I’m pleased the distressed boater got help but stunned that a Russian Boomer sub would assist in a matter such as this, taking the distressed crew onboard and the vessel under tow.
I doubt our navy sub service would have done the same.
We used to go boating & fishing in the Long Island Sound area referred to as “The Race”. It’s a narrow section of the sound known for exceptional fishing and offers a straight course to Block Island, Nantucket and the Atlantic beyond. And is also known for sudden onset of pea soup fog. Nearby is the mouth of the Thames River, home of Electric Boat and the Groton Sub base.
I can tell you from personal experience that our subs would rather knock you out of their path than announce their presence in any way.
True story - we were drift fishing in the Race, Fog set in reducing visibility to 100 yards so. We had GPS but no RADAR. Suddenly we sensed that ‘feeling"… You know, like something odd is going on either on the boat or ‘out there’. Then we heard the woosh of a large breaking wave followed in 20 seconds or so by a rolling wave of 6-8’. Kind of a pucker moment for bunch of teens in a 19’ open boat. As we were hanging on for dear life we could faintly make out a conning tower thru the mist. Aren’t they supposed to announce a 'Security" on 16 or a least give a short horn or bell when traversing busy waterways in limited visibility?
Course not. Couple teens in a small boat not underway. With 100 yards vis, we felt we had room to avoid most situations. We were not expecting a large vessel at speed in those conditions. Besides, I’m sure the sub knew exactly where we were even if we could not see them.
If we had a lookout ringing a bell, do you really believe the sub would have slowed or altered course?
[QUOTE=Jetryder223;139005]Course not. Couple teens in a small boat not underway. With 100 yards vis, we felt we had room to avoid most situations. We were not expecting a large vessel at speed in those conditions. Besides, I’m sure the sub knew exactly where we were even if we could not see them.
If we had a lookout ringing a bell, do you really believe the sub would have slowed or altered course?[/QUOTE]
Remember this is the same navee that run over a super tanker last year.
Anyone notice that the rescued boat appears to be under power? It also had an auxiliary motor mounted on it and two canisters on the stern that appear to be life rafts? I’m curious what was the actual nature of their distress.
I contend that a U.S. SSBN (Boomer) would NOT have surfaced to help; I also believe that of our SSGNs as well.
MY experience has been (having been the Chief Pilot AT Groton 03’-06’) is that once seaward of The Ledge,
[U]unless the ship was standing into danger[/U], you would not hear from them AT ALL.
They are not exempt from Rule 35 and the BN/GN crews train for Low-Vis in their trainers.
[QUOTE=Jolly Tar;139180]I contend that a U.S. SSBN (Boomer) would NOT have surfaced to help; I also believe that of our SSGNs as well.
MY experience has been (having been the Chief Pilot AT Groton 03’-06’) is that once seaward of The Ledge,
[U]unless the ship was standing into danger[/U], you would not hear from them AT ALL.
They are not exempt from Rule 35 and the BN/GN crews train for Low-Vis in their trainers.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Jolly. We were west of the ledge and the sub was on the surface headed back to base. I do get that stealth is what subs are all about when out to sea, but not when near shore and on the surface.
We were not the only ones fishing that spot that day. There were probably a dozen small boats in the area before the fog set in. For a sub to power through the fishing fleet in low vis and without notice seemed reckless.
