As Fate, and Sharks, Would Have It …

In the freshly delivered May issue of Latitude 38, we share Larry Hall’s story of being rescued off the coast while in transit from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay. In the article, we incorrectly attributed the main photo to Larry Hall. The photo, pictured below, was in fact taken by Mel Ellison who kindly allowed us to use it in this story. We extend our sincere apologies to Mel for the incorrect attribution.

In the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, where the horizon stretches endlessly and the sea teems with life, Larry Hall — the author of this story — alongside his stalwart crew, Jamie Odell and Keith Sjöholm, set sail aboard the Beneteau Oceanis 461 SV Francesca with the Barbary Coast Boat Club. Their destination: Half Moon Bay from the bustling shores of San Francisco Bay. Little did they anticipate the peril awaiting them beneath the surface. As the sun bid its farewell to San Francisco Bay, Francesca sliced through the waves with elegant precision, its crew filled with anticipation for the journey ahead. But fate had other plans. About five miles off Pillar Point, they encountered an adversary unlike any they had faced before: a great white shark.

The collision reverberated through the vessel, shocking the crew into a frenzy of panic. As the initial shock subsided, they were met with a chilling realization — the ocean was breaching their sanctuary. Water, the lifeblood of the sea, was now an ominous threat, seeping into Francesca at an alarming rate.

In a desperate bid to save their beloved vessel from succumbing to the abyss, Larry, Jamie, and Keith sprang into action. With the floorboards afloat and the pumps straining against the deluge, manual intervention became their only hope. Keith’s steady hands gripped the helm, guiding Francesca through the tumultuous waters, while Larry and Jamie waged a battle against the rising tide, their efforts fueled by sheer determination and the primal instinct to survive.

Larry instructed Keith to send out a Pan Pan call for distress, not actually believing this would be a Mayday, though it was. Keith gave the information: the name of the vessel with three adults wearing life jackets, our exact location, and our emergency — we were taking on water. SV Wanderlust and SV Akimbo radioed back that they would be nearby if we needed immediate assistance. Every passing moment felt like an eternity as the crew fought against the relentless onslaught of water. With each bucket cast overboard, they pushed back against the encroaching flood, their hearts pounding in unison with the rhythmic lapping of the waves against their vessel.

Amid the chaos, a glimmer of hope emerged — a crackling voice over the radio, promising aid from the Pillar Point Harbor Patrol within 20 minutes. The Coast Guard, ever vigilant, dispatched a chopper to stand by. But time was not on their side as Francesca battled against the rising water. As the minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity, the distant hum of approaching rescue vessels pierced the cacophony of chaos. The Pillar Point Harbor Patrol, their saviors on the horizon, raced to reach Francesca’s side.

Read the full story in the May issue’s Sightings.