Pan Pan Emergency On The Gulf

Garry Thornton was our neighbor at Turner Marine in Mobile, Alabama. His Hughes Columbia 34, Ariel, stood out as much as Mystic does but for different reasons. Garry chose not to raise his mast after traversing the Inland Waterway. He told Dave that he didn’t really like sailing. He thought he’d complete the Loop under power. His mast sat in a cradle on his cluttered deck along with an array of bright red fuel cans and several orange dock lines. A tattered tarp laid across his cabin top. Ariel looked worn and tired. We knew from watching Garry clean up that he had leaking issues. That and the fact that he was cruising solo gave us cause for concern.

Garry Thornton

Mystic & Ariel at Turner Marine Neighbors

Mystic & Ariel Turner Marine View from the Bridge

Garry was quiet. He didn’t mingle much with the other boaters at Turner but he chatted freely with us. He lived with his beautiful rescue shepherd, Chrissy, who had a reputation of being overly protective of Garry and Ariel. We got to know Chrissy while we were neighbors. It took quite a few dog biscuits to warm her up to us but she had accepted us by the time we left Turner Marine on the same day, April 8, 2017.

Garry & Chrissy leaving Mobile Aboard Ariel

Chrissy Guarding Ariel

Garry left the dock a few hours before us. We never imagined we’d run into him several times as we crossed the Gulf, first at Fort Walton, then in Apalachicola and finally in Carrabelle. It sounded like Garry might stay in Carrabelle a while. He really liked the marina, The Moorings, and he mentioned that he was still struggling with leaks on Ariel. I had taken photos of Chrissy, and of his departure from Mobile, so I asked for his email address to send them to him. In addition, I figured we could keep an eye on him as he crossed the gulf.

Ariel at Ft. Walton

Chrissy napping in the cockpit Ft. Walton

We completed our Gulf crossing on April 22nd after a long hard struggle with heavy head winds and big seas. I emailed Garry to ask about his progress. He was in Steinhatchee waiting out the weather. Our Buddy Boat, Scott and Rhonda Joiner, aboard Mucho Gusto, were also making the crossing at this time. They were in Steinhatchee as well so I told Garry to watch for them. Mucho Gusto was updating us daily on their progress. They had not seen Garry. On the last day of their crossing from Crystal Springs to Tarpon Springs, Rhonda called me with the news that Garry had made a US Coast Guard Pan Pan call. They could only hear the Coast Guard side of the interaction, which is not surprising. The Coast Guard broadcasts over hundreds of miles of coastline. Personal watercraft can only broadcast 10 or 15 miles. The Coast Guard was trying to hail Garry and sailboat Ariel. They reported that Ariel was taking on water. Rhonda frantically tried to write down the coordinates of Garry’s location but it sounded like he was traveling far off shore; too far away for Mucho Gusto to be any help at all. The Coast Guard made a Pan Pan call to boaters in the vicinity of Ariel's position.

A Pan Pan is an emergency announcement made over the vhf radio by the Coast Guard, reporting a vessel in distress and requesting assistance from other boats nearby. It is precipitated by contact from someone who is in trouble. On this journey, we’ve heard many Pan Pan calls, often several in one day. The US Coast Guard coordinates rescue and recovery but utilizes help from boaters in the area, The boats nearby can often respond faster than the Coast Guard. On May 3rd, 2017, Garry contacted the Coast Guard in seek of assistance. He was crossing the Gulf and he was in distress.

When the Coast Guard responds to a Pan Pan call for help, they take down a lot of information. Once they have the details, they make a call to all vessels in the vicinity for assistance. After the emergency has been addressed, they call off the Pan Pan.  It took several hours before the Coast Guard announced that Ariel had been found and assisted. We knew that Garry had been rescued but not the outcome for Ariel or Chrissy. I emailed Garry to ask that he let us know, when he could, that he and Chrissy were safe. Over the next three days we made numerous attempts to get information on the incident. Finally, after three days, Garry sent me an email. He explained that his problem started with a water coolant diesel engine hose that broke. This caused water to flow into his boat instead of through the engine and overboard. To prevent his engine from overheating he had to close the valve and turn the engine off. He was no longer at risk of sinking but he was in the middle of the Gulf and powerless. Without a mast, he couldn’t sail. He said that Ariel had been towed to Crystal Springs. He and Chrissy were ok. Ariel needed some work!

Garry hopes to make it home to London, Ontario this summer. As we continue South on our Looping journey we’ll keep an eye out for him. It would be nice to run into him and give him a big hug!

Sunrise Over Ariel
Dauphin Island Parkway Bridge