By Carolyn Jones
The San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca — U.S. Coast Guard crews rescued two injured sailors late Sunday from a sailboat damaged in a fierce storm as it made its way to the Bay Area in an around-the-world race.
One of the sailors suffered fractured ribs, and the other a sprained pelvis Saturday when a 30-foot wave crashed over their boat, a 68-foot Clipper en route from China to San Francisco Bay.
“We’re thrilled and relieved that everyone’s OK and will be back safe onshore soon,” said DeeDee Taft, a race spokeswoman. “Everyone involved in this race knows how challenging and difficult this leg can be.”
The boat, the Geraldton, is one of 10 identical sailboats to compete in the eighth Clipper Race, which began July 31 in Southampton, England, and is expected to complete its circumnavigation this summer.
The boats departed Qingdao, China, about a month ago for the 5,680-mile trek across the Pacific, the longest leg of the race.
The first boat arrived Friday at Jack London Square in Oakland, where the entire fleet is expected to stay until April 14 to make repairs, restock, rest and take part in a sailboat show before embarking for Panama.
But rough seas intercepted several of the boats about 400 miles off the California shore.
Yvonne Modu, 40, of Essex, England, was aboard a competing boat when the storm struck. The crew shortened the sails to minimize the boat’s exposure to the wind and fastened themselves to safety lines to keep from flying overboard.
“The boat was keeled way over, sort of dancing from side to side,” she said. “It was really cold and very wet. We went to bed wet and got up wet. ... I’m surprised I wasn’t more scared.”
Rich Gould of Swindon, England, said crewmates on his boat were knee-deep in water at the helm.
“The boat was surfing along the waves, like a surfboard,” he said, calling news of his competitors’ injuries “a harsh reminder that sailing in seas like this can be a hell of a challenge. It’s quite sobering.”
Sea ‘alive with rage’
On the Geraldton, a wave crashed over the boat just before dawn and pummeled several of the crew members. Skipper Juan Coetzer described the scene as terrifying.
“The sea was alive with rage,” he told the race managers. “We were making good speed ... then a monstrous foaming swell broke over our stern. The water had so much force in it that it pushed a crew member into the helm, snapping the pedestal clean off. We had no steering, and crew were falling all over the boat.”
The crew of the boat, registered in Britain, used a satellite phone to contact the British Coast Guard, which then called the U.S. Coast Guard. A C-130 long-range Coast Guard plane reached the Geraldton on Saturday night, but stormy weather prevented rescuers from boarding the boat.
The Coast Guard was able to drop medical supplies to the Geraldton, however, including a stretcher and oxygen for the sailor who suffered broken ribs.
A Coast Guard cutter with a helicopter headed for the disabled boat Sunday for the second rescue operation.
Coast Guard crews finally dispatched a small boat from the cutter to the Geraldton, where rescue personnel transported Jane Hitchens, 50, a doctor from Kent, England, and Nik Brebora, 29, a software engineer from London, back to the cutter for medical attention.
Both the cutter and the Geraldton were to arrive in San Francisco Bay on Monday. The Geraldton was cruising late Sunday at about 7 knots using backup steering equipment. It was about 250 miles from shore.
The Clipper race is among the longest and most challenging events for amateur sailors. Sponsored by the Clipper boat company, the race includes 12 to 20 amateur sailors on each boat, serving under a professional skipper.
4 weeks of training
Crew members pay up to $60,000 each to participate and first train for four weeks, said race manager Gillian Russell.
The current race has seen two other crew members airlifted to safety since it began, the most recent about three weeks ago off the coast of Japan, when Cath James of Wales fractured four vertebrae falling out of her bunk during a storm.
Crews from the other boats appeared relieved and happy to finally reach dry land Sunday. Dozens milled around Jack London Square, hugging each other, posing for pictures and drinking beer.
“It’s gorgeous here. We haven’t seen sun in three weeks,” Modu said. “But right now we’re just looking forward to our friends arriving safely.”
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