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Mind-Blowing 25FT Rogue Wave Capsizes Coast Guard Ship: PICS

madmariner.com — A breathtaking set of photos capture a Coast Guard cutter going on for training with a group of cadets. Expecting (ONLY) 12 to15 foot waves, they got hit with a monster 25 footer. Check out the boat just vanishing in the wave

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  • allaboutdatiki, on 12/20/2007, -11/+32God bless those sailors ... and that boat.
    • forgiste, on 12/20/2007, -10/+11God's busy with the war at the moment. I'll make sure he gets your message.
      • Dokument, on 12/20/2007, -4/+4"you've got prayers"
      • heymike, on 12/20/2007, -2/+9With the war? Who is watching the big game then?; Who will be helping our athletes succeed?
        • brjndr, on 12/20/2007, -1/+1God didn't watch the Big Game, and that's why Stafurd won.
    • shark615, on 12/20/2007, -11/+10They do not need a fictional beings blessing they need training, equipment and skill. None of those come from prayers or blessings.
      • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -2/+4They're all things they already have so, if your religious, as some of them are, I doubt they'd mind a prayer or two.
    • WhoDoneIt, on 12/20/2007, -7/+5Could it be possible that your "god" created that rogue wave in the first place? Common sense please.
    • mediaploy, on 12/20/2007, -2/+6god bless the engineers of that boat.
    • rspeed, on 12/20/2007, -2/+13Truly they were touched by his noodely appendage that day.
  • mrbubbleboy, on 12/20/2007, -0/+30One of the most awesome pics I have seen. glad everyone was okay. I am amazed.
  • TedViper, on 12/20/2007, -4/+29Wow. Just, wow. The Marines will hate me for this, but I think the Coast Guard are easily the most badass of the military branches. They were the first ones into Katrina, for example, and their credo specifies that they must go out to save lives, not that they must return.
    • theOster, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1"even bigger than the 15–foot waves that prompted small craft advisories in the area throughout the day"

      i guess cali folk have some serious balls - in florida (granted west coast) 5 foot waves will spark small craft advisories...
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3I will to the best of my ability, pursue each
      mission with the commitment, compassion,
      and courage inherent in the title
      "SURFMAN".
      I will endeavor to reinforce the worldwide
      reputation of our forefathers in the
      Lifeboat Community.
      I will maintain a guardian's eye on my crew
      at all times, and keep a cool, yet
      deliberate, hand on the throttle.
      I will give of myself and my knowledge as
      those who gave to me; so as the line
      of Coast Guard Surfman will live forever
      I will ensure that my supervisors rest easy
      with the knowledge that I am at the
      helm, no matter what the conditions.
      I will never unnecessarily jeopardize myself,
      my boat, or my crew; but will do so freely
      to rescue those in peril.
      I will strive with dedication and determination
      to bring credit upon Coast Guard Surfmen
      past and future.

    • MerryMortician, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4Apples and Oranges Ted. Semper Fi!
    • DrStrabismus, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1Wow! Wow! All I can say is WOW!!
  • whorelock, on 12/20/2007, -0/+11That was one hell of a roll... I couldn't imagine going through that....
    • zaibatsu, on 12/20/2007, -4/+1I think I saw that movie, it didn't end well.,but these guys kicked ass and took names...
  • madmariner, on 12/20/2007, -2/+20The surf on Morro Bay is insane on a good day. I used to go there as a kid and routinely ride through 10-foot rollers. So when I saw this, I knew we had to get it up on our site. Thanks, everyone, for reading.
  • lakush, on 12/20/2007, -6/+8Mind-blowing 25 diggs capsizes server. PICS!
  • madmariner, on 12/20/2007, -1/+4Scheduled maintenance. Happens this time every night. :)
  • OldMermaid, on 12/20/2007, -15/+0Story says this boat was built to roll. Isn't that like a plane being built to crash? Guess they were lucky it was, though. This was a horrible accident.
    • foofoobee, on 12/20/2007, -0/+7The rolling is what keeps the boat from sinking - so no, it's not like that.
    • Coffeedemon, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3Not built to roll ... built to not drown you if it does.
    • Sp0rAdiC, on 12/20/2007, -0/+5I'd say more like a plane being built to bounce off the ground and resume flying.
    • shark615, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3No accident. Training. They do this all the time. Really not a big deal for these guys as they and the boat did exactly what they are supposed to do. Head on a ride it out, roll, drain next wave.
    • TheKrillr, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2It's more like a plane built to glide, which most are today. Take the 747 for example, it was fly on a single engine (despite having 5) and is designed to in the event of total system failure glide "safely" back to earth. It may not be the most comfortable landing, but its safe. It's the same concept here... if the boat gets pummeled, it will roll instead of being demolished... you're upside down and quite uncomfortable for a moment... but after a few moments you're back up, and still very much alive.
  • vault, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4I give credit to the crew and the technology onboard- happy to hear they're all ok. That's a pretty insane situation to be in.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -1/+2That's a pretty normal thing for these guys to go though, if I'm not mistake these guys are likely of the Surfman rating
  • harrysmom, on 12/20/2007, -4/+1I'm shocked they're all still alive.
  • dienaked, on 12/20/2007, -1/+50Boat rolls in heavy seas. Boat rights itself.
    Government contractor very relieved that their boats actually meet the specifications required by the Coast-Guarrd.
  • flanderz, on 12/20/2007, -7/+0How do people come up with pictures like this? I guess someone was onshore shooting pictures of the training? Too bad there was no video.
    • foofoobee, on 12/20/2007, -0/+7Did you even RTFA? It clearly talks about the photographer and what he was doing there.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1There's plenty of video, I wish I had a copy of the Surfman DVD they made for the recruiting folks, that has some badass footage.
      • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I can't find the good stuff but for those interested here is the video page of the National Motor Lifeboat School, they actually have the photos from this article as well, I believe. www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/nmlbs/video.html
  • madmariner, on 12/20/2007, -0/+19The Coast Guard actually had a photographer on hand to shoot pictures of the boat in the surf -- and he did his job well! Talk about the right place at the right time...
  • jgoldfein, on 12/20/2007, -1/+1How in the world do you keep control of yourself, let alone the boat in a situation like that?
    • Coven, on 12/20/2007, -1/+9See that dark liquid in the whitewater? That is the crew simultaneously ***** themselves.
    • TheKrillr, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1Training and good screening of coast guard applicants. They specifically look for people who are capable of handling these types of situations coolly and calmly, as well as provide them with the skills and training they need to survive and feel competent in themselves and their teammates in time of danger.
    • centran, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2You don't control the boat. It flips and you wait for it to right itself(which it is designed to do)
  • TedViper, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1The Guard often has photographers at events. Their press corps could teach PR people everywhere a lesson or seven.
  • padrebuf, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3props to the crew members for holding on and riding it out.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1This is what these guys do on a regular basis. Depending on your mental state they have the most exciting job of all the Coasties.
  • daivos, on 12/20/2007, -6/+1It's not the size of the wave but the motion of the ocean. Likewise, diggers do it deeper.
  • 97thfloor, on 12/20/2007, -0/+8"Landed It"
  • Winoria, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2I took a sailing semester once and the crew had lots of stories about rogue waves and the coast guard. Lots of modern boats are designed to right themselves if they flip these days. Our 120ft ship supposedly could. Lucky for us, we never had to test it!
    • shark615, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2Due to their heavily weighted and deep keels _most_ sailboats should self right. Cheaply built and hybrid sail boats with their low draft won't but if you are buying these boats and are out in bad weather you deserve what you get. Unfortunately most people are to stupid and do not prepare themselves or the boat properly when in rough seas so when they do capsize the fill up and sink.
  • ratboy4001, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4This is awesome (in a sympathetic tone). After looking at such a situation, it amazes me that surfers in places like Mavericks(California), Hawaii, and Tahiti surf waves larger than this.
  • sjbdallas, on 12/20/2007, -1/+13I'm digging it because of the great pictures, but that was not a rogue wave, it was just big regular waves.
  • PerfektXj, on 12/20/2007, -1/+4sites lagging, heres a mirror for those who need it http://bestpicsaround.com/pic-600-Coast-Guard-Caps ...
    • Surfinpas, on 12/23/2007, -0/+0If you uploaded these pics, would you please remove them? They are legitimately displayed several places on the web...the Mad Mariner site, and the original gallery for a couple.
      http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/cg2007
      I've contacted the site and told them they are copyrighted pix and not displayed with any credits or permission, but no reply from them.
      Thanks.
  • RooDoG, on 12/20/2007, -1/+24DO A BARREL ROLL!!!!!!
  • jeremyduffy, on 12/20/2007, -0/+8I've seen the inside of those boats before. The steering wheel is like a gyroscope that stays upright no matter which way the rest of the boat is tipped. Very cool.
    • guerj, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3really? I'll love to see that. Could you post a link or something?
      • jeremyduffy, on 12/21/2007, -0/+1I wish I could, but I was just ten when I saw this thing at a Coast Guard station in Oregon. A friend who's in the Coast Guard says that it's not a wide-spread use thing and that it was probably an experimental version of a "motor surf boat".
  • Kuonji, on 12/20/2007, -0/+5That boat was made for rollin' and that's just what it did.
  • ColorBlind, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1Yikes...maybe it was just an exercise.
  • DonSlice, on 12/20/2007, -3/+2Do a barrel roll!
  • Coffeedemon, on 12/20/2007, -0/+18The sea was angry that day, my friends. Like an old man trying to return soup in a deli.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4The sea's only angry because the Coast Guard is un-pwn-able.
  • surf314, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3Am I the only music geek that thought "what the hell is Rogue Wave doing on a boat?"
  • Shady77, on 12/20/2007, -2/+1Apparently Britney went skinny dipping again.
  • britblogger, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4good god!

    self-righting boats FTW!
  • finista, on 12/20/2007, -0/+9This is not a rogue wave. Rogue wave happens unexpectedly in the middle of the ocean.
  • designerutah, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2"Alright Bob. You win. It did survive a full roll. Here's the $20. I'm off to change my shorts"
  • tbranch227, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2Bottom-line: the coast guard trains here with every class of recruits that comes through. It might just be in that area or something but seriously. Awesome work. Coast Guard is not getting enough respect for the things that they do.
  • petefriedman, on 12/20/2007, -2/+0LOOK MOM!!! NO HANDS!!!
  • FrostyTheDMan, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3Does anyone else find it kinda funny that the photog that took these pictures has the last name Robertshaw?
    "I'm not talkin' 'bout pleasure boatin' or day sailin'. I'm talkin' 'bout workin' for a livin'. I'm talkin' 'bout sharkin'!".
    "Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again"
    ~Frosty~
  • SeattleHeretic, on 12/20/2007, -0/+11That's not a cutter, it is an MLB (Motor Life Boat). Cutters are 65 feet in length or longer, have names and living quarters. MLBs do not have quarters for their crews (although they do have places to sleep, and a small place to warm up food - they are not meant to be living quarters). Interestingly, some MLBs (the 52 footers, I think there are only six of them) are the only CG boats (cutters are considered "ships" v. boats) to have names (that I know of- it's been 20+ years).
    SH,
    served as engineering tech on the original 44ft. MLB (44300) and the 52 ft. MLB the "Victory".
    http://www.hookwhatsnew.com/images/Victory.JPG
    And no, I was never on an MLB when it rolled - few people have. It isn't very good for the boat causing thousands of dollars of damage typically - although most of the time the boat and crew survive.
    • shark615, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I think the new ones like this are designed to roll with minimal, if any, damage to the boat.
      • SeattleHeretic, on 12/21/2007, -0/+1Maybe. I have seen pics of the new boats but not seen one in person - yet. But whether designed that way or not, that water weighs a lot and is moving fast - it isn't hard to damage a boat with that much water, and boats and equipment are a lot more expensive now than 20 years ago when a miscalculation I witnessed caused the 44300 to lose its RADAR dome, break both the HF antennas (or was it the VHF - I forget) and cave in the brand new front turtle (it had been replaced after a freighter ran over the boat - I have pics of that). The RADAR dome alone was $5K, nowadays it would probably cost much more than that. It is the external stuff that gets ripped off the boat when one of these waves hits it.

        The main advantage (IMO anyway) of the new MLBs is that they are much faster - which is good for rescues and much easier on the crew (says the veteran of many *long* missions because the original 44 ft. MLBs were *sloooow*).
  • Kintara, on 12/20/2007, -1/+2Direct link to the photographer's site.

    http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/cg2007
  • HouseofEl, on 12/20/2007, -0/+5While great photos, that's not a cutter and that's not a rogue wave.
    • nofreee, on 12/20/2007, -0/+0Correct. That would be a cleanup set.
  • theghoul, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1Thats insane!

    Mankind 1, Nature 0
    • Nickatnite101, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1is global warming a point for nature or mankind? just out of curiosity, i know it has nothing to do with the article.
  • entrophize, on 12/20/2007, -3/+0DO A BARREL ROLL!
  • frostbyt, on 12/20/2007, -2/+1Back Stab Crit 458439872389!
  • zaldoe, on 12/20/2007, -2/+1lvl 70 uber l33t
  • bossm4n, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I'm guessing those photos won't make the next Coast Guard recruiting poster.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1You'd be surprised...
    • navitatl, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I'm leaving to CG boot camp on 1.28, and those photos scared the crap out of me. Still, it would be awesome to show someone those pics and say "Yeah, I was on that ship"
      • noahhoward, on 12/21/2007, -0/+1You won't necessarily ever see any of that action, all depends on what you go into. Good luck to you though, you picked a hell of a good group to join.
  • Barbrady, on 12/20/2007, -0/+4Since when are 25ft waves considered "mind-blowing" monster waves? Hell, 2 weeks ago we had reports of 40 - 50 ft waves off the coast of Oregon during our latest big storm.
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1Then there's Cape Dissapointment...
  • andyduncan, on 12/20/2007, -0/+3Cool pic, but they had to have been expecting bigger waves than 10-15 footers, the surf was huge that day (and the next), and every surfer/boater/waterman in california knew about it and knew it was coming for a week.
  • tooloney, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1pwned
    • noahhoward, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I know, that boat completely showed that Wave.
  • likwidfuzion, on 12/20/2007, -0/+2That wave can really swallow seamen.
  • texanatthedoor, on 12/20/2007, -1/+1One can see the Pasta clearly in the fourth pic. Testing his flock or showing his anger? I guess we will never know.....
  • colonelDebugger, on 12/20/2007, -0/+0Whoa, my mind. It is blown.
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