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Don’s sister responded to our Blog:  “Rescue on the High Seas”:

As many of you already know, Don was raised from age 3-19, on a 136’ WWII minesweeper converted to a Missionary Hospital ship.  This is “Donna’s Story”, her memory of a experience from her teen-age years on the Willis Shank.

Willis Shank

Donna in Alaska this summer on Starr

Dear Don and Sharry,

I read the blog yesterday, and broke down in tears.  In fact even today I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about your rescue story.  What prompted such emotions? The little boy’s voice calling out that they were sinking.  Here I am in my Senior Years remembering “My Story” years ago, and responding emotionally through the eyes of that little boy.

In my teen-age years, I was on the Willis Shank during a violent storm.  We were crossing a body of water in the winter on our way to Craig Alaska.  The storm came up and the waves were so big that it was impossible to turn around.  We were all in our bunks holding on so that we wouldn’t get thrown out of our bunks onto the deck.  The waves were slamming us and so high that you couldn’t see the top at times.  Dad was at the wheel, and my cousin Bud Hartung, a former Navy seaman, was standing watch with him.  Finally Dad had to leave for a moment and asked Bud if he could take the wheel for just a second.  Every wave had to be taken at the right angle and at the right time, if we were going to make it through the storm.  Bud looked down for a second to clip a fingernail took the wave wrong and the boat ended up in the trough.  The boat shook, quivered, and I along with the rest thought this was the end of my life and the rest of our family.   I didn’t know if the boat would make it.  We heard everything around us falling, the sound of breaking glass, and the organ that was bolted to the deck was thrown across the room.  At that point we were all too scared to care about the damage.  The chaos and noise of everything falling

For reasons unexplainable, the boat did right itself, and Dad was able to make it back to the pilot house, and continue piloting the ship, riding out the vicious winter storm.  There were smaller vessels that did not make it through the storm, including a friend and Minister at the Presbyterian Church in Craig Alaska.

I am so in awe of your skills Don, and your superb ability to handle your Ship.  The support you had from the rest of your crew, as well, in rescuing the vessel, and putting that dear little boy at ease.  I can see the smile on Dad’s face as he said “Well done Son, I am so proud of you”.

Okay, enough, for some reasons writing this, is still bringing tears to my eyes.  What a wimp I am.

Love your Sister  Donna

Note from Don:

“I think that I was about 7 years old and I clearly remember that we found the 65’ fish packer washed up on the rocks.  The skipper and his crew were found in their life jackets tangled up in the kelp bed.  It’s funny though, I don’t remember the storm even though I was on board.   I BLOCKED IT OUT COMPLETELY, but I can still see the image of the fish packer wedged up high on the rocks.”

Our dockmate James Ellingford on the Nordhavn62 from Australia has posted this on his Pendana Blog  ( http://www.pendanablog.com).  James knows how to tell a good tale . . .

Rescue on the high, I mean Hawaiian Seas……

“James, how would you and Claire like to go for a nice relaxing cruise?” said, Captain Don of MV Starr.  “Sure, sounds like fun!”

The day started like any other, but today Claire and I were to board the mighty MV Starr for a relaxing cruise out into the blue abyss of the Hawaiian seas.  Also aboard for the ride was Mickey Smith (marine electronics guru to the stars) and his charming wife Snow, Steve Scalzo and Kerri Wood who were slowly but surely defrosting after just arriving from a rather cold Seattle and local, Chris Clothier, from the Waikiki Yacht Club.  Our generous hosts were of course Don and Sharry from MV Starr.  All in all, nine adults all with whom have a fair bit of ocean going experience and the knowledge to fix most things at sea.  This knowledge was to come in very handy indeed.

Don, Steve and Mickey (wearing hat) as MV Starr leaves the confines of Waikiki Yacht Club

The day was perfect and MV Starr was purring like a kitten doing a sturdy 9kts drinking a respectable nine gallons per hour.  The sun was shining, the birds tweeting, not that I could hear them but trust me they would have been and the ocean was a magnificent deep blue. What a lovely day out this would be as a calm relaxed state came over all of us aboard the mighty MV Starr.  A calm that was not going to last long.

MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY.  A young voice on the other end of the radio somewhere was conveying to US Coast Guard that they were sinking.  Yes, SINKING!  We soon realised that the vessel in question was the Maverick, forty footer, with a father and son on board.  Don, without hesitation quickly changed course and headed directly towards the vessel in distress, while Steve and Mickey prepared the emergency pump on the rear deck and I took over communication with coast guard and the vessel in distress with my main objective to try and reassure the poor child on board that he was not, in fact, sinking.  Having me try and reassure a child that all is ok is like having Goliath try to reassure David that he is really a nice guy!

 


MV Starr comes alongside the Maverick to great relief of the young child on-board

Don manoeuvring MV Starr with the precision of a brain surgeon on a very, very good day

Within minutes Mickey Smith, yes, THE Mickey Smith was on board the Maverick and he soon went below.  Steve passed Mickey the hose so that he could start pumping the water from the vessel.  The Maverick and MV Starr were now connected like a mother is to her newborn child in a dance as the sea moved beneath both making an already difficult duet even more challenging.

Maverick and MV Starr now joined as one

As Don kept MV Starr in the exact position required, to allow both vessels to remain joined while the pump went to work extracting the water from Maverick’s engine room the seas started to pick up and some large rollers came through.  With each set of rollers MV Starr held firm and with Don’s skills being put to the test both vessels moved in the ocean as one, as if in a world class ballet performance, with few lucky enough to see. 

Fifteen minutes later Mickey Smith emerged from below the Maverick announcing that the vessel was fine and that he had sorted out the issue with the through hull at precisely the same time the US Coast Guard turned up.

US Coast Guard on scene

Coast Guard personnel on board the Maverick

As the US Coast Guard vessel was reversing it came a wee bit too close for comfort and a little too close for Captain Don’s liking.

Don, asking very nicely that they (the US Coast Guard) not get too close

With Don’s encouragement they soon moved further away from MV Starr’s shining exterior

Twenty minutes had passed and Don still had both vessels connected via his emergency pump while the US Coast Guard, were being briefed by Mickey Smith on the Maverick.

Still connected

The little boy aboard the Maverick looking a whole lot happier!

Now, all we had to do was get Mickey back on-board MV Starr and while my suggestion to make him swim for it was considered it was soon discounted by Captain Don and most aboard.  Hey, all I was trying to do was get few action photos for the blog….really!  With some very careful manoeuvring both vessels were close enough for Mickey to make the leap of faith.

Mickey preparing himself

Mickey makes it safely onto MV Starr

Me taking some action shots so this blog would be possible.

Kerri attending to Mickey Smiths injuries from his time aboard the Maverick

Sharry and Chris grateful the mission to save the Maverick was a success!

Claire grateful Mickey made it safely aboard

Snow, Kerri and Steve having some fun after a busy day on the water!

Next time Don says, “Hey James feel like coming out for a nice relaxing cruise on MV Starr”? I may think twice!

MV Starr returning home. Hey that’s a nice looking Nordhavn 62 up ahead!

Don and Sharry bringing MV Starr safely back to Waikiki Yacht Club after an exciting day on the Hawaiian seas.

Safe travels

James

(and Don and Sharry)

Douglas Cole, Sharry, Don and Douglas MacQuarrie

Doug Cole – October 14, 2015

“Being a life-long sailor and having made a variety of coastal and ocean passages via sail, I was curious to see how passage making via power boat might compare.  I can’t vouch for all power boats, but I must say that the Seattle to Honolulu trip compared quite favorably.  Knowing Don & Sharry and the way Starr was meticulously prepared were the main qualifiers for my willing to give it a try.  Other than the potential for snagging the prop on an errant drift net, and Don was ready with diving gear just in case, the only other major concern was if the Nespresso Cappuccino machine would hold up and keep producing such heavenly coffee.  It did!  Don and Sharry run a very easy going ship.  We knew what was expected of us as crew and beyond that we just did our duties and enjoyed the cruise.  I think that after reading the 150 page manual for the new Furuno ARPA radar I just about had it figured out.  Thanks again for a very pleasant crossing.  Doug Cole, Bellingham, WA.”

Douglas MacQuarrie – October 16, 2015

Sharry and Don, Before too many days go by I would like to share my feelings that I have shared with others when they ask “How was your trip?”. 

So here are my take-aways:

      First and foremost is your relationship with each other.  The kindness and respect that you have for each other extends out from you to those around you.  I can see that you make an effort to keep that tone in your life in general.  “As you sow, so shall you reap” is working well for you.

      The second take-away is having quality time to deepen my relationship with my friend of almost 50 years.  He is one amazing human being in so many ways.

      My third take-away has to do with Starr’s performance.  She is won magnificent craft.  Her motion was so calming it was like riding on a cloud.  I’m still amazed by her tracking ability and how little effort was needed for the autopilot to keep her on course.  She is one incredibly cool vessel.  I don’t know what she felt like before the refit but the feeling I get now is that she is very proud.

      My fourth take-away was having the time to truly take in the Elon Musk audio book.  What an inspiring delight!

      Thank you both for a wonderful adventure.  I only wish I could have been even more present, as I would have been had it not been for my back injury.

In Gratatude, Douglas, Doug, Dougie, Bug

Thanks Guys for being such good Friends and Crew!

Don and Sharry

WE ARE HERE!

Starr Arrived at Waikiki Yacht Club dock yesterday, October 12, at 1430 Hawaiian time after 18 days of dodging Oho and other tropical depressions.

We traveled 3109 nm

We used 2400 gallons of fuel and have 1200 gallons remaining.

Starr’s Arrival at Waikiki Yacht Club

It is sunny and beautiful and HOT here in Waikiki.  WYC and CCA friends with bags full of fresh Hawaiian fruit met us at the dock.  What a Welcome!

The 2 Douglases departed to catch the 2130 Alaska flight to Seattle.

I have spent my time today doing laundry, picking up and putting stuff away.

Don has been working on the new Technicold AC Chiller units, which we really need. 

We are very happy to be tied up to a dock, and to be at our Hawaiian “Home” at Waikiki Yacht Club

Don and Sharry

PS – Thank you Ken for posting our Blogs!