Lost at sea

This post has nothing to do with Africa but with another life I once had, that of an offshore sailor - so long ago I sometimes wonder if it really happened.

I'm not sure if you've seen the news, but a 25 year old Canadian woman (named Laura, who'd lost her mom to cancer when she was younger) went overboard off a tall ship on Friday night. They can't find her.

Its amazing how much this single person - who I've never met, had never heard of before Friday - has brought back my experience of falling overboard, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocea, over 1500nm from anywhere (back when I was about 25). Last night I laid awake thinking about how I could have been just like her, disappeared without a trace.

The Picton Castle was in 7m swells, and it was night time (9:30pm) when a wave washed over the boat and swept Laura into the water. The crew threw life rings & life jackets into the water to mark the spot & give her something to hang on to, they sent out a mayday and the search started. That was more than 48 hours ago, and they haven't found her despite the ongoing search by a tanker, the Picton Castle and US Search & Rescue.

When I went overboard, it was day time. That was the biggest thing that saved my life that day. I also managed to grab the side of the boat and then onto the fishing line and hold on for a little while - long enough to know they'd seen me go. Even then, the stuff that they threw was a ways away from me. When I was at the top of the swells (they were around 5-6m), I could see the man overboard pole (which is about 8ft high, with a bright yellow flag to mark the person in the water), and the white ring and was able to swim to them. By the time the boat came to a stop and a dory launched, they were a long way away from me; only the pole marked my position. The open ocean is so featureless, so changing, and the boat is floating on the top, turning with the wind and waves... its nearly impossible to find an object that isn't well marked.

When I was in the water, I knew the Swift would find me. I knew they'd seen me go, and I was hanging out next to the pole; I wasn't even frightened at the time (just felt really foolish). I can't get out of my mind what it would have been like for that other Laura, in the pitch black. Maybe able to see the boat but knowing that they wouldn't find her.

My thoughts and prayers are with that woman and her family.