When the dive yacht Black Pearl 1 sustained a serious casualty off the coast of Palau last weekend, the crew and the owner were unusually lucky: the cutter USCGC Oliver Henry was located nearby. Coastguardsmen dewatered the charter vessel, helped with damage control, and towed it for 28 hours to a safe harbor.
On July 20, the Coast Guard's Guam station received a satellite distress alert from the 154-foot yacht Black Pearl I. The alert contained no information, but the station determined the yacht's location by AIS and diverted the cutter Oliver Henry to the scene. The freighter SLNC York was about 135 nautical miles away, and also agreed to divert from its voyage in order to assist the yacht.
The York arrived on scene in the early hours of July 21 and made the first contact with the yacht's crew. The Black Pearl reported that all crewmembers were safe, and that they were attempting to repair their steering gear, which had locked the rudder over at 10 degrees.
Oliver Henry arrived about six hours later and the crew assessed the situation. Black Pearl was now taking on water, so a boarding party of coastguardsmen transferred over to help with dewatering and damage control. The yacht's stern platform was awash in the swells, complicating the boarding, but the crew passed a tow line successfully and got under way for Palau - 200 nautical miles away.
Images courtesy USCG
"Getting on the Black Pearl was a bit nerve-wracking but thrilling, especially as we maneuvered through swells that threatened to sweep us into the ocean. The boat was not in the best position as the swells were hitting it from the starboard side, so every swell water would come up and over the stern platform and be about two feet deep. The successful connection of the tow felt like a huge relief," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryder Nollan, bosun's mate aboard USCGC Oliver Henry.
Despite strong winds and six-foot swells, Oliver Henry completed the tow and arrived safely off Palau at 1100 hours on July 22. The crew passed the tow off to a commercial tug, and the yacht was safely moored by early afternoon.
Black Pearl I is a 2019-built yacht with accommodations for up to 20 people, and was designed with dive expeditions in mind. The vessel operates regularly in the South Pacific on luxurious diving charter expeditions. The estimated daily charter rate is $10,500.
The U.S. Coast Guard never charges for search and rescue operations, regardless of capacity to pay. The policy ensures that all mariners feel free to call for lifesaving help, without the deterrent of an extra cost.
