Picture: S/V Elle being rescued in the Atlantic. A crew member fell into the water during the rescue and can be seen near the stern.
Author: Seth

Today is Day 5 for the Caribbean 1500 fleet and while their progress has been slow due to a stalled weather system, everyone involved should be happy with the weather thus far. Another rally that also departs from the US East Coast for the Caribbean called the NARC (North American Rally to the Caribbean) departed Newport RI on November 1st and was caught off-guard by the development of Hurricane Sean. The NARC is a rally that Comocean could have easily joined instead and thankfully didn't as news has surfaced about horrible weather conditions and a sailor lost at sea.

Jan Anderson, 59, of the Sausalito, CA based Island Packet 380 "Triple Stars," was washed overboard on Friday afternoon about 185 miles northwest of Bermuda. She has since been declared lost at sea after a prolonged SAR effort by the US Coast Guard and her husband has been picked up by a 600 foot tanker named High Jupiter (destined for France). Their boat is now adrift in the Atlantic and the news of Jan's loss is currently rocking the cruising world.

In addition to the tragic loss aboard Triple Stars, at least two other boats sought assistance during the passage: Elle, a 46-ft Beneteau, and Riot, an Orion 50. What follows are excerpts from an online sailing magazine relating the news:

On November 6, a crew member aboard Elle suffered a rib injury after being thrown across the cabin. The crew tried to continue on but eventually requested rescue about 180 miles northwest of Bermuda. During the rescue by the 387-ft container ship "Oleander," one crew member fell between the ship and Elle (pictured above), which is now also adrift with no one aboard.

Meanwhile the S/V Riot had a number of gear failures before the steering failed on the approach to St. George's Harbor, Bermuda. A pilot boat attempted to tow the stricken boat, but the damage to the steering apparently made it impossible. In the end, Riot made it into port on her own, though her owner estimates the damages to be upward of $10,000.

It is a stark reminder of how treacherous Atlantic sailing can be near the end of Hurricane season and to be thankful for the relatively benign weather the C1500 fleet has experienced. It also highlights the pressure on the organizers of these rallies as they try to pick the best weather window for departure while trying to prevent disruptions to crew planning and plans made for the fleet's arrival. Certainly the C1500 organizers should be commended for their decision to delay the start and our hearts go out to those that have been affected by Hurricane Sean.

You can Click Here to read more about the rescue efforts that took place in the first leg of the NARC.