T and J Racing
Member
Andy and Stephanie introduced me to racing 2 years ago. My life hasn't been the same since. Top bloke.
Andy Schwenk
- Thread starter Just another plonker
- Start date
Hard On The Wind
Super Anarchist
Andy has a leg injury that has become infected during the return trip from the Pac Cup. He was transferred to a freighter where a medical crew parachuted onto the freighter to attend to him. As soon as the freighter is close enough to shore a coast guard helicopter will fly him back.
Hitchhiker
Hoopy Frood
Heard about this on Friday (?) Please keep us posted as to his condition and recovery please.
hobot
Super Anarchist
As another PNW'r is known to say....shitski!!
view at the front
Super Anarchist
White Lightning2
Anarchist
Double Damn. The man does not deserve this. Does anyone know where he landed/is headed for medical care??
WL
WL
Strategery
Member
With all the ass Andy kicks, you'd think a leg injury like this would have happened sooner. Like all legends, he'll probably heal up and then have a shit ton of new stories. Sending positive vibes.
White Lightning2
Anarchist
He will be telling the freighter captain "We must go more quicklier"!!!!
WL
WL
White Lightning2
Anarchist
Many Andy stories. Some here have known him far longer than I. But, without a doubt, my favorite Andy story was my first trip to Huntington for the HSR in the SC27 fleet. The whole time he kept shoing up anytime anyone opened a beer/bottle of rum. ext.
We are camped a little outside the party zone and SWMBO opened a bottle of wine. His camp is 2-300 yards away and when the cork left the bottle, he stepped out from behind a tree, walked up to the fire, grabbed the bottle and took a drink.....
WL
We are camped a little outside the party zone and SWMBO opened a bottle of wine. His camp is 2-300 yards away and when the cork left the bottle, he stepped out from behind a tree, walked up to the fire, grabbed the bottle and took a drink.....
WL
view at the front
Super Anarchist
Andy is having a rough trip returning from Hawaii.
5pm call from Search & Rescue/USCG
Medical report; Andy is much the same.
Stable but surgery needed on arrival for wound. Andy in good spirits.
Plan for tomorrow;
5am team meets to brief and launch C130 to assess site (freighter location)
8am Airforce deploys Blackhawk H60R to site
11am chopper arrives on-site
They plan to strap Andy in a litter and hoist him into chopper. Then will recover the two Parajumpers
3hour return flight
They will land at Moffett airfield and make in air plans for ambulance to area hospital.
They will call us at 9am to confirm take off and again at 2pm just before arrival.
Looks like we are in a steady state right now with Andy stable. We are just waiting on freighter getting closer. Hopefully this time tomorrow, he will be safe and sound and post surgery.
Please keep him in your thoughts as well as Spindrift V crew. They are perking right along about 750 miles offshore.
5pm call from Search & Rescue/USCG
Medical report; Andy is much the same.
Stable but surgery needed on arrival for wound. Andy in good spirits.
Plan for tomorrow;
5am team meets to brief and launch C130 to assess site (freighter location)
8am Airforce deploys Blackhawk H60R to site
11am chopper arrives on-site
They plan to strap Andy in a litter and hoist him into chopper. Then will recover the two Parajumpers
3hour return flight
They will land at Moffett airfield and make in air plans for ambulance to area hospital.
They will call us at 9am to confirm take off and again at 2pm just before arrival.
Looks like we are in a steady state right now with Andy stable. We are just waiting on freighter getting closer. Hopefully this time tomorrow, he will be safe and sound and post surgery.
Please keep him in your thoughts as well as Spindrift V crew. They are perking right along about 750 miles offshore.
Best of luck to Andy and Spindrift!
Somebody Else
a person of little consequence
Heal fast Andy!
atnan
Member
Already back on solid ground. Landed at Moffett Field, now at Stanford Hospital.
Successful rescue in the Pacific Ocean >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News
(August 8, 2022) - USCG-licensed captain, instructor and rigging specialist Andy Schwenk (57, Point Richmond, CA) has been brought safely to land by a
www.sailingscuttlebutt.com
Jollymon
Anarchist
What Somebody Else said, get well fast Andy!
IMR
Anarchist
Any updates?
atnan
Member
I hear he's doing well, all things considered. It was a really bad infection which could have resulted in loss of limb or worse, so it's super fortunate that he was successfully evac'd and is on the mend.
The transfer off Spindrift V happened in the middle of the night, to a freighter with crew that only spoke Chinese so no-one could understand any of the instructions. Apparently the freighter first threw a rope ladder, which would have been tricky given Andy only had one working leg, then re-considered and threw a line. Andy said figured he had one shot so he wrapped the line around himself twice and leapt into the darkness.
Somebody Else
a person of little consequence
Damn, was wondering how that worked. maybe a bosun's chair?
Somebody Else
a person of little consequence
Somewhere floating around is a photo of Andy's ankle taken at the hospital bed, prob'ly by Andy himself. A lot of exposed flesh. Looks like a pepperoni pizza. From what I understand, gangreen is still a threat. Anybody got that photo?
Hitchhiker
Hoopy Frood
Umm, no thanks. Wishing him the best.
