An outing like any other on a known spot
Francis Moreau is a teacher in Carry-le-Rouet. He has always sailed on the different spots of the Côte Bleue, west of Marseille. He practices many nautical activities and he is also an experienced mountaineer. He is therefore in very good physical condition.
On this Saturday, April 26, 2021, the conditions are good and rather moderate for boarding, with a small force 5." I went out with a 4.7 sail and sailed for a good hour, in a rather irregular NW flow. Then at the end of the afternoon, the wind dropped as I was sailing offshore. With no more pressure in the sail, I could not make a water-start and set off again. "
Impossible to return to the beach
Francis found himself stuck offshore, drifting on his board. The current and a light wind carried him towards the South East.
" At the end of April, the water was quite cold, I started to get a cramp. So I sat down on the board and started waving to try to get some attention. Several Wingfoils were on the water, but they were not sailing on the same axis as me. After my sail, I had to visit my dad, so I knew my family wouldn't worry until the end of the day. "
The hours passed, it was still light, but Francis started to suffer from the cold. He is equipped with a neoprene wetsuit adapted to the season (5/3), booties, a swimming cap and a neoprene hood on top.
" Three boats (two sailboats and a cabin cruiser) passed by me between the coast and my position. But I did not manage to attract their attention. "
Night falls and the emergency services are activated
Shortly after 7 pm, Francis' family alerted the Cross to announce that he had not returned. His car was still on the beach parking lot, without his navigation equipment. Night fell on a body of water that had completely emptied. The emergency services were called in and began to search the area. Several nautical and aerial means are solicited:
- The all-weather boat SNS 073 of the station of the National Society of Sea Rescuers (SNSM) of Carro
- The Dragon 131 helicopter of the Civil Security
- The Panther helicopter of the French Navy
- The "Mona" launch of the Sauvetage en mer de la côte bleue (SMCB)
- The SNS 152 boat of the SNSM station of Marseille (armed by the marine firemen of Marseille)
- The light fire and rescue boat "Frioul" of the Marseille Marine Fire Brigade
- Patrol and semi-rigid of the SDIS 13 firemen on the coast
Due to the lack of information, the CROSS misjudged the drift and the search was not focused on the right area. Powerless, without any means of identification, Francis observed the search from afar, without being able to show his face. Impossible for the pilots to distinguish him at night, among the light chop. The full moon and the absence of clouds were not enough to spot him.
A long night that could have ended badly
Between 2 and 3 a.m., the Cross put an end to the search, the objective being to rest the teams in order to better resume them at daybreak. " I went from "cold" to "very cold "Francis joked. After several capsizings, alone in the middle of the sea with no means of searching around him, the situation was not the best. He decided to drop his rig and paddle his board, as a surfer would. The non-skid material scratched his hands, and he paddled alternating one arm at a time.
" I decided to aim for Planier Island, 3-4 miles away. I kept my spirits up, as I knew the weather would be good at daybreak and that many fishermen would be out in the early morning. I would encourage myself by telling myself that I just had to make it to 7am. And I also thought a lot about my family... "
Then the deliverance comes around 7:30 am. A small fishing boat spotted a floating object off the coast of Planier, but did not realize the presence of a human being at its side until the last moment! Francis was saved. He was repatriated to the port of Carry-le-Rouet to be taken care of by the emergency services, who took him to hospital. Except for dehydration and hypothermia, he was fine.
Lessons to be learned
Francis has had a lot of luck and is quick to acknowledge the various mistakes that led to this mishap.
First of all, and no matter what the activity is, you should always inform a person on land of the start and end time of the navigation. Francis' family became concerned around 7:00 p.m., when curfew was in effect. If the alert had been given earlier, the search would have taken place in daylight and he might not have spent the night at sea.
Francis had no active means of signalling his presence to the emergency services. It is imperative to carry a means of signalling at night and during the day. The cyalum baton, because of its low cost and its resistance to shocks, is a must. The polycarbonate signaling mirror is also a very effective accessory for daytime visibility. For less than five euros, you can equip yourself with these two products.
In addition, the waterproof and shockproof DIAL alert and location watch is highly appreciated by the SNSM.
Finally, going out in a group is always better, but does not prevent incidents. A similar event happened to a windsurfer off the coast of Gruissan, while he was out with three other surfers.
It is not easy to carry safety equipment on a windsurfer. Most harnesses have no pockets and you can't attach waterproof bags to the float or rig.
And Francis adds, " This is a problem that has happened very often, sometimes even to great champions. But that doesn't excuse this kind of stupidity. I met the crew of the SNSM of Carro, as well as the helicopter pilots, to debrief on the accident. I was very lucky. The same problem, but with an injury or a loss of equipment and the conclusion would not have been the same. Now I would like to be able to participate in the evolution of mentalities, both in terms of equipment and habits to adopt. "
Has Francis re-sailed since his mishap? " Yes, but in a liveaboard. I haven't had the opportunity to go windsurfing yet, but I'll go back as soon as the conditions are right. But with my safety gear!"
