Casualty at Sea!

When I was a kid I wanted to be a pilot – my dad was a pilot and some of my early memories are in small planes. Dad taught me how to sail, but not to fly. I knew I was not cut out for the armed services (2 brothers and several nephews have and continue to serve) – but I am not good with discipline so no one trained me. It shows.

I was having fun with my new drone, which now lies 35 feet below us in the murky bottom of Taioha’e Bay on Nuku Hiva.

I have only tried it a few times over the last 8 or 9 weeks. Greg was good enough to go out with me in Toronto (just before a snow storm) for basic training. You might remember a earlier post where I was testing it on the beach in Puerta Vallarta and minor crash into the sand – no damage.

I did pull it out in a couple of anchorages an managed to take off from the boat and land back successfully. I have some video footage I might try and post when I am back in the land of unlimited wifi.

I decided to do so again today – really prepping for our next port of call in Fakarava – one of the coral reef archipelago. We are at anchor and I thought even though some winds, ocean swells and the boat moving about I would be fine.

I managed one takeoff and flew around Turtlebones getting some nice footage and came back and landed on the foredeck. I hit one of the sheets for the jib about a foot off the deck but no damage. Undeterred, I decided to try some of the quickshots which are where a preprogrammed flightpath sends the drone in one direction and then brings it back, automatically keeping the camera pointed at “focus point”.

I pulled off a “dronie” by sending the drone alongside the boat, locking on me on the boat and then taking off at a 45% angle up and away, then back. – yeah! I got cocky and tried a “rocket” where the drone takes off straight up and then comes straight down, still focused on a subject. Tactical error!

Needless to say the drone went up, the boat swung towards the drone and was closer and closer to the mast. Bottom line is I tried to move it away and down, hit a shroud holding up the mast and she crashed to the deck about 6 inches from the side (other side of the dagger board) and plop – into the ocean.

Bill heard the sound form below and said to Sharon, “there does another drone” and came on deck. I grabbed my wallet out of my pocket and handed him the wallet and drone controller and jumped over the lifelines into the drink. I tried to look but it had already sunk. Bill through me googles and fins but no luck – visibility was maybe 6 feet.

RIP!

Sensei Greg, I will need your advice on next steps when I arrive back in Canada.