Boat U.S. - September 2008 - (Page 21)

basin, boosting the nutrient levels higher than ever. In the Chesapeake, the prediction is for the volume of hypoxic water to reach 2.4 cubic miles, which would be the sixth largest on record. The upper end of the forecast calls for three cubic miles of hypoxic water, which would be the largest on record. Hypoxic water has a devas- tating effect on oysters and other aquatic life that can’t swim away to better water. Hypoxic water also chases the crabs out of deeper water, adding stress to an already diminished population. Researchers at the University of Michigan have spent years working on a model that predicts hypoxic water conditions based on nutrient load. Lowering the amount of nutrients in the water would directly decrease the size of the dead zones. The Chesapeake Bay watershed has been the subject of an ad campaign urging homeowners to fertilize their lawns in the fall, rather than the spring, to help reduce the nutrient levels. BoatU.S. Advisor Assists in Rescue As a longtime instructor of the annual Safety at Sea Seminar at the U.S. Naval Academy, Capt. John Bonds (USN-ret.) keeps his rescue skills up to snuff. Lucky for some fellow ocean cruisers, Bonds was within radio range and gave critical assistance in an emergency hundreds of miles at sea. On July 1, a woman aboard AVRA, a sailboat returning from the Newportto-Bermuda Race and 240 miles south of Cape Cod, fell and lacerated her scalp, causing substantial bleeding. Aboard a friend’s J-44, Gold Digger, also returning from the race, Bonds heard the mayday call for assistance and radioed back they would assist, as did another vessel in the area. After sailing about 10 miles to AVRA, Gold Digger stood by from late evening until 5 a.m. the next day; a trauma surgeon on board Gold Digger gave medical advice, which helped stop the bleeding — yes, they used duct tape — and greatly calmed those aboard AVRA. Another racing sailboat, Black Watch, stood by and served as a radio relay from AVRA to the Coast Guard at both Elizabeth City, NC, and Air Station Cape Cod. As the U.S. Coast Guard sent a plane to locate the vessel and later a Jayhawk helicopter to evacuate the injured woman, Bonds and the other sailors explained to the skipper and crew of AVRA exactly what was going to happen and how to prepare for the airlift rescue. “In addition to the Coast Guard’s perfect operation, I must repeat that without the help of the two assisting vessels, Black Watch and Gold Digger, we would have been in a much worse place,” wrote AVRA skipper George Petrides in a letter of thanks to Commandant Thad Allen. Capt. Bonds has served for many years on the BoatU.S. National Advisory Council. He is also the former director of the Naval Academy’s sailing program and former executive director of US SAILING. BoatU.S. Magazine September 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - September 2008

Boat U.S. - September 2008 Contents Behind The Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum List Locker Aluminum Can Do Cruising in Crossovers Second Guessing Seasonal Forecasts A Cradle for Your Baby Badlands Boating The Inns and Outs of Penobscot Bay All in the Family: The Butler Did It Stealing Back Peace of Mind DIY Boat Owner Files Good Foundations Boat Smart 2nd Time Around Hot Tips Tangled Line Seaworthy Ask Chuck At Your Service BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - September 2008

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