Beginning Friday afternoon of last week, the NWS started calling for a small craft advisory beginning Saturday night with deteriorating conditions beginning as soon as Saturday afternoon (gusts at Whittier around 45 knots). I launched Friday afternoon at Whittier and came back Saturday morning. Even then the wind and water in Passage Canal was pretty rotten. I was surprised to see how many people were putting in as I was taking out. Even pretty small boats. I pulled my boat out and a guy in a small Jetcraft who was about to launch asked me how it was out there. I told him it was bad, which surprised him. He said he'd give it a shot anyway. Then I told him it was supposed to get worse, which surprised him. Then I told him about the SCA, which surprised him. He launched anyway.
I thought everyone checked the marine forecast before deciding whether or not to head out. Apparently not, although my guess is that some who were going out were not planning on going far or were going to go far with the intention of holing up somewhere when it got bad. If you know conditions are bad or are going to get bad, when if ever would you say something to someone? I don't want to sound like I'm telling someone what they should do, but I think it's best that they know especially if they are taking out kids or maybe people who are putting their trust in the person driving the boat.
I thought everyone checked the marine forecast before deciding whether or not to head out. Apparently not, although my guess is that some who were going out were not planning on going far or were going to go far with the intention of holing up somewhere when it got bad. If you know conditions are bad or are going to get bad, when if ever would you say something to someone? I don't want to sound like I'm telling someone what they should do, but I think it's best that they know especially if they are taking out kids or maybe people who are putting their trust in the person driving the boat.
Comment