This may very well be the last report from the Mega Byte this year... I don't even know how to post this... The details are still spinning around in my head...
It was a slow morning. Water was rough but not too bad with the 18,000 pounds of the MegaByte under us. Everything was fine except the fish. Then, while changing spots, without warning, no alarms no smells, no little wisps of smoke... We were on fire. Smoke was pouring from the engine room. Immediately I grabbed the mike and called in a mayday. By the book..."MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, THIS IS THE MOTOR VESSEL MEGABYTE, A BLUE HULLED 31 FOOT SPORT FISHING VESSEL LOCATED 300 YARDS SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF THE EAST ROCKAWAY HEAD BUOY. MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY WE ARE ON FIRE. IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. I REPEAT, MOTOR VESSEL MEGABYTE ON FIRE, BLUE 31 FOOT RAMPAGE LOCATED 300 YARDS SOUTH OF EAST ROCKAWAY HEAD BUOY WITH A FIRE IN THE ENGINE ROOM. 2 PERSONS ON BOARD, NO INJURIES. MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" I grabbed 2 lifejackets, tossed one to Bob and had him set the anchor as I put on my life jacket. Then I took out 2 of the 5 fire extinguishers on board.
First to respond was a NYC air-police helicopter who asked for confirmation that everyone was alright and my position. Next, while I was gasping for air, the coastguard asked the name of my boat. I told them again. Then they asked the size, I told them again. then they asked for the color, I told them again. Then they asked how many people on board, I told them again. By this time the helicopter arrived, but there was little he could do. The smoke was so thick I had trouble finding my radio to answer the questions of the CG. I was stuck in the cabin, on the radio gasping for air. Then I heard the CG debating who should respond, Sandy Hook NJ or Jones Beach CG Group. Then, after a few more worthless (and one valid question where they asked how much fuel was on board and what type- 300 gallons of diesel) a CG auxiliary arrived. As he approached, I managed to slightly open a hatch and with the washdown hose sprayed a bunch of salt water onto the port engine. We were ORDERED off the boat by the USCG. I sprayed the engine down one last time, and went abord the CG auxiliary boat where he quickly took us a few hundred yards away. By this time, a Nassau county bay constable came along and took us onto his boat. Shortly afterwards a 65 foot NYC police boat arrived and he kept all the other boats far away from my vesel. Then a NYC fire boat arrived. Within the next half hour a bunch more coastguard cutters came and a CG helicopter (and a plane of some sort). In all, there were about 7 emergency boats, 2 hilocopters & that plane. The fire boat apprached my boat and one of the firemen went on board and after about an hour came to us and told me I did a good job with the washdown and had "knocked down" all the fire. They checked all compartemnts and there was no sign of any fire. Except for several engine alarms, she seemed ok. It was now about 2 1/2 hours after my first call to MAYDAY and the CG informed me they would not allow me back on the boat under no circumstances. They arranged for a tow boat and another 2 hours later the MegaByte was tied to my marina's work dock. No one was hurt except my eyes burn and my throat is killing me from all the smoke.
Captain John