We went out last night for a sunset cruise on Lake Superior. As it turned
out, we listened (by way of VHF) to a MAYDAY situation. We were about 7
or 8 miles from the entrance to the Duluth, MN, harbor when we heard a
Mayday call on the radio. The Edward R. Ryerson, a 730 foot steamship,
had departed from Duluth about an hour earlier with a load of taconite
(i.e., iron ore) downbound to the lower lakes. The captain issued a
mayday because a crew member onboard was having a heart attack. The first
mate did the best he could to stabilize the situation with a nitro
capsule and had a defibillator at hand.
The captain informed the USCG that he was turning around and heading back
to port which by then was a distance of 17 miles. We could see him on the
horizon and had watched him earlier. He requested medical assistance.
The Coast Guard went through their rather lengthy list of questions on
channel 22 and then finally asked for the coordinates of the ship which
the captain issued. They then informed the ship that they had a boat on
the way - - a 47 foot motor life boat. I suppose that 15 minutes passed
from the initial call for help until the CG said they had help on the
way. Meanwhile, the coasties on their boat requested the Ryerson switch
to channel 23 and asked instructions for approach and boarding. We
listened raptly. (The plan was to open an engine room hatch in the stern
quarter of the ship which was essentially at water level. Seas that far
out were rising due to a brisk off-shore wind, so it would be tricky.
Anyway, from the time of the initial call, a half hour had passed and the
coasties arrived on the scene. My question is, how fast do those 47 foot
boats go? They must have had a crew scrambling upon the initial mayday
because from the time they actually said that help was on the way it was
only 15 minutes until they reached the ship. That is 17 miles and they
surely were not going 65 mph. Probably more likely 30 knots, but by the
time they got near, it would have been rough water for a boat that size.
Anyway, from subsequent conversations, the captain seemed to think his
crew member had stabilized from the nitro capsule. They safely
transferred the stricken man to the 47 foot coast guard vessel, and I
assume the coasties in turn high tailed it back into port to an awaiting
ambulance. By then, it was dark and we were back to the dock and done for
the night. It made for interesting listening to an otherwise beautiful
sunset cruise.
David Sorenson
Duluth, MN
We went out last night for a sunset cruise on Lake Superior. As it turned
out, we listened (by way of VHF) to a MAYDAY situation. We were about 7
or 8 miles from the entrance to the Duluth, MN, harbor when we heard a
Mayday call on the radio. The Edward R. Ryerson, a 730 foot steamship,
had departed from Duluth about an hour earlier with a load of taconite
(i.e., iron ore) downbound to the lower lakes. The captain issued a
mayday because a crew member onboard was having a heart attack. The first
mate did the best he could to stabilize the situation with a nitro
capsule and had a defibillator at hand.
The captain informed the USCG that he was turning around and heading back
to port which by then was a distance of 17 miles. We could see him on the
horizon and had watched him earlier. He requested medical assistance.
The Coast Guard went through their rather lengthy list of questions on
channel 22 and then finally asked for the coordinates of the ship which
the captain issued. They then informed the ship that they had a boat on
the way - - a 47 foot motor life boat. I suppose that 15 minutes passed
from the initial call for help until the CG said they had help on the
way. Meanwhile, the coasties on their boat requested the Ryerson switch
to channel 23 and asked instructions for approach and boarding. We
listened raptly. (The plan was to open an engine room hatch in the stern
quarter of the ship which was essentially at water level. Seas that far
out were rising due to a brisk off-shore wind, so it would be tricky.
Anyway, from the time of the initial call, a half hour had passed and the
coasties arrived on the scene. My question is, how fast do those 47 foot
boats go? They must have had a crew scrambling upon the initial mayday
because from the time they actually said that help was on the way it was
only 15 minutes until they reached the ship. That is 17 miles and they
surely were not going 65 mph. Probably more likely 30 knots, but by the
time they got near, it would have been rough water for a boat that size.
Anyway, from subsequent conversations, the captain seemed to think his
crew member had stabilized from the nitro capsule. They safely
transferred the stricken man to the 47 foot coast guard vessel, and I
assume the coasties in turn high tailed it back into port to an awaiting
ambulance. By then, it was dark and we were back to the dock and done for
the night. It made for interesting listening to an otherwise beautiful
sunset cruise.
David Sorenson
Duluth, MN
