the wind on our starboard (right) side! We had little room on either end because of docked boats on the breakwater. It would be like threading a needled with the wind blowing the thread out of the hole as you tried to put it through. I was hoping as we approached that we would see someone on the dock to throw a line to and help us get in---but as luck would have it no one was there. Doug got two dock lines ready and stood amidships ready to jump down on the dock if I could get close enough. Normally when you dock along side a dock you put out your fenders then gentle cozy up to the dock, your crew casually steps off onto the dock and ties you off---no problem! A piece of cake. Not so this morning. As I made my turn to port to approach the dock the wind caught the bow (which I anticipated) and began to swing us around too fast, away from the dock I had to increase engine rpm’s to compensate. We were really moving, I knew we were going to hit pretty hard if I could even get us to the dock. I came within 6 or 8 feet. Doug was ready to jump but I pulled away at the last second to try another approach. Once again we spun around having to gun the engine to turn us through the wind. Same approach---same result—couldn’t get close enough! We decided to head straight for the dock this time and turn to port at the last possible moment---like spinning on a dime. This ought to be fun---spinning a 45-foot sailboat on a dime. It was our only chance. Straight in we came, I’m trying to judge the right distance and moment to spin her around, and Doug is ready to jump lines in hand. At the last moment before we crash into the dock I spin the wheel to port “Recovery” responds. It feels like a controlled slide in a car. I slam the transmission into reverse and push the throttle forward to stop our forward motion. Sure enough we “slide” sideways to get close enough, “Recovery’s” starboard side barely bumps against the dock, immediately the wind begins to push her away, 2 feet, 4 feet, Doug literally jumps over the water onto the dock. He runs over to a cleat to tie off her bow. The wind is pushing her stern farther out from the dock. Doug barely makes it to the stern cleat before the line runs out. We are tied off but about 20 feet from the dock. I untie the stern line and begin pulling us towards the dock. Then the bow line. We gradually pull “Recovery” up to the dock. Whew! That’ll get your heart pumping. Once we get everything squared away we walk up to the marina office and look for our family and crew for the day. Just another day in “Recovery’s” quest to reach out to children in our community!
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