Obviously, Peter Swanson does not seem to be speaking from personal experience that is from real life hurricane survival, while living on a boat thru a hurricane. Immediately after the storm, there will be insects of all types back out, it is amazing how they can survive the wind and rain. After Helene passed by my boat at Englewood/Port Charlotte area, I was serenaded by frogs and or toads, maybe what we called "spring peepers" in Mo. which appear after a rain. And yes, there will be mosquitos both before the storm and after, and a person does not simply show up at Shark river a minute before the hurricane, but should be at the location a day or so early to get tied up and or anchored. There will be many more bugs at that location than at Fort Myers Beach or Naples or Marco Island, which all have surrounding mosquito control districts, which I doubt you will find in the Everglades. So this man was making a stupid decision by going too far south when he had local hurricane holes, and he deserves to be publicly castigated so that others learn from his faulty actions that cost the taxpayers many thousands of dollars.
And what happened to his boat? Did it become one more derelict vessel floating on the water to endanger other boaters, or did it end up on land and become a costly removal project by once again, the taxpayer through some wonderful government agency?
To Cindy Morgan's comment below: It was not "the unforeseen happened", because all the experienced and knowledgeable sailors were in a safe place locally, not trying to take a recently purchased and unproven vessel on a multi day voyage, because they had the ability to foresee this type of incident and many others besides. It is not something you teach to new boaters, but something we teach ourselves by reading about the mistakes of others so we don't repeat them. Good sailors read books about sailing experiences of others and learn from them. Good sailors sturdy weather maps, and use google satellite and other modern technology to make the best decision possible, not just sail off into the sunset and hope for the best. Only in a socialist society do people like Cindy thank government for saving someone from their own stupidity without wanting to hold them accountable for the cost of the rescue. It's not that he didn't deserve to be saved, it is that Cindy and other posters here do not seem inclined to hold him responsible for the cost, which is the best way to prevent other irresponsible behavior from immature boaters.
Dude, I've been to the Shark without getting bitten because of this new invention called "screens." You seem to be saying that bugs should be a major part of Hurricane decision-making. BTW, the first hurricane that I rode out at anchor was Hurricane Gloria in '85. The most recent was Helene on the St. Johns, which was no big deal. But according to NOAA data, the Shark would have been better, further from the path.
Wow! Nobody " deserves to be publicly castigated". Perhaps one day you come to realize that people make decisions based on information they know art the time and deem to be sound. Sometimes things go wrong.
Perhaps when you accidently leave a pot on the stove or have a car accident, we should all chime in and say how stupid you are and have the fire department bill you for your "faulty actions that cost the taxpayers many thousands of dollars."
My hope for you is that tomorrow and every day after you try to be a better person. Right now you are an embarrassment to the sailing community where sailors help and support other sailors.
Obviously reading and comprehension are not your strongest attributes. It was clearly stated the boat was sinking and drifting out to sea.
Thanks for following up on this. I had seen on Reddit somewhere that he in fact had a plan maybe not the best situation or experience but at least he was out there. Much appreciation to the coast guard
Thanks for sharing this story. Very happy to see the rescue and you gotta love a man who sends his dog out for rescue first. Good luck to Mr. Barcome and his good boy Gunn.
Please explain why you are so apologetic for this sailor who made many simple errors in his thinking.
First if he was near Sanibel Island there are many hurricane holes on the backside of the island in over toward Pine Island where there are canals and mangroves that you can go in and ride out a hurricane with no problem either on an anchor or tying off for the mangroves. Many people have done this for years and it's no secret all he had to do was ask the locals.
There are also places at Fort Myers Beach and as you're heading South toward Marco Island there is a famous bay that is a perfect hurricane hole he would not have any need at all to go down to Shark river which has no facilities and no access to the shore and lots of mosquitoes. So he was passing up many good hurricane holes through ignorance or laziness.
Once again this is a man who has not checked out his boat and does not seem to have the ability to repair it while he's on the water and he's dreaming big and costing the taxpayer money.
This type of person should be held accountable for their poor decision making ability, and the Coast Guard should send him a bill for his rescue.. If a person cannot think and do research they should not be on a boat but probably in a retirement community where they can have 24-hour daycare
Between being anchored around Ft. Myers or anchored in the Shark River, given Helene's projected path, the Shark is objectively better and evidenced by the NOAA maps. Plus, if Helene had "wobbled" eastward, the Shark would have provided an additional cushion. As for his ability to repair the boat or the condition of said, neither you nor I have enough information to evaluate that question. It could perhaps be argued that as a novice, the guy could not have known what he didn't know.
I find your reference to the Shark's legendary mosquito problem hilarious. Really, Leon, in a tropical storm!
Gosh. That is pretty cold, in my opinion. Sounds to me like Mr. Barcome had a good plan then the unforeseen happened, which can happen to even the most experienced captain out on the water. Thank goodness for the Coast Guard and thank goodness they don't pick and choose who can or cannot afford to be saved. Kudos to the Coast Guard for a successful operation.
Great story, gave me a whole different perspective on the guy. Thank you.
Obviously, Peter Swanson does not seem to be speaking from personal experience that is from real life hurricane survival, while living on a boat thru a hurricane. Immediately after the storm, there will be insects of all types back out, it is amazing how they can survive the wind and rain. After Helene passed by my boat at Englewood/Port Charlotte area, I was serenaded by frogs and or toads, maybe what we called "spring peepers" in Mo. which appear after a rain. And yes, there will be mosquitos both before the storm and after, and a person does not simply show up at Shark river a minute before the hurricane, but should be at the location a day or so early to get tied up and or anchored. There will be many more bugs at that location than at Fort Myers Beach or Naples or Marco Island, which all have surrounding mosquito control districts, which I doubt you will find in the Everglades. So this man was making a stupid decision by going too far south when he had local hurricane holes, and he deserves to be publicly castigated so that others learn from his faulty actions that cost the taxpayers many thousands of dollars.
And what happened to his boat? Did it become one more derelict vessel floating on the water to endanger other boaters, or did it end up on land and become a costly removal project by once again, the taxpayer through some wonderful government agency?
To Cindy Morgan's comment below: It was not "the unforeseen happened", because all the experienced and knowledgeable sailors were in a safe place locally, not trying to take a recently purchased and unproven vessel on a multi day voyage, because they had the ability to foresee this type of incident and many others besides. It is not something you teach to new boaters, but something we teach ourselves by reading about the mistakes of others so we don't repeat them. Good sailors read books about sailing experiences of others and learn from them. Good sailors sturdy weather maps, and use google satellite and other modern technology to make the best decision possible, not just sail off into the sunset and hope for the best. Only in a socialist society do people like Cindy thank government for saving someone from their own stupidity without wanting to hold them accountable for the cost of the rescue. It's not that he didn't deserve to be saved, it is that Cindy and other posters here do not seem inclined to hold him responsible for the cost, which is the best way to prevent other irresponsible behavior from immature boaters.
Dude, I've been to the Shark without getting bitten because of this new invention called "screens." You seem to be saying that bugs should be a major part of Hurricane decision-making. BTW, the first hurricane that I rode out at anchor was Hurricane Gloria in '85. The most recent was Helene on the St. Johns, which was no big deal. But according to NOAA data, the Shark would have been better, further from the path.
Wow! Nobody " deserves to be publicly castigated". Perhaps one day you come to realize that people make decisions based on information they know art the time and deem to be sound. Sometimes things go wrong.
Perhaps when you accidently leave a pot on the stove or have a car accident, we should all chime in and say how stupid you are and have the fire department bill you for your "faulty actions that cost the taxpayers many thousands of dollars."
My hope for you is that tomorrow and every day after you try to be a better person. Right now you are an embarrassment to the sailing community where sailors help and support other sailors.
Obviously reading and comprehension are not your strongest attributes. It was clearly stated the boat was sinking and drifting out to sea.
Thanks for following up on this. I had seen on Reddit somewhere that he in fact had a plan maybe not the best situation or experience but at least he was out there. Much appreciation to the coast guard
Thanks for sharing this story. Very happy to see the rescue and you gotta love a man who sends his dog out for rescue first. Good luck to Mr. Barcome and his good boy Gunn.
Please explain why you are so apologetic for this sailor who made many simple errors in his thinking.
First if he was near Sanibel Island there are many hurricane holes on the backside of the island in over toward Pine Island where there are canals and mangroves that you can go in and ride out a hurricane with no problem either on an anchor or tying off for the mangroves. Many people have done this for years and it's no secret all he had to do was ask the locals.
There are also places at Fort Myers Beach and as you're heading South toward Marco Island there is a famous bay that is a perfect hurricane hole he would not have any need at all to go down to Shark river which has no facilities and no access to the shore and lots of mosquitoes. So he was passing up many good hurricane holes through ignorance or laziness.
Once again this is a man who has not checked out his boat and does not seem to have the ability to repair it while he's on the water and he's dreaming big and costing the taxpayer money.
This type of person should be held accountable for their poor decision making ability, and the Coast Guard should send him a bill for his rescue.. If a person cannot think and do research they should not be on a boat but probably in a retirement community where they can have 24-hour daycare
Between being anchored around Ft. Myers or anchored in the Shark River, given Helene's projected path, the Shark is objectively better and evidenced by the NOAA maps. Plus, if Helene had "wobbled" eastward, the Shark would have provided an additional cushion. As for his ability to repair the boat or the condition of said, neither you nor I have enough information to evaluate that question. It could perhaps be argued that as a novice, the guy could not have known what he didn't know.
I find your reference to the Shark's legendary mosquito problem hilarious. Really, Leon, in a tropical storm!
Gosh. That is pretty cold, in my opinion. Sounds to me like Mr. Barcome had a good plan then the unforeseen happened, which can happen to even the most experienced captain out on the water. Thank goodness for the Coast Guard and thank goodness they don't pick and choose who can or cannot afford to be saved. Kudos to the Coast Guard for a successful operation.
I agree 100%. Kudos to the USCG.
Myyyyyy, this armchair of mine is mightttty comfy!