Her hull registration lettering hailed her from Texas as did the red-white-blue single-star flag she carried from her rigging. I’d seen many sail boats like her- weather beaten and marred by salt-water, but few on Lake Michigan, especially from Texas. Maybe that’s why I photographed her- or was it something else?

According to her captain, who looked as weathered as his vessel, he had steamed up from the Lone-Star state through the inland river system. As I bid him safe sailing little did I know he would soon receive a bitter-sweet lesson from Lake Michigan. Or did I? Call it what you may, the Lake’s inner voice that whispers in the wind to those who listen? Something told me that he was not in tune with that voice.

Ludington Harbor. When the Bittersweet’s captain reached Ludington Harbor it was approximately 1 a.m.. Twelve hours had passed since I bid him farewell in Muskegon. His departure there found him running under motor sail in 3-4 foot seas. I had just came off the Lake moments before. I was about seven miles north of Muskegon harbor en route to White Lake on a training mission when I decided to return to port. Building seas and a stiff southerly wind promised a rough return trip. I get beat up enough out there without volunteering for it. I mention the weather because it offered a challenge to the seventy-year old captain; it would to a twenty-five year old. Near Little Point Sable the wind and sea shifted to the north which means he had to beat into the force. When he reached Ludington, the solo sailor was fatigued but he couldn’t make port.

During a later telephone conversation , he told me he attempted to make port at Ludington around 1 a.m., but decided not to because he had difficultly reading the navigation lights on the pierheads with his contact lenses. He decided to head to open water. Not a bad choice. I know of at least a dozen boat collisions with Ludington and Manistee sea walls, some fatal for those who failed to properly read the pierhead lights.

The downside, his decision would bring him into the waters off Point Sable. When Lake Michigan grows nasty, the waters off Point Sable can not only turn nasty but out-right vicious. By twelve noon, the weary captain had entered the Point’s nasty zone and soon realized he needed help. He reportedly hadn’t taken food or water for nearly a day.

At ten minutes past noon, Station Manistee received a call from the Bittersweet captain requesting help. When the Coast Guard 28-foot inflatable broke the Manistee pierheads, the coxswain, boatswain mate first class (BM1), Jeff George, reported 2-4 foot seas. By the time they located the Bittersweet, approximately four miles north of Point Sable the seas were running 3-6 feet. BM 2 Jeff Ruggieri, a veteran heavy weather surfman, scrambled aboard the Bittersweet to assist. He reported that the boat’s 36 horsepower engine could not keep the boat into the seas, the main sail was torn, and that the captain strapped to a harness was of little help. Ruggieri luffed the ineffective sail, made up a 2" round towing bridle and passed it to George, who attached it to the Coast Guard towline.

Seas comming out of the north made it nearly impossible to tow the boat to Manistee. The coxswain made a decision to tow the vessel south to Ludington some nine miles away. As they approached Point Sable the seas heightened. Concerned, George called for assistance from Station Ludington’s 44-foot motor life boat. Just moments later the bridle on the Bittersweet parted. The Coast Guard boat stood off the Bittersweet as it floundered. Heavy seas not only prevented the 28-footer from taking the sail boat in tow, they offered little opportunity, and only at great risk, to remove the captain.

When the 44-foot motor life boat (MLB) arrived, Ruggieri aboard the 28-foot CG boat, transferred a crewman from the MLB onto the Bittersweet, a formidable feat demanding considerable boat-handling skills.

Chief Reed, a seasoned MLB coxswain and Point Sable veteran, then came alongside the Bittersweet and passed a sea drogue which would stabilize the sail boat when in tow. Meanwhile, shallow waters whipped seas to unruly heights. Reed reported an occasional 16 footer. Chief Reed fought to maintain station into 12-14 foot breaking seas; meanwhile his crew struggled to pass a three-inch round tow line to Bittersweet while at the same time preventing the heavy line from wrapping around the engine propellers. At times, he backed down the twin-screw MLB at 2800 RPMs just to keep up with the elemental madness that drove both boats toward shore. A tow line in the screws would disable the MLB leaving it at the willful play of the surf.

Notching up the adrenalin, there came an urgent call from the 28-foot inflatable: A wave blasted out its cabin window and filled the boat knee high with sea water... it sounded serious enough to divert from the rescue.... To be continued next week. In the meantime, as you can see, it’s wise to boat smart.

***** Coast Guard Urgent Message The Coast Guard urges boaters who fire off distress flares that they contact the Coast Guard or other marine law enforcement agencies if they get help from another boater and no longer require assistance. If they fail to advise responding agencies, much time and resources could be spent conducting a needless search. Boat Smart, make that call. **** Boat Smart is now on the Internet: www.boatsmart.net (includes Lake Michigan water temperatures and local weather).

Use channel 16 for emergencies, and channel 9 for calling fellow boaters.