FL FL - Austin Stephanos & Perry Cohen, both 14, Jupiter, 24 July 2015 - #1

[amymarie]

RSABBM

When I read the motor cover was missing my first thought was engine trouble. That is scary to me because it's extremely dangerous not to have power to the boat if caught in a storm. The bow (or front) of the boat needs to be facing the waves even if it means heading into the storm. There is no way to do this if you lose power to the boat. jmo

This actually gives me hope. If they had engine trouble and saw the storm coming in, hopefully that means they put on their life vests. No life vests means there is not much hope of them ever being found.

 

[amymarie]

Also, I hope they are able to inspect the boat engine to see if there was indeed engine trouble.

And it's good the life vests are bright orange. Will be easier to spot them. I hope they are found soon!

I am guessing yeti coolers float? Since they are searching for it?

 

[Amster]

Wish they had stayed with the boat....

 

[Elainera]

I hope they find them. So long as they have their life jackets on, I do think they could survive for many days.

The problem the searchers will have is trying to spot them but the good news is they can last many days so long as life jackets are on.

I know most kids dont wear them when casually boating but when storms are coming I have faith in the boys putting on their life jackets.

Most experienced boaters like them will be smart enough to put on their life jackets when the waves started to get rough. I have faith they would have put on their life jackets.

Now we just have to find them.

bbm

Without drinking water? 3-4 days is already critical.

 

[Elainera]

Also, I hope they are able to inspect the boat engine to see if there was indeed engine trouble.

And it's good the life vests are bright orange. Will be easier to spot them. I hope they are found soon!

I am guessing yeti coolers float? Since they are searching for it?

Yes the cooler floats. Hoping they are holding on to it!

 

[EllieBee]

In Louisiana anyone under the age of 17 is required to wear a life jacket in a moving boat. Also the vessel is required to have a life vest for every person on board. I know most kids at that age left to their own devices wouldn't be wearing one as they all claim it's hot and restrictive. I would imagine Florida has similar laws but I don't know for sure. I'm surprised that the parents didn't know if there were life vests on their boat.

Having lived in both states, I can say that those laws are very loosely observed. I guess parents feel like if their kids are good swimmers, the lifevest is not necessary.

I taught my child to swim at 2 years of age for the simple reason that we spent so much time on open water. We always made her wear her vest, but not all of our friends made their children wear one.

I hope these boys are found safe.

 

[gogrannypop]

I really hope these two boys are found and have an amazing story to tell.

 

[Dockins]

https://instagram.com/p/5caJaTulGB/?taken-by=austinfishkiller
Austin's instagram. Looks like he loves fishing.
ETA Perry's too. But, his is locked down to private.
https://instagram.com/perry.cohen/

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Coast Guard offers hope of finding missing teens alive

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-missing-teen-boaters-timing-20150727-story.html

In their last communication, the teens sent a text message sent to Stepanos’ mother, Carly Black, at 11:25 a.m. Friday, with no indications of trouble.

But the pair may have run into rough weather. At 3:15 p.m. on Friday, a marine warning was issued, saying thunderstorms, heavy rains and winds in excess of 40 mph were possible.

“It was a significant squall,” said Capt. Bill Taylor, who was aboard his 42-foot charter boat Black Dog when he saw the storm coming from the west that afternoon. “These storms pop up in a matter of minutes, and you have to deal with them.”

Taylor said he rode out the 20-minute squall by starting his engines and pointing his vessel into the wind. But Stephanos and Cohen may not have been able to do likewise, as the cover of the lone engine was missing, possible evidence of a power loss.

“The cowling removed could indicate engine was disabled and they were working on that engine,” Fedor said.

BBM - This is what I was trying to say in an earlier post. It would be critical to have an engine running during a storm.

 

[tick_tock]

I can't remember a single case - literally a single one - where a preschool girl wandered away from home and was found having truthfully wandered away.

I'm reminded of this article from the past year, girl (4) who was admittedly very lucky regarding the outcome,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/27/girl-hops-bus-slushie_n_6959230.html

Reading the updates on these young men along with the rest. The talk of sharks is quite frightening, but sadly possible. I'm glad that their community is being brought together over this, they really do have a tremendous amount of support and that's great to see. The amount of the reward is very lucky, as well. Other families who might be in the same situation might not be able to offer even half as much, or know those who are so inclined to give. Prayers for these two.

 

[IndianSummer]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...florida-coast-navy-joins-se-article-1.2305525

"People can survive in the water.
It's relatively warm," Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor told the Sun Sentinel.
He said he thinks they could endure "four to five days in these conditions."
The boys' families shared that optimism.

 

[IndianSummer]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...st-guard-shifts-search-missing-boys/30731417/

A commercial fisherman heading for safety said the teens were the only ones going out to sea.
“I said to myself, ‘Those kids are crazy,’” Jim Dulin toldThe Palm Beach Post. “There’s no way they couldn’t see that storm. The storm was really black, the temperature dropped and you could tell it was going to be a really mean one.”

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...of-storms-hit-area-wherewhen-boys-took/nm7Fh/

As Jim Dulin struggled mightily to steer his 30-foot fishing boat away from an ugly storm and into the Jupiter Inlet early Friday afternoon, he was startled to see a small boat heading the opposite direction into the rough weather.
Among the dozens of vessels in the water, Dulin said the small boat carrying two young males was the only one not racing toward the safety of the inlet.

 

[Elainera]

View attachment 78917
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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...florida-coast-navy-joins-se-article-1.2305525

"People can survive in the water.
It's relatively warm," Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor told the Sun Sentinel.
He said he thinks they could endure "four to five days in these conditions."
The boys' families shared that optimism.

4-5 days without drinking water poses already a great threat to the kidneys. On top of that, it's likely they swallowed salt water by accident, making dehydration even more rapid. I don't want to dash hopes but I think it is crucial that they are found today (4th day) otherwise chances for their survival are very slim. moo


ETA: someone on the fb Help page said there might have been something to drink in that Yeti cooler. Hopefully!!

 

[Trino]

I keep hearing the kids were experienced. I think that needs to be defined. How experienced can 14 yr olds be? What does experienced mean re: weather, especially since the kids were heading into a storm. Did experience include ever being in a capsized boat before? 14 yr olds are not mini-adults; kids make mistakes. That's why there are special laws protecting youths.

 

[katydid23]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...st-guard-shifts-search-missing-boys/30731417/

A commercial fisherman heading for safety said the teens were the only ones going out to sea.
“I said to myself, ‘Those kids are crazy,’” Jim Dulin toldThe Palm Beach Post. “There’s no way they couldn’t see that storm. The storm was really black, the temperature dropped and you could tell it was going to be a really mean one.”

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...of-storms-hit-area-wherewhen-boys-took/nm7Fh/

As Jim Dulin struggled mightily to steer his 30-foot fishing boat away from an ugly storm and into the Jupiter Inlet early Friday afternoon, he was startled to see a small boat heading the opposite direction into the rough weather.
Among the dozens of vessels in the water, Dulin said the small boat carrying two young males was the only one not racing toward the safety of the inlet.

That is so heartbreaking. And that is why 14 yr olds are not mature enough to go out in the vast ocean on their own. An 18 yr old would see the black storm clouds and head back in. But two 14 yr olds---not likely. So sad.

 

[katydid23]

I keep hearing the kids were experienced. I think that needs to be defined. How experienced can 14 yr olds be? What does experienced mean re: weather, especially since the kids were heading into a storm. Did experience include ever being in a capsized boat before? 14 yr olds are not mini-adults; kids make mistakes. That's why there are special laws protecting youths.

I just posted a similar thought. IMO, 14 yr olds are not mature enough to make life saving decisions. They don't have that much common sense yet. They think they are invincible. So heartbreaking.

 

[Elainera]

I keep hearing the kids were experienced. I think that needs to be defined. How experienced can 14 yr olds be? What does experienced mean re: weather, especially since the kids were heading into a storm. Did experience include ever being in a capsized boat before? 14 yr olds are not mini-adults; kids make mistakes. That's why there are special laws protecting youths.

I think the parents hold on to that at the moment to keeps their hopes up. The only chance there is right now is that they were experienced enough to get through this. On day 3 or 4 they probably don't want to go to other scenarios just yet ...

 

[Elainera]

How is the current off that coast line - will everything be brought in to land eventually? Or pulled out further into the ocean?

 

[Hatfield]

How is the current off that coast line - will everything be brought in to land eventually? Or pulled out further into the ocean?

I had read that it depends if they made it far enough out into the Gulf Stream or not. If they made it out into the Gulf Stream then I believe the current would carry them North because the Gulf stream goes from Florida up towards Cape Hatteras.

If they did not make it quite far enough out into the Gulf Stream then I am really not sure what direction they would drift.

Searchers probably dropped test beacons to test the direction of drift so the searchers should have a good idea.

 

[Dockins]

On the fb public page, there was considerable posting yesterday from friends that the boys had sent a snapchat, presumably the last known one, stating "We're F*cked". my understanding from the family commenting on the page is that it couldn't be gps tracked. The boys last ping was off Jupiter on Friday-per another family member.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/804437522987481/?pnref=story