Racing The Storm

The sailors thought they could make it home before the storm hit. But it arrived early, unleashing hurricane-force winds.

- Matthew Teague

ON THIS APRIL MORNING, SAILBOATS TRACED GENTLE circles on Alabama’s Mobile Bay, preparing for the Dauphin Island Regatta. On board the Kyla, a lightweight 16-foot catamaran, Ron Gaston and Hana Blalack made an unusual crew. He was tall and lanky, 50 years old, with decades of sailing experience. She was 15, tiny, pale, and redheaded, and had never stepped on a sailboat. But Hana trusted Ron, who was like a father to her. And Ron’s daughter, Sarah, was like a sister.

One day each spring, sailors gather in central Mobile Bay and sprint about 33 kilometers south to Dauphin Island. On this morning of April 25, 2015, there were other boats like Ron’s, Hobie Cats that could be pulled by hand onto a beach. There were also sleek, purpose-built race boats with oversized masts and great oceangoing vessels with plush cabins. All told, 125 boats with 475 sailors and guests had signed up for the regatta.

At 7:44 a.m., as sailors began to gather on the bay for a 9:30 start, the website of the Fairhope Yacht Club, which was hosting the regatta that year, posted a message about the race: “Canceled due to inclement weather.”

But at 8:10 a.m., the yacht club insisted the regatta was on. Gary Garner, then commodore of the yacht club, said the cancellation was an error, the result of a garbled message. The confusion delayed the start by an hour.

A false start cost another half-hour, and the boats were still circling at 10:45 a.m. when the National Weather Service (NWS) in Mobile issued a dire prediction: “Thunderstorms will move in from the west this afternoon and across the marine area. Some of the thunderstorms may be strong or severe.”