[Public-List] Life lines

[John Birch via Public-List]

Glenn, I've always disliked headphones and ear buds because they cut one off 
from hearing your surroundings properly, now I have yet another reason to 
add my dislike to that list. ; )

Thanks for the story, he was a lucky duck indeed.

Fair winds,

John

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Glenn Brooks via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
To: "Kris Coward" <kris at melon.org>; "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" 
<public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 1:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Public-List] Life lines


> John Claire, A friend of mine was bringing his Cal 39 back to Seward, 
> Alaska from a cruise to New Zealand some years ago when his stanchion let 
> loose and pitched him off the boat.  He was on watch at the time and his 
> wife was down below listening to music on her ear phones and reading a 
> book.  Hot lazy, sunny day in the South Pacific so John decided to lean 
> back on his lifelines to look up at the mast head and promptly fell 
> backwards over the high side of the boat.  The lifelines were new but the 
> stanchion base pulled out of the deck due to corroded fastenings.  John is 
> a very strong guy so hung on to the lifeline bight whilst trailing along 
> the side of the boat in the water- doing 6+ knots.  He shouted many times 
> to call his wife on deck and slow the boat but she couldn't hear his cry 
> for help because of the music in her ear buds.  Eventually he was able to 
> kick the hull, or maybe just bang up against it, as he got one leg out of 
> the  water and hooked on the rail.  His wife
> sensed something was amiss and was quite surprised to see John, or rather 
> John's arm and one foot looped over the top side of the rail.  She got him 
> back on board OK but he seriously strained his shoulder and arm muscles 
> from hanging over the side of the boat.  Took weeks to recover.
>
> John pulled into Hawaii for one day to change out crew and made Seward 
> three weeks latter after 80 some days at sea enroute from New Zealand.
>
>
>
> 


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