JUNEAU, AK — According to sources within the US Coast Guard, the crew of the cutter Anacapa retrieved a sailor from aboard his disabled sloop in heavy seas and windy conditions 50 miles southwest of Yakutat, AK, Sunday night. The incident began Thursday when George Shaver, sailing aboard the 28-foot La Paloma, became concerned with the weather and requested that the Coast Guard maintain a radio communication schedule with him while he sailed alone in stormy seas in the eastern Gulf of Alaska.
As requested, the Coast Guard kept a radio schedule with Shaver, but launched a Jayhawk helicopter crew from Kodiak when he failed to respond to a scheduled call. Before the Jayhawk arrived off Yakutat to begin searching for the La Paloma, Shaver called the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Valdez radio operator to report that he had fallen asleep and missed the scheduled call. He said he was in no danger. But later that night, Shaver contacted the Yakutat Marine Operator reporting that his vessel's propulsion failed and the rig became fouled. He also said the boat was drifting about 50 miles off the Yakutat coast. Mariners aboard the motor vessel Sea Hawk responded to the Coast Guard's Marine Assistance Radio Broadcast (MARB) and diverted to assist Shaver.
The Sea Hawk crew offered to take Shaver from the foundering vessel, but he refused their assistance. At that point, Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak launched a C-130 aircraft crew to locate the La Paloma and remain on scene until the Anacapa arrived, steaming at 22 knots from nearly 300 miles away.
As weather conditions deteriorated to 40-knot winds and 12-foot seas over the next 12 hours, the Coast Guard sent two other C-130s to monitor the disabled vessel. Coast Guard officials meanwhile learned that Shaver had no electronic position indicating radio beacon or life raft on his boat. They repeatedly advised him to leave the La Paloma when the Anacapa arrived.
At 6:14 pm Sunday evening, the 110-foot Anacapa arrived at the La Paloma's position and, after several attempts, persuaded Shaver to leave his sailboat and board the cutter. The Anacapa towed the vessel until its mast snapped several hours later and began destroying the remainder of the boat. La Paloma was taking on water and the Anacapa crew released the towline. Anacapa rescuers examined Shaver aboard the ship and reported that he was suffering from dehydration and exhaustion due to his ordeal. As of late Tuesday, the Anacapa was en route to Juneau where Shaver was to disembark.