A new addition to the Dillon Beach/Bodega Bay area is this lovely drag boat, the American Challenger. She was being towed on her way to points South (scrap?) by the Hunter, a tug. Hunter got a line in the wheel and a few hours later we got a vessel with possibly up to 7000 gallons of diesel on board in the rocks just South of Estero de San Antonio (Stemple Creek). There's been a reported sheen in the water but at least at the time of this picture being taken (don't know who took it but nice shot) (looks like this morning) the vessel was still mostly intact. Hopefully the task force assembled to deal with this can get the fuel gelled or pumped out tomorrow as the weather picks up with 11-12 foot swells forecast for Monday. If the American Challenger ends up cracking open like an egg and spilling her oily guts there, chances are good that a good portion will slide into Tomales Bay. Fingers crossed that tomorrow's six-foot seas are good enough for the job to get done.

    So, speaking of boating accidents, I should mention last weekend's harrowing rescue that occurred here. At about 5:40 PM the Landing phone rang and the gentleman on the line reported that he needed to be rescued as he was "stuck on the island." The wind was howling pretty bad, and as it was a low tide, I figured that the boys and I would need to get the boat from the house and go get people off of the island as their boat wasn't working. It's not my job, but hey, good karma. Gage got the binoculars out and scanned the clam islands, quickly discovering that there was nobody on them. We walked out on the beach a bit further and looked to Tom's Point where we found the stranded clammers ashore on the mainland about a quarter mile from the Landing. I suggested to the clammers that they walk back. I was told that the water was too deep. I looked through the binoculars again.  They were sill on the mud flats on Tom's Point. I suggested that instead of walking in a straight line towards the Landing that they should try just walking on the sandy beach. I was told that it was too deep. An argument ensued. At one time I told them that they were still in the contiguous portion of the continent of North America. Ultimately, I think I said I word that I'm not proud of (but probably use too much) and hung up on them. If you can't walk your butt out of trouble, I can't help you. Ten minutes later I get a call from the local fire captain. The 911 system had been activated. 

     I grabbed some warmer clothes and Gage and I headed down toward the end of the seawall. While on the way I saw a helicopter arrive over Tom's Point. Then the Landing phone rang again. The clammers. "Excuse me, can you tell me the phone number for the U.S. Coast Guard?" 

    "Do you see the helicopter circling over your head?" I asked.

     "Yes."

     "They're here for you. You called 911, right?"

     "Oh, yes. Thank you!" Click. Holy crap. If you're that ignorant maybe you do need to be rescued.

    By the time I arrived at the seawall, where the Fire Department's resources had gathered, Cameron had texted me. He had walked down to Tom's Point and was with the "victims." I called him. Said Cameron, "I told them I walked here from Lawson's Landing. They asked how many hours it took. I told them ten minutes. They didn't believe me I guess, and climbed up to the house with the lights on."

      As some of the firemen were driving off to Tom's Point, Gage and I decided to walk down there, too. We met Cameron there, examined the clammers' boat for a bit, and then walked back. A few minutes after we arrived back at the Landing the first Fire Department vehicles arrived at the house on Tom's Point to "rescue" the "victims." 

      What did we learn here? I don't think the people that needed a lesson learned anything. They came back the next day and recovered their boat which they had abandoned. A lesson missed was the difference between "inconvenienced" and "in danger." Please note that they're spelled differently, sound different when spoken, and hold completely different meanings in the dictionary. One requires Emergency Medical Services, while the other requires, at most, a taxi. In this case, two feet would do. People, if you can't turn your head, witness the beach THAT IS RIGHT THERE, and walk your butt to safety, maybe Darwin's law should apply.

    My wife says I have an anger problem.