The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-07-23
LANDING IN THE BREAKERS.

Sailors in a Small Boat Must Fight Hard
to Reach the Shore.
Selecting a landing place, the men
wait for an opportunity. By lying
outside and watching the breakers
they find that aftera certain number
of heavy ones there is a quiet inter-
val, and after several counts they
know when to expect this interval
and take advantage of it. If there
are but two or three lines of bad
breakers near a seemingly steep
beach, a bold dash, bows on, during
this interval of quiet, will probably
land them high and dry.
Much more frequently, however,
the water will shoal far out from the
shore, and many lines of breakers
will have to be passed. The quiet
interval will be too short to allow a
boat to reach the shore. Only cour-
age, GOODNESS, quickness and good
Judgment can save the men in the
battle for life which must then be
fought. They select a place where
the breakers seem to roll in parallel
to the beach and not slantingly, and
then they row toward them as close
as they can with safety, and turn the
boats bow out to sea. Next, they
back in rapidly when the quiet time
comes, but keep the boats bow
pointed squarely at the breakers.
The lull is too soon over, and the
battle begins. A mountainous sea
comes rolling in and mounting up
ward from a rounded crest to a thin
green edge, which tumbles above
them. Then the nearer side seems
to pause, and from the green edge
sweeps kissing backward a curling,
feathery spray, as the farther side of
the wave seems to rush over the
nearer, and descend with a crashing
roar in overwhelming volumes of
whitened surf. If the little boat is
caught in this deluge, she may be
| thrown end over end, or slued so far
around that the next sea will roll her
over and over; and even if skillful
management should keep her head
to sea she would soon be completely
swamped. These points where the
seas break must then be eluded as
often as possible, but only experience
and Judgment can tell how to pass
them with more than occasional sue
cess.
By pulling a few strokes toward
the sea, a wave may pass under the
boat Just before it breaks. Then
what a ride they havel More swift
ly than by express train they r shot
shoreward by mighty power utterly
beyond control. The roar around
them is frightful, and the swirling,
broken water terrifying; but while
that speeding lasts they r safe.
Every effort is always made to keep
on the back of that shore rushing
wave. 1t was an enemy a moment
before, but now it is a guiding friend.
The boatmen back in upon it with all
their might, but watching all the
time for the next wave to rise and
form for attack.
When the welcome shore is close
at hand the helmsman presses down
the loom or shaft of the steering a
otherwise the blade would suddenly
catch in the sand, the boat would
rush over it, and as it pivoted in the
oarlock the oar would fling the man
far astern. Lucky would he be il
there was still water to fall uponl
When the boat touches bottom all
hands spring overheard, and Selling
her gunwales rush her high up on
the beach; otherwise the waves
would do this for them, probably
broadside on, and in a very ruthless
manner, perhaps breaking bones and
crushing the boat, as if angry at the
mems escape. John N. Ellicott II