Sadly, the panel that investigated the incident at the Farallone Islands that took the lives of 5 yachtsmen concluded that the cause involved poor seamanship and a failure to steer clear of obvious hazards. In other words, the captain made a decision that put his boat and crew in unnecessary danger that cost 5 of 8 lives. The decision came on Nov. 1 after 6 months of examining details and facts surrounding the unfortunate event.
I have personally sailed/cruised close by the Farallones on 8 different occasions. I found their stark beauty to be interesting, but not attractive. Treeless, windswept, and surrounded by shifting currents and unrelenting wave action that is a constant threat to ships in the area, they have remained uninhabited. For years, commercial abalone dives frequented the islands in search of the large mollusk. For the most part, this activity has been abandoned because of the overlap of abalone season and the arrival of the great white sharks in numbers. Scuba divers also went there to explore the kelp forests and to enjoy excellent visibility to 100+ feet or more. But again, great white sharks kept them away. Growing up in the Sunset district of the City, the Farallones were the standard to measure a nice day on the coast: if one could see their rocky peaks, 22 miles off, it was a nice day!
Scientists and biologists have taken up the study of marine life in the vicinity and have been regular temporary residents for over 20 years. Few stay more than the minimum required for obvious reasons: damp, cold, windy, foggy days with a beat of pounding surf. They have made contributions to the knowledge body on great whites and pinnipeds found on the islands. Sailors and yachtsmen,too, are familiar with them, although few venture west, beyond their shores. Racing Bay sailors know the route out and around the rocks, and many have made the race an annual event.
The crew of Low Spped Chase that day had both novices and veterans and the captain was a veteran sailor/yachtsman. Why did he choose the less safe passage around the island? It was not dead calm and heavy swells were easily seen. He took a calculated risk: he could pass through the narrow opening, make the turn, and head home without incident. According to a friend who regularly fishes in the area, there is a seamount on the west side of the passage, just below the surface. Here one can find breaking waves in an otherwise calm sea. On that day, April 14, 2012, the boat ran out of luck and 5 lives were lost.
Survivors speculated that IF they had snapped in(tethered to the boat), the outcome would have been different. We'll never know.
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