Yellow Flag
Last weekend, while enjoying the entertainment at Mile Marker One on the Annisquam, I got into a conversation about the perils of passing under the Blynman Bridge. My new-found boater friend had recently had bad luck transiting the passage way due to three contributing factors.
One, the tide was turning, which caused a series of tall, flat, waves to build up under the bridge. Two, she allowed too many passengers to congregate in the bow, which precluded the boat’s ability to climb, as opposed to plow, through waves. Three, she misjudged the timing of boats intent on coming up river from the harbor.
The result of the three factors was virtually a perfect storm. As she got close to the bridge, the outgoing tide swept her swiftly into the sharp waves which, due to the Whaler’s low freeboard, caused the boat to swamp, and fill with water. Subsequently, the boat became virtually impossible to maneuver at the precise time she needed that control the most, with a large incoming sport fisherman looking for simultaneous access to the narrow passage. The sport boat ended up abandoning its original course and sustaining considerable running gear damage from the rocks which ring the narrow channel.
Lessons learned – approach passages like the Blynman Bridge as if they displayed yellow caution flags; never relinquish your role as skipper and ignore potentially dangerous situations; and never count on the good judgement of other skippers to ensure your safe voyage. My friend survived, with some minor financial scars. Make sure you do, too.
