Willy Condon

Sadie Cove, on the south side of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay, boasts a rugged beauty. Mountains steeply rise from the deep green water, their snow-covered peaks towering more than 4,000 feet. The fjord’s depths drop just as dramatically, sinking in excess of 40 fathoms. Mountain goats and bears roam the cliff-side forests. Homes and lodges dot the remote shoreline, accessed only by water.

Drawn by its spectacular beauty and remote location, Coxswain Sandy Mazen and Crew Craig Forrest, of the Homer (AK) Flotilla, decided to include Sadie Cove in a combined patrol and crew training exercise aboard the 27-foot SAFEBoat 594 on May 27. That decision made all the difference to Sadie Cove resident Willie Condon. Mr. Condon’s 20-foot sailboat, the FIANNA, had capsized after being hit by a 30-knot gust of wind, leaving Condon and his sailing companion in the chilly 42-degree water.

“I said to the guys, you know, there’s a couple of areas we really haven’t done much getting you familiar with. Why don’t we just take a run into Sadie Cove,” Mazen said of his decision to expand the patrol and training area that evening.

About half way up the fjord, they spotted what appeared to be two people very low in the water.

Willy Condon and COMO Forrest

“I noticed what looked like a kayak and we were going over to say hi to them,” said Forrest. “But as we got closer, we realized it was too big to be a kayak. What we were seeing was a boat that had just turned onto its side.”

Mr. Condon, who has lived in Sadie Cove for five years and owns and operates a small lodge, had spent the day watching the weather. He was hoping to make the nine-mile crossing to Homer that evening. A member of the Homer Yacht Club, he was eager to participate in the club’s first race of the season, scheduled for the following day.

“The wind was blowing a steady 25 (knots), with occasional gusts,” Condon said. “It was nothing I felt uncomfortable with.”

During his years as a Sadie Cove resident, Condon has seen all kinds of weather funnel down through the fjord, including ferocious winter storms. He describes them as “freight trains.” He has experienced winds that crest the mountains on one side of the fjord, bounce off the facing peaks and drop down onto the surface of the water.

“It can be really wild,” he said.

Willy Condon's homestead

Seeing none of that, Condon and his one-person crew set sail around 6 pm and headed down the L-shaped cove. Just as they reached the turn, locally named the “bottleneck,” he saw white water and knew there was trouble ahead.

The sails instantly filled with wind.

“And it was too late,” Condon said. “There was no place for the sails to go but down.”

As the 20-foot craft rolled on its side, Condon, who was wearing a float coat, jumped into the water, distancing himself from any possible tangle of lines. Knowing that the boat would continue to roll, he ordered his crew, who was wearing a PFD, to do the same thing.

Within 30 seconds, the sailboat had completely capsized. Then, the two men were able to pull themselves up onto the hull.

Carrying a submersible VHF radio and whistle and knowing the outgoing tide would carry them toward shore, Condon said he didn’t panic.

“I knew I had to think clearly,” he said. “My decision was to call for help after we rounded the corner.”

By Condon’s estimation, it was approximately a half hour later when he was spotted by Auxiliarists Mazen and COMO Forrest. Condon knows them through their involvement in Homer’s sailing community. Crew trainees Mike Coffing and Jim Richards spotted the overturned sailboat.

Willy Condon's vessel Fianna

The first priority was to get the men out of the water and aboard SAFEBoat 594. They then had to ward off the effects cold water and wind were beginning to have, especially on Condon’s sailing partner.

“We got him completely undressed, wrapped him in a couple of blankets and turned the heat on in the boat,” Auxiliarist Mazen said.

The Auxiliary crew retrieved gear that was floating around the capsized sailboat and decided that because the sailboat was floating and night was coming on, it posed a hazard to navigation.

“We figured we’d try to beach it and Willie was happy with that,” COMO Forrest said. “But as things went on, we thought we’d see if we could right it.”

Maintaining clear radio communication with Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak was a challenge. This was due to the geography of Sadie Cove, the howling wind and the sound of the SAFEBoat’s outboard motors. The Homer Harbormaster and the crew aboard the CGC ROANOKE ISLAND helped relay messages.

“And it was blowing so hard that it was very difficult to get a line on the boat,” Mazen said.

It took an hour’s work, but they were finally able to secure a line, right the sailboat, empty it of water and tow it to shore.

Auxiliarists Mazen and COMO Forrest’s sailing know-how served them well in the situation.

“Obviously, the easy way to tow was stern first, but the sails were up,” Forrest said of considerations about towing the still-capsized sailboat. “Had we done that, we’d have cleaned the mast right off. And a lot of people maybe would have towed it too fast, but it was pretty obvious that what to do was slow and steady. And it worked. It worked great.”

Good as new, the FIANNA once again bobs at anchor in front of Sailwood Adventures. Disappointed to have missed the sailboat races the day after his mishap, Condon is looking forward to being on the starting line later in June.

He is particularly appreciative of the consideration given him by the Auxiliary

“They never told me what to do,” he said. “They always asked about my concerns.”

Mazen said lessons learned include the increased knowledge about operating the SAFEBoat in windy and semi-rough conditions.

“In many respects, it was an extremely important and beneficial experience for all of us,” he said.

The biggest lesson learned?

“Wear your life vests,” COMO Forrest said.