40 MPH...Straight into The Witches!

sa meredith · 08-19-2008, 12:28 PM

So here's a story I'm posting simply because it could possibly serve as a reminder to someone to never become too comfortable while boating and thinking, "...oh, that could never happen to me"...because yesterday, it happened to me, and I'm still shaken up pretty good today.

I consider my knowledge of the lake to be average to good in many areas, and in others (Paugus Bay, Weirs, Meredith, out past Governors into Wolfeboro, Winter Harbor) very good. It's my 5th year of boating (very new, I know) and I spent my first two seasons reading the chart the night before going out, planning my course, and then when boating, being sure to find every marker that I had indeed seen on the chart. It was tedious at first, but I learned the lake, and how to find places I had never been to. No GPS. I did it all the old fashioned way...and think I am better for having done it like this.
I took the safe boating course, learned everything I could, and take safety as seriously as anyone I know. I don't think anyone could ever accuse me of being an unsafe or irresponsible boater.
Also, when starting out, I frequently when along with my brother in law and sister (boaters for 10 years) and asked them as many questions as I could, and learned something new everytime we went out. I should mention the boat is a 24' bowrider...so not too big, but by no means small.
On one of my first trips around Governors, my sister introduced me to The Witches, pointed out the circle of markers, and assured me that they can creep up on you very quickly when approaching them from the broads. She further explained that the center part (the rocks that are always visible) are not the only rocks, there are also a great number of them lurking inches below the surface. I believe her words were somehing like "just make sure you never enter the circle. You won't come out."
And so when travelling that way, in the beginning, I was always very intimidated by the area...always remembering when heading out to the broads to pass between the two navigational buoys (the route The Mount travels). And I would always slow down, giving the rocks a good look, many times seeing several of the below surface lurkers, and think there was just no way I would ever end up in there.
Soooooooooooooo.....flash forward to yesterday afternoon, 4:15 PM, in case you were out there and saw me. After spending the day with a good friend, his wife, and two children, who are vacationing in Wolfeboro, I was heading back to Paugus Bay, alone. It had been a very long day in the sun....hours and hours of tubing in Winter Harbor, swimming and lunch in Johnson's Cove. Just a perfect day...great weather, and quality time with good friends.
If I may digress for one second here...his family has very little if any experience boating...so being safety conscious, they all received a crash course in safety before we left the Wolfeboro docks...where their own pfd was located (the boy was 12, so he was wearing his), what to do in an emergency, how to get another boats attention if I somehow became unconscious...stuff like that. I write this to further make the point that I do indeed put safety first.
So I have dropped them off at 3:15/3:30, and am now alone, heading back.
I always go the same way home. Out toward Rattlesnake, then take a heading on Locke's, find the black marker out on the point at Locke's, and turn slightly left. This brings you safely around the Witches (they are now on the right), and brings me straight to the Governors Island bridge, and up thru the no wake zone after the bridge.
I decided, at the very last minute, to make a small change to my course yesterday, and it could have been tragic. After passing the marker at Locke's (and I should mention, by the way, the radio is cranking, the sun is shining, and I really have that "life is good" feeling) I think to myself..."how about passing Governor's on the other side (the side I take when heading out) today, and passing on the whole no wake zone after the bridge...maybe save a minute or 2. I know I am travelling at 40 MPH because I am watching my gauges, in awe of how much gas I had gone thru for the day. I stayed at 40 just about the whole way across the broads.
So, I decide to change course, but never decrease my speed, and just assume I have not yet reached "the circle" of markers. There is a small chop, so viewing markers (or rocks) from a distance is not very easy at this point.
But, I know I need to bear hard to the right, and find the two navigational bouys to pass thru...no need to let off the throttle...I know the way. So I spot the Bouy (or so I think) and head straight for it, thinking the other is just not readily visible because of the chop. But now I'm approaching the Navigational buoy very rapidly, and just can't see the other one....and suddenly realize, at 40MPH, the bouy I am approaching has a word on it...."Warning, Rocks"....I'm in the circle, heading full bore into the main part of the Witches...where the rocks are always above the surface...and I am fully aware I am passing over rocks just beneath the surface. I throw into neutral, then reverse after a second or 2, as I need the the boat to come to a stop, NOW! The boat comes to rest, as the "above water rocks" are on my starboard side...no less than 10 feet from the boat...I kill the engine and trim it up as far as possible. And now there is silence (obviously, there are no other boats near me). I can hear nothing, except for the water lapping on the rocks. The noise is continuous...splish splash, splish splash. I am in a state of complete shock...frozen from head to toe. Can't move. (I would imagine it was the type of fear you would feel if you woke in the middle of the night, and found a stanger in your home...just plain shock). Honestly. I'm standing there, grabbing the wheel "white knuckled", and just can't move...frozen solid. I finally loosen my grip, lean over the side, and vomit. It was just an involuntary reaction. I guess it was my body reacting to my state of shock.
So, what to do??? No paddle of any type on board (there is one now, and always will be) so I can only get out by refiring the engine. Now, for anyone that might be curious...take my word for it...there are rocks EVERYWHERE beneath the surface. Some 2 feet, some 6 inches. Of course, as I am "taking inventory" they all look to be 1 inch below, ready to jump into the boat.
I'm looking around in circles, and for that moment, the Witches of Lake Winni is simply the loneliest place on earth...I am so alone.
I refired the boat, trimmed down just a tad, heading back toward the broads, 1 foot at a time. Forward for 2 seconds, neutral, reverse (to stop the boat), jump up into the bow to check for rocks, forward for 2 seconds, neutral, reverse, up into the bow, forward, neutral, reverse, up into the bow...over and over again, dodging rock after rock (many were well below the surface, but at that point, I was pretty freaked out, so I did not want to go over any).
The whole event, fom enter to exiting was probably 13/15 minutes, but seemed like hours. The feeling was like no other I have felt. I was just so sure I knew exactly where I was going. I think that is what led to the shock.
It was not like I saw a marker out on the lake, and passed it on the wrong side accidentally. I was just so sure I knew just where I was.
Now, I'm not sure I am even qualified to have passengers...should they trust me? What an experience...never again!
So if you see me, call me "Captain Bonehead!"

08-19-2008, 12:28 PM	#1
sa meredith Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 986 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 352 Times in 137 Posts	40 MPH...Straight into The Witches! So here's a story I'm posting simply because it could possibly serve as a reminder to someone to never become too comfortable while boating and thinking, "...oh, that could never happen to me"...because yesterday, it happened to me, and I'm still shaken up pretty good today. I consider my knowledge of the lake to be average to good in many areas, and in others (Paugus Bay, Weirs, Meredith, out past Governors into Wolfeboro, Winter Harbor) very good. It's my 5th year of boating (very new, I know) and I spent my first two seasons reading the chart the night before going out, planning my course, and then when boating, being sure to find every marker that I had indeed seen on the chart. It was tedious at first, but I learned the lake, and how to find places I had never been to. No GPS. I did it all the old fashioned way...and think I am better for having done it like this. I took the safe boating course, learned everything I could, and take safety as seriously as anyone I know. I don't think anyone could ever accuse me of being an unsafe or irresponsible boater. Also, when starting out, I frequently when along with my brother in law and sister (boaters for 10 years) and asked them as many questions as I could, and learned something new everytime we went out. I should mention the boat is a 24' bowrider...so not too big, but by no means small. On one of my first trips around Governors, my sister introduced me to The Witches, pointed out the circle of markers, and assured me that they can creep up on you very quickly when approaching them from the broads. She further explained that the center part (the rocks that are always visible) are not the only rocks, there are also a great number of them lurking inches below the surface. I believe her words were somehing like "just make sure you never enter the circle. You won't come out." And so when travelling that way, in the beginning, I was always very intimidated by the area...always remembering when heading out to the broads to pass between the two navigational buoys (the route The Mount travels). And I would always slow down, giving the rocks a good look, many times seeing several of the below surface lurkers, and think there was just no way I would ever end up in there. Soooooooooooooo.....flash forward to yesterday afternoon, 4:15 PM, in case you were out there and saw me. After spending the day with a good friend, his wife, and two children, who are vacationing in Wolfeboro, I was heading back to Paugus Bay, alone. It had been a very long day in the sun....hours and hours of tubing in Winter Harbor, swimming and lunch in Johnson's Cove. Just a perfect day...great weather, and quality time with good friends. If I may digress for one second here...his family has very little if any experience boating...so being safety conscious, they all received a crash course in safety before we left the Wolfeboro docks...where their own pfd was located (the boy was 12, so he was wearing his), what to do in an emergency, how to get another boats attention if I somehow became unconscious...stuff like that. I write this to further make the point that I do indeed put safety first. So I have dropped them off at 3:15/3:30, and am now alone, heading back. I always go the same way home. Out toward Rattlesnake, then take a heading on Locke's, find the black marker out on the point at Locke's, and turn slightly left. This brings you safely around the Witches (they are now on the right), and brings me straight to the Governors Island bridge, and up thru the no wake zone after the bridge. I decided, at the very last minute, to make a small change to my course yesterday, and it could have been tragic. After passing the marker at Locke's (and I should mention, by the way, the radio is cranking, the sun is shining, and I really have that "life is good" feeling) I think to myself..."how about passing Governor's on the other side (the side I take when heading out) today, and passing on the whole no wake zone after the bridge...maybe save a minute or 2. I know I am travelling at 40 MPH because I am watching my gauges, in awe of how much gas I had gone thru for the day. I stayed at 40 just about the whole way across the broads. So, I decide to change course, but never decrease my speed, and just assume I have not yet reached "the circle" of markers. There is a small chop, so viewing markers (or rocks) from a distance is not very easy at this point. But, I know I need to bear hard to the right, and find the two navigational bouys to pass thru...no need to let off the throttle...I know the way. So I spot the Bouy (or so I think) and head straight for it, thinking the other is just not readily visible because of the chop. But now I'm approaching the Navigational buoy very rapidly, and just can't see the other one....and suddenly realize, at 40MPH, the bouy I am approaching has a word on it...."Warning, Rocks"....I'm in the circle, heading full bore into the main part of the Witches...where the rocks are always above the surface...and I am fully aware I am passing over rocks just beneath the surface. I throw into neutral, then reverse after a second or 2, as I need the the boat to come to a stop, NOW! The boat comes to rest, as the "above water rocks" are on my starboard side...no less than 10 feet from the boat...I kill the engine and trim it up as far as possible. And now there is silence (obviously, there are no other boats near me). I can hear nothing, except for the water lapping on the rocks. The noise is continuous...splish splash, splish splash. I am in a state of complete shock...frozen from head to toe. Can't move. (I would imagine it was the type of fear you would feel if you woke in the middle of the night, and found a stanger in your home...just plain shock). Honestly. I'm standing there, grabbing the wheel "white knuckled", and just can't move...frozen solid. I finally loosen my grip, lean over the side, and vomit. It was just an involuntary reaction. I guess it was my body reacting to my state of shock. So, what to do??? No paddle of any type on board (there is one now, and always will be) so I can only get out by refiring the engine. Now, for anyone that might be curious...take my word for it...there are rocks EVERYWHERE beneath the surface. Some 2 feet, some 6 inches. Of course, as I am "taking inventory" they all look to be 1 inch below, ready to jump into the boat. I'm looking around in circles, and for that moment, the Witches of Lake Winni is simply the loneliest place on earth...I am so alone. I refired the boat, trimmed down just a tad, heading back toward the broads, 1 foot at a time. Forward for 2 seconds, neutral, reverse (to stop the boat), jump up into the bow to check for rocks, forward for 2 seconds, neutral, reverse, up into the bow, forward, neutral, reverse, up into the bow...over and over again, dodging rock after rock (many were well below the surface, but at that point, I was pretty freaked out, so I did not want to go over any). The whole event, fom enter to exiting was probably 13/15 minutes, but seemed like hours. The feeling was like no other I have felt. I was just so sure I knew exactly where I was going. I think that is what led to the shock. It was not like I saw a marker out on the lake, and passed it on the wrong side accidentally. I was just so sure I knew just where I was. Now, I'm not sure I am even qualified to have passengers...should they trust me? What an experience...never again! So if you see me, call me "Captain Bonehead!" Last edited by sa meredith; 08-19-2008 at 03:42 PM.