Reader's Digest

52 | July• 2018

RACING THE STORM

Afalsestartcostanotherhalf-hour

andtheboatswerestillcirclingat

10.45am when the National Weather

Service (NWS) in Mobile issued a

dire prediction: “hunderstorms will

moveinfromthewestthisafternoon

and across the marine area. Some of

the thunderstorms may be strong or

severe.”

Onlyeightboatswithdrew.AsGar-

nerwouldlatersay“It’snobigdeal

forustoseeaweatherreportthat

says scattered thunderstorms or

even scattered severe thunderstorms.

Ifyouwanttoracesailingboatsand

race long-distance you’re going to

get into storms.”

On board theRazra7.3-metre

boat 17-year-old Lennard Luiten his

father and three friends scrutinised

incoming weather reports: the storm

appeared likely to arrive at 4.15pm

whichshouldgivethemtimetocross

the finish line and return to home

port before the front arrived.

Lennard felt thrilled as the mo-

ment approached. He and his father

Onedayeachspringsailors

gather in central Mobile Bay and

sprint about 33 kilometres south to

DauphinIsland.Onthismorningof

April252015therewereotherboats

likeRon’sHobieCatsthatcouldbe

pulled by hand onto a beach. here

were also sleek purpose-built race

boatswithoversizedmastsand

great oceangoing vessels with plush

cabins.Alltold125boatswith475

sailorsandguestshadsignedupfor

the regatta.

At7.44amassailorsbeganto

gatheronthebayfora9.30startthe

websiteoftheFairhopeYachtClub

which was hosting the regatta that

yearpostedamessageaboutthe

race:“Cancelledduetoinclement

weather.”

But at 8.10am the yacht club in-

sistedtheregattawason.GaryGar-

nerthencommodoreoftheyacht

clubsaidthecancellationwasan

error the result of a garbled message.

he confusion delayed the start by an

hour.

O

nthisAprilmorningyachts traced

gentle circles on Alabama’s Mobile Bay prepar-

ingfortheDauphinIslandRegatta.Onboardthe

Kylaalightweight4.8-metrecatamaranRonGas-

tonandHanaBlalackmadeanunusualcrew.Hewastalland

lanky50yearsoldwithdecadesofsailingexperience.Shewas

15tinypaleandredheadedandhadneversteppedonasailing

boat. But Hana trusted Ron who was like a father to her. And

Ron’s daughter Sarah was like a sister.

ILLUSTRATION PREVIOUS SPREAD: MICHAEL BYERS