It was 25 gusting to 45 with 5-7 foot swell in the North Race mogul field, water temp 40 degrees with swirling currents on Friday the 13th. What could go wrong?
Scott, Frank and John vanderWolf had been tearing it north of Robins Island at New Suffolk, sailing 3.7-4.2 with big gusts and lulls. But after Scott hadn’t seen the Wolf in an hour he called 911 (“I’d have called earlier but he hates being rescued”) and now Scott was listening to the radio conversation between the search helicopter and police. “We see a sail floating in the South Race,” the helicopter reported, “but no body.”
This was bad. The Wolf’s rig was drifting halfway around Robins Island, and the Wolf nowhere to be seen? Scott tells me he was imagining calling John’s wife and telling her they didn’t know where he was, when suddenly he spotted what looked like someone standing on the North Race sand spit. The police called the helicopter, the ‘copter came up north and took a look, and Lo it was The Wolf, knee deep in strong current, trying to make his way onto the island. The Bay Constable boat headed over, “a strong guy reached over, grabbed me by my harness and pulled me on board,” says the Wolf, and the population of Eastern Long Island Wind Chimps and Puffins was officially noted to have not decreased by one.
What happened? “The waves were beautiful…the biggest I’ve ever seen it there,” the Wolf tells The Peconic Puffin. Not long into the session his headcap came off the top of his mast, and unable to get it back together bobbing in the mogul field he attempted to derig the sail and tie it all up on his board (readers not familiar with New Suffolk and North Race bump sailing note: the waves/chop is very tightly spaced and steep, and multidirectional.) Almost succeeded, until a wave yanked his gear away from him and out of reach. So there he was, bobbing and spinning in 5-7’ waves, trying to swim somewhere in 40 degree water.
Did I mention that the Wolf is 67?
It took him much of an hour, but he made it to the Robins Island sand bar while the current was dragging his gear half a mile south. At high tide the sand bar was submerged under 2 feet of current. “I figured I’d make my way to the island and find someone to give me a ride. My feet were getting numb, and then all of a sudden there was a helicopter overhead."
When the Constable dropped John off on shore EMS workers insisted on checking him out. His body temperature was recorded at 93. Peconic Jeff tells us that “according to hypothermia charts, 93F is borderline between "You start to move slowly and feel week and confused" and "You fall over when you try to walk around, and have trouble using your hands".
The Wolf says he felt fine.
The Wolf has people over at his place every Friday night, and there being nothing special about this Friday he kept to his custom. I'll bet the fire felt particularly warm, though.
(Thank you Scott for risking the Wolf's wrath and calling it in. Thanks to the following for being involved in the response. The Wolf is worth it:
Southampton Police
Southold Police
Suffolk County Police Helicopter unit
Cutchogue Fire Department Ambulance team
Peconic Bay Constable
U.S. Coast Guard.
Photos by Scott Kielt)
Glad ur all good did u get ur rig back?u know now that u had a full land sea rescue we will be messing with u.see u in the water
Posted by: marty j | January 16, 2012 at 05:34 AM
Long live the wolf!
Posted by: Jon | January 16, 2012 at 08:34 AM
no he did not get his rig back.by now it is somewhere in the atlantic heading for ireland!he did lose another rig about ten years ago when he bailed on a big jump...he swam in & again a nice new rig on its way to europe.the reason i was hesitant to call 911 this time was because 5 years ago at the iron pier (another nukin day)the wolfs rig seperated from his board when he was about 1/2 a mile out & the wind took his board away at warp speed.i saw him & asked if he was allright while he swam towards the beach dragging his rig.he said he was o k so i sailed back to the beach & kept an eye on him.well everybody on the beach told me to call 911. so with that pressure i caved & called.now it was mid winter so when i called the woman answered by asking "what is your emergency?" & i said i have a 63 year old man who was windsurfing & needs to be rescued...she said
"HES DOING WHAT??" i said windsurfing,she said"HES HOW OLD??".so within 5 minutes every piece of rescue equipment from riverhead town was there with sirens sceaming & about 50 people pointing out toward the wolf.now i sail out to the wolf to let him know hes gonna be o k...well as soon as he sees me he starts yelling at me "WHATS GOING ON?" i told him i called 911.now he starts yelling at me "IM O K WHAT DI DU DO THAT FOR?TELL THEM IM I DONT WANT TO GET RESCUED!"so now feeling like an idiot i sail back to shore & go over to the rescue crew who were trying to launch a boat stern first thru 6 foot shore break & tell them NEVERMIND hes o k.long story short he made it back in about 30 minutes & proceeded to walk a mile or so down the beach & find his board.later the wolf asked me "why did u call 911?" need i say more?
Posted by: scott k. | January 16, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Thank God He's safe and sound.
Posted by: f messina | January 16, 2012 at 10:23 AM
The "Wolf" is the MAN! This dude takes a lickin and keeps on ticking. I have seen this cat take such a pounding at many a venue and come away with a sh*t eating grin on his face, he has inspired me on many occasions to push myself beyond my own limits, so the fact that he survived this latest misfortune comes as no surprise to me...he never ceases to amaze me with his escapades both in and out of the water!!! To say we had a few laughs at his expense at the "dome" on Friday would be an understatement. I warn you though, even though Jon is a great guy,watch him closely when in the waves,he will drop in on you:) glad you made it bro!!!CD
Posted by: Cd | January 16, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Wow - iron man! Very happy to hear all ended happily.
Posted by: Bunty | January 16, 2012 at 03:17 PM
So glad you made it. We don't need a repeat of 2011 for Long Island Water Men/Women! See you soon.
Posted by: George P | January 17, 2012 at 07:59 PM
You guys could never sail the way you do so late in the season without such a good community of sailors watching each others back on the water. Sailors around San Fran bay are complaining about how cold it is and I keep telling them about the die hard Peconic crew on LI.
Posted by: Damel | January 18, 2012 at 03:54 PM
Damel, we are known to whine from time to time. But if air temps are in the 40's (or high 30s in sun) and we haven't sailed recently...we gotta go!
Get out there (with friends and well maintained gear)!
Posted by: Michael | January 18, 2012 at 04:23 PM
LONG LIVE THE WOLF!
Posted by: jeremy | January 19, 2012 at 02:40 PM