http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Blue-Water-Rally-yacht-sinks---cruisers-to-the-rescue/63931
It was actually somewhat surreal. In the dark at first and in poor conditions we just did what we thought we should do and except for the loss of the boat, all went pretty well. Here is our official version:
The Kersti Incident Report
On the morning of November 27 just after 0400 hours, S/V Jupiter's Smile received a Pan Pan call from the sailing vessel Kersti at 10 degrees 00 .5 ' N; 076 degrees 24' W. They reported that they were taking on water and were unable to keep ahead of its incursion by bailing with buckets. The vessel was down at the bow and was in danger of sinking.
Our position was 9 degrees 57 ' N; 076 degrees 20.34' W . We changed course and they did as well so that our headings would converge. The seas were running from 10 to 12 feet steep and short period so that headway to the north was difficult. At about 0545, at position 10 degrees 01 .55 ' N; 076 degrees 21.38' W. we came on site and stood by.
Kersti was low at the bow with about a foot of freeboard. S/V Sea Star made contact with the US and Columbian Coast Guard via their Iridium sat phone. S/V Tempest, S/V Infinity and S/V Mariposa were in radio contact, all with words of encouragement and ideas to keep the vessel afloat.
Shortly thereafter, S/V Pelican's Flight came on scene and attempted several times to drop a pump into Kersti's dinghy. The dinghy was out on a long painter in order to safely effect the transfer of the pump. With Kersti now headed into the wind the seas were washing the bow with each wave. The pump fell out of the dinghy at one point because of the rough seas, but was retreived by Pelicans Flight. The vessel appeared to be taking on more water and the seas and wind continued unabated. S/V Mariposa arrived at the scene and a crew member was willing to bring a pump aboard by jumping into the dinghy. Kersti's captain did not want to endanger others and he refused that solution. A third attempt at transferring the pump saw Pelican's Flight ride over the dinghy painter and the dinghy was subsequently lost.
The crew deployed their life raft and at 0753 they had it inflated and trailing behind. At 0756 they stepped off Kersti and into the life raft at 9 degrees 59 .05 ' N; 076 degrees 21.84' W. We came along side and the crew, Jeff and Ruth Morris of the UK came aboard with two backpacks and four bundles of belongings in plastic sacks. The crew was uninjured. Jeff pierced the tubes of the life raft and cast it off as it deflated.
As we were nearly forty miles off the coast and in big seas with up to thirty three knots of wind, we elected to depart the scene and head for the Bay of Cholon and safe harbor before dark. We did not observe the vessel sink and its DSC radio call continued until we were out of VHF range. Our jouney was very quiet while the seas were very boisterous. My wife was sea sick as she had been almost all night and Ruth was nauseous as well. At 1630, we dropped anchor in the Bay of Cholon.
At 1800, a Colombian Coast Guard launch with three crew came to Jupiter's Smile and determined, after a second visit, that the Morris' would visit the Coast Guard office in Cartagena the next morning, traveling there aboard S/V Glide. The Morrises left Jupiter's Smile at 0545, on November 28.
Our last news regarding Kersti was that the Coast Guard (Colombian?), as of 1800 while they were visiting us, found no sighting of the vessel. A few days later, we heard from a third source that the Coast Guard (Colombian?) had found the sinking vessel, dived to survey the damage and found (and photographed) a crack where the keel attaches to the hull. As they attempted to tow the boat it sank. We have heard from the Morrises more recently about this and they confirm that this is true and they have returned to the UK and are looking for another boat. Good luck in your search and your next adventures on the water.
