GL: Michigan's Harbors of refuge

[bob Austin]

There have been several posts in lists on the loss of the 40 foot sailing
vessel "Barracuda" returning to Chicago from the Mackinac Race in the last
week.  Because of impending heavy weather and darkness they tried to enter
several "harbors of refuge" which have been described on this list in the
past.  The could not get into Arcadia, and then tried "Portage Lake" (NOAA
chart 14939).  They grounded and the boat was badly beaten on the sandbar in 6
to 8 foot seas.  They had taken the word of an "Inn Keeper" that there was
adequate water.  A Coast Guard vessel (RIB?)was not able to rescue the crew,
and volunteers from Portage Lake took at 26 foot "tug" at great risk, and
pulled the Barracuda to deeper water where she sank and the crew was rescued
by the Coast Guard vessel.  All of this transpired over a number of hours.

There have been reports of shoaling in many of these "harbors of refuge" (so
designated by Michigan DNR), susposedly maintained by the Corp of Engineers
and NOT adequately reported in the Local Notice to Mariners.  (Both according
to other's reports and my review of recant NTM.

My electronic charts(dated March 2006) show 9 feet as of June 2004 in Portage
Lake channel.  Local knowlege says there is considerably less.  There are also
multiple orange circles, which indicate NTM notices about many of these
channels--and I suspect that most chart plotters will not show the appropiate
depths also.

We  assume falsely that the crisis of shoaling is only on the I C W on the
East Coast.  Apparently this is not true.  Remember that even in a 6 foot
depth channel, when the seas are 6 to 8 feet (as they were when Barracuda was
lost)--that a 3 foot draft vessel is at serious risk of grounding.  One report
is that Barracuda had 7'9" draft.  That seems a bit more than usual for that
size vessel on the Great Lakes--and I suspect it may be less.

Be cautious, and be aware that many of the Harbors of Refuge may not always be
a refuge--too bad we cannot get adequate dredging and safety precautions.

Bob Austin