Posted on 03/04/2009 10:46:36 AM PST by Zakeet
As the Coast Guard ended its search for three missing football players whose boat tipped over in high Florida seas, the lone survivor said two of those lost gave up after hours in the frigid water and the third tried to swim to safety.
South Florida player Nick Schuyler told investigators that all four of the friends on a fishing excursion were initially wearing life vests and clinging to the 21-foot boat belonging to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.
But two to four hours after the boat capsized, one of the NFL players removed his life jacket and let himself be swept out to sea, the St. Petersburg Times reported. A few hours later, the other one followed suit.
"We were told that Nick said the two NFL players took their life jackets off and drifted out to sea," said Bob Bleakley, whose son Will Bleakley, 25, is also still missing.
After Cooper, 26, and Corey Smith, 29, were carried away, Bleakley and Schuyler hung on until morning — but then Bleakley decided to swim to get help when he thought he saw a distant light, the paper said.
He, too, took his life vest off, 24-year-old Schuyler told the families.
"I think he was delusional to think he could swim someplace," the Times quoted Bob Bleakley as saying.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
‘Thought I saw someone ‘up there’; but in retrospect; thought I must have misread; given picture of boat here. They needed a miracle. . .
My Dad always taught me if I ever got stranded out into the ocean not to panic and not to drink the water, no matter how thirsty I might be.
Mind in my view plays the biggest part in survival, either you crack under pressure or you fight as hard as you can. He also told me to get one strong reason why I should keep fighting and do nothing except focus on that until rescue arrives.
something does not smell right about this
Nope, it doesn’t.
This incident happened Saturday afternoon. WX in that area, from other boaters in that area, THAT DID make it back Saturday night (these guys were NOT the only ones out in that area that day), said it went to maybe 4 to 6 with a steep chop real quick. Those 14 footers, probably more like 7 to 10 from the experience I have had in that area...(ran pilot boats out of Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay for 4 years back awhile). did not come until the next day, and from what I read here, these guys had drifted off prior to that. I was listening tho Scnitt yesterday,, 970WFLA, a guy called in who said he was a charter boat captain in the area. He had become friends with Marquis and had talked to him on the Thursday before this incident. Marquis had told him he, "was going out in the blue water on Saturday". Charter boat guy told Marquis, he should REALLY consider buying an EPIRB for his boat. The captain said that Marquis had never heard of one, but he would pick one up the next day, which would have been Friday. I'm not sure how quick it takes to get one programmed, but my belief is, if he had picked one up, this thread would not be going today.
There is nothing wrong with what happen, no great “conspiracy”
2 men gave up hope and basically committed suicide, 1 man probably went delusional and the other man survived. The end, nothing else.
Yea, right.
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Hanging on to that boat, going up and down, YUCK!!! They were probably VERY sick even before the boat flipped over. So now they were cold, AND seasick!...
I can belive it. I've been that seasick. It is NO FUN!!!!
May they RIP
The survivor said that what kept him going was that he didn’t want his mom to have to go to his funeral.
And I wonder if any ETOH was involved........
Very sad. This from my friend Doug Ritter, founder of Equipped to Survive:
http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=107
Some revealing information being reported today on the recent off-shore boating tragedy (from St. Petersburg Times originally and FOXNews.com). The difficulty is, we cannot verify the facts, but it makes for a plausible explanation and is entirely consistent with reports of others acting in the same manner in similar survival situations, so worthy a discussion for the lessons learned, even if just considering it as one possibility:
As the Coast Guard ended its search for three missing football players whose boat tipped over in high Florida seas, the lone survivor said two of those lost gave up after hours in the frigid water and the third tried to swim to safety.
South Florida player Nick Schuyler told investigators that all four of the friends on a fishing excursion were initially wearing life vests and clinging to the 21-foot boat belonging to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.
But two to four hours after the boat capsized, one of the NFL players removed his life jacket and let himself be swept out to sea, the St. Petersburg Times reported. A few hours later, the other one followed suit.
“We were told that Nick said the two NFL players took their life jackets off and drifted out to sea,” said Bob Bleakley, whose son Will Bleakley, 25, is also still missing.
After Cooper, 26, and Corey Smith, 29, were carried away, Bleakley and Schuyler hung on until morning but then Bleakley decided to swim to get help when he thought he saw a distant light, the paper said.
He, too, took his life vest off, 24-year-old Schuyler told the families.
“I think he was delusional to think he could swim someplace,” the Times quoted Bob Bleakley as saying.
Original story: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/article980972.ece
Follow-up with some additional information: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,504464,00.html
This once again highlights the importance of the critical positive mental attitude (PMA) that I talk about in all my survival presentations. One critical key to survival is to NEVER GIVE UP. The other is Preparation, which goes a long way towards providing that PMA and ensuring you don’t ever reach the point where you are tempted to give up.
The popular dictum, “hang in there,” was never more appropriate than in a survival situation.
Doug Ritter
Chairman & Executive Director
Email: dritter@equipped.org
Equipped To Survive Foundation, Inc.
Web site: www.equipped.org/foundation
Equipped To Survive (tm)
Web site: www.equipped.org
Some things make no sense about their ordeal to me.
1) There is nothing to fish for in February and March @ 35-50 miles offshore. Grouper and Snapper are both closed. Kingfish is open but fishing for them is better nearshore. They are not divers so no Hogfish. That leaves Mangrove Snapper and AJ's. We don't waste the 120-150 gals of gas that it takes to make that run for "trash fish".(Mango's aren't trash fish but usually put in the "also caught" category).
2) Single engine boat - poor choice for a snotty day on the water that far out. Everglades is a lower quality platform too. Their boat was not designed for that type of use.
3) No radio? @ 35 miles the USCG will hear a distress call from even the crappiest VHF. I wouldn't hear them with my antenna @ 15 miles but the CG's listening ability rocks.
4) Stay with the boat! It is the difference between the search plane spotting a floating coconut (your head) or a floating shed (overturned hull). Give the search team a chance guys.
What are we doing different now?
I ordered an EPIRB. We keep 2 VHF radios on board but often fish out past 100 miles. Not sure if the Coasties could get a distress from there. I've wanted one for awhile, the price has come down, no excuse not having one.
Retake the CG Aux safety course (all of us). My 12yo son is old enough to learn to contribute in an emergency situation. Me and the admiral could use a refresher too.
Take inventory of things on board that will help save your life.
a) We keep our dive gear on the boat. There are few better substitute survival suits than a wet suit.
b) We have 2 beanbag chairs (e-sea rider, check them out) These are not approved floatation devices but a big bag full of Styrofoam pellets is a great improvise.
c) Tether (not lash) yourself to the boat with docklines so you are not swept off and away from the overturned hull. You may get knocked off but you won't get separated.
d) Put the 2nd (portable) VHF radio in a ziplock bag. It's currently stowed in a compartment but I'm not sure if it will work if is gets submerged.
Continuously check the weather reports and stay home on snotty days. We do this for FUN, it's NO FUN when you're getting your a$$ kicked all day by the weather.
NEVER leave the boat until you are at the marina!
“Hope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no hope.”
—Me, with apologies to Gilbert Shelton
We would all like to think so. But none of us knows for sure that hasn't been tested.
A few minutes in cold water is a long time. A few hours is an eternity. Hypothermia affects the mind as much as the body and it affects judgment almost like alcohol. People in this state aren't making decisions the way that they would under normal conditions. Nonsense may make sense when foolishness seems like sanity.
I understand when the incident happened. I was referring to dealing with the problem after the capsize. They rode through hours of very rough water.
I know the water well, I fish on it a lot.
You are right they should have an EPIRB, there are even inexpensive personal ones he could have purchased for a couple hundred bucks and it can be programmed on the spot.
Ugh....
What should I do then?? Hmm?? Just always think I’m going to be screwed period if I ever get stranded, okay ill adopt your idea.
I still think and I always have thought no matter how bad things can get, always fight death, never except it, now there are a few exceptions but only a few.
great points and advice.
Good post!
Might be a good idea to have boat manufacturers include a device attached to the hull that would give off an emergency signal if the boat capsizes.
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