Actually I was trying to dig through the archives to see if I could find any
more pertinent information. PacSeaNet keeps the last two years so I should
be able to find something from the area at the time in question. I actually
have tracks of some of the boats but I have not been able to get at the more
than a year old stuff yet. I have some close area data for the date that
says it was overcast. But nothing actually at or real close to Minerva. I
have nothing that refines the time of the actual incident. Given the small
number of boats in VHF range it could have occurred any time during the day
or even the day before. I am still trying to determine whether he
whacked the reef going out or lost his anchor. At the time it appeared it
was a moving thing...but the report in Latitude 38 contradicts that.

Note that I don't mind it being overcast and visually difficult. That
merely supports my positon that he should have run out on GPS waypoints.

However I think it best in these things that we get as close to what
actually occurred as possible.

Jim


"Jofra" wrote in message
...
I'm surprised not to hear from you Jim.

Do you consider overcast conditions, late in the day and amongst dangerous
reefs "to be almost perfect conditions"?



jofra


Hello Jim

Steve made a valid point and there is another one. You (Jim) stated and I
quote:-
"Word at the time however was that they were operating visually in almost
perfect conditions"

This does not quite tie up with the only written evidence we have at the
moment:"-

" The weather was relatively benign, with overcast and 10-15 knots of
breeze. The wind was very shifty, however, due to the effects of a
stationary front. Three boats remained at North Minerva, which is about
20 miles up from South Minerva.
"At about 2000 local time, we heard Pneuma's Mayday. We had been tuning
up Russell Radio for the evening roll call, but just happened to pause
long enough on the Puddle Jump frequency to hear Guy calling for help. We
were not the first to hear the Mayday, as it was heard over VHF on
another boat."

Presumably the problem occurred close to the time of the mayday being
heard which was 2000hrs local time or 1900hr NZDT. I haven't checked the
time of twilight on 21 November but I would at least expect darkness to
be galloping towards the horizon at the very least. Certainly not "almost
perfect conditions" that you stated.
Further the we know the weather was overcast with 10 - 15 knots of
breeze. No-one with reef experience would state that overcast conditions
were "almost perfect conditions".

Cheers

Jofra