Subscribe to RSS Feed... rarely work out when you're a rescue boat Captain. Last night, I had this morning's schedule all figured out. Capt. Phil was the first Captain on duty, so I figured I would be all set to take in my daughter's home soccer game at Ocean State Soccer, which was scheduled for 1000 just about a mile from where our towboats are docked.
But I hadn't counted on Capt. Phil being visited by the Projectile Vomiting Fairy overnight. Plan A was down the tubes, oh well, that's the way it goes. After all, it's still very early in the season, the wind is blowin' stink, and it's still unlikely I'll get a call out.
Famous last words. Just before 0900, my iPhone goes ding, and it's off to the gap between Patience and Prudence for a 20' O'Day that needs to get back to Allen Harbor. Here's the view as I was exiting Wickford. The wind was WNW at a solid 20 knots. No big deal, but it would be very uncomfortable on that 20 footer during the tow.
After hugging the western shore of Quonset and Davisville to around Calf Pasture Point, I shot across toward Prudence into some rather nasty chop (the tide had been coming in all morning to that point, against the wind). I was really starting to think this guy was going to get soaked and pounded on the way home.
Much to my surprise upon arrival at The Gap, my customer turned out to be an O'Day powerboat. I'd never encountered one of those before, and she had a very low freeboard, particularly at the bow. Having just been banged around pretty well in the 35 foot Safe/Sea Newport, I figured these guys would be much better off riding on the towboat instead of getting drowned in spray and bounced from gunwale to gunwale. Anchor the Dog was pleased with a couple of new temporary shipmates, and off we went. Here's the O'Day following along nicely while her skipper, Capt. Ed, took a shot of her through my salt-streaked rear window.
As it turned out, the spray was flying, but the ride was pretty smooth for the O'Day, as my 35 footer smoothed out the chop for the casualty trailing behind. It was nice to chat with Ed and his mate, who, as it turned out, was a passenger on the Intrepid 36 we salvaged after a collision with a buoy last June. Here's the link to my post about that incident.
http://www.safesea.com/_blog/In_the_Wheelhouse/post/An_Interesting_Wednesday_Morning/
The trip passed uneventfully, and we were secure at around 1030 in Allen Harbor. I missed the soccer game, but made a couple new friends, so it's all good. Below is a pleased Capt. Ed after tying up at the Allen Harbor Ramp. Let's hope you don't need to see me professionally again this year, ok Ed?
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