It doesn't matter if you're slow,
as long as you don't stop
as long as you don't stop
The Unexpected
Wednesday, November 27, 2013,
It's raining again.If I didn't counted wrongly, it has been raining for at least a week, almost everyday, either it's drizzling or cats-and-dogs. Anyway, my heart has finally lighten after 3 days of search for the SIM guy, his body was found near Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
That day, as usual we were having light wind training but not too long we saw dark clouds approaching us from NSC direction towards Constantwind. It has been days and weeks since I last hiked out hard. I was so happy and excited while waiting for the wind and gust to hit us. Manyi was teaching us how to go upwind but soon the Cat 1 warning siren sounded. Waiheng, Shuxian and I then 'reach' our way back to CW, while Janice was trying her best not to capsize in this strong wind with Manyi following her closely.
Soon the three of us were damn close to MOE ramp, we saw Janice's boat capsized. O'well, everyone has to experience capsizing in strong wind at least once? Good thing was she met up with this kind of wind during training instead of racing which most of us had experienced.
You got to believe me, the current was one of the strongest I have seen in my 3 years of sailing. The wind was more than 20 knots but I cannot move upwind at all. My boat was stuck in irons and it was ridiculously moving astern at fast speed. My rudder was moving left and right on its own as the current pushes us along Constantwind's coastline. To me, it was not scary because there was no rain, visibility level was high enough for me to see Manyi on 39 from far. It's just that the current is making me angry because I cannot practice upwind and hiking out which I have waited for so long.
Anyway, after 10mins of reaching, Manyi asked Shuxian and I to go back onshore so that she don't have to worry for us, in case we capsized, so we did. Back on shore, we were scouting for Janice and Manyi. Janice was supposed to be somewhere near J29 but the current was pushing everyone so hard that she and the boat was near the breakwater on the left of Constantwind. Manyi was all along with her so I was not very worried for her and the boat.
However, Shuxian and I suddenly question each other on this white figure below the yellow beacon at the breakwater. We have no idea what was going on there but we sure its a boat. Soon after that Constantwind sent their rescue tiller powerboats out. From here, everything just seems to move so fast.
- Janice was sailing back to us.
- A yacht drove to Manyi
- Yorick and Waiheng did a powerboat-to-sailboat swap.
- Tiller Powerboats fetch a couple of windsurfers back
- 39 speeding back with one man and a board and sail
- Manyi and Waiheng went out with 39 again.
That was all! Everything just happened so fast that I had a hard time trying to catch something. At that point of time, my job is to make sure all SP sailors and boats are back safely. Not until Constantwind started to send more powerboats out. Usually you wouldn't see Kahsoon anywhere near the ramps but that day he was at the ramp, climbing onto a tiller PB and same, speeding out to the direction 39 headed.
My sixth sense was trying to tell me that something big has happened. As I was still trying to figure out what exactly happened, I walked towards Bellyview. Just happened, I saw Hongli clearing up the buffet line so I went to eat some watermelon. It was this moment! I saw a man crying at the main ramp with some other SIM windsurfers. Soon after that Manyi came back, she went to these students right away, trying to get more information. Zoom! She went out again with Waiheng and Yorick.
Now I know what was going on, one of the guy was missing, the board and paddle was found but not him. At that point of time, I was still having this very positive mindset that the guy must be waiting somewhere, waiting to be rescued. As time past, this mindset soon changed. SIM students were running up and down, left and right, trying their best to do something. Some were crying, some praying, some just stare into space. The atmosphere sucks to the max!
Shuxian, Janice and I can't do anything as we waited from 2pm to 3pm to 4pm and we decided to stack the boats ourselves. Stack them like we got a dick! After that we waited from 5pm to 6pm. Finally, we decided to shower. 7pm, 39 and the others were back. Sadly, they found nothing.
I was on shore the whole day so I don't know what exactly happened outside but Waiheng, Yorick and Manyi were all feeling damn shag when they came back and you can feel this "if we went out earlier/if only we find him" in them. Dinner was very quiet, everyone was deep in their own thoughts. I thought I wouldn't be affected, not until I was on my way home. As time past, there was this unknown stone stacking onto me.
I was worried for the guy, I was worried for Waiheng and Yorick, I was worried for Kahsoon and Constantwind, I was worried for the guy's windsurfing friends, I was worried for the guy's parents. Imagining his parents' reaction after knowing about the accident. Images were running wild in my head, it got worse when I saw Danial retweet-ed about his sailing in Perth. The images of sea will appear randomly, giving that goosebumps feeling.
These 3 days were hell to many SIM windsurfers. My mood was low as well, while Janice and I shared the same thoughts. Thank god that the guy was finally found. Eventhough it was not what we wanted but at least we found him. Life, so unexpected. That guy was alive and kicking, next moment he is gone. Hopefully, the pathologist, police and the media can update us about how things happened when he was known to be quite good at swimming.
Anyway, people, treasure what you have now and never regret with your decisions because you never know what will happen the next second. Love the ones around you and cherish them, say I love you before its too late!
Goh Chuan Kiet, rest in peace!