Catalina SAR callout, Church Rock Canyon
| Catalina SAR callout, Church Rock Canyon | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2014/05/04 |
| Location | Church Rock Canyon |
| Severity | No loss |
| Canyoneering-related | Yes |
| SAR involvement | Yes |
| Navigation problem | No |
| Environmental problem | Yes |
| Communication problem | Yes |
| Planning problem | Yes |
| Skills problem | No |
| Body movement problem | No |
| Rigging problem | No |
| Rappel problem | No |
| Insufficient gear | No |
| Gear failure | No |
Contents
Summary
Two canyoneers planned to use a chartered boat to return to Avalon from the exit of the canyon, but the boat was unable to make the trip due to high winds. Spot satellite messages were confusing and may have lead to increased worry. The support team got worried by the confusing messages and contacted SAR which dispatched land units who found the canyoneers returning to Avalon via a fire road, but still ~4 miles from Avalon. Ocean rescue SAR units were activated, but not dispatched when the land units were successful.
Accounts
Analysis
Confusing Spot messages
At the time of the incident, the map shown by the Spot service would "snap" reported locations to the nearest road if there was a road nearby. There was a fire road fairly close to the canyon, so the two spot messages from in the canyon and on the beach snapped to the same location on the fire road. The support team became worried when two messages came from the same location where the canyoneers said they would be only if something went wrong and they decided to abort.
Limited Spot messages
Only having 4 messages which can possibly be sent limited the informative value of the Spot because none of them accurately conveyed both the situation and the canyoneers' planned actions.
Unsuccessful Spot messages
The canyoneers attempted to send an "Ok" message once they escaped the canyon and reached the fire road. This message did not go through however. Had it gone through, the support team could have informed SAR exactly where the canyoneers could be found.
Preventative measures
Clearer contingency plans
If the canyoneers had evaluated and communicated contingency plans and in what circumstances they would be put into action, the support team would most likely not have called SAR until the following morning at which point the canyoneers would have returned. Since satellite communication is often imperfect even in the best circumstances, this is likely the most reliable resolution to the problem.
Better satellite communication
The inReach satellite messagers allow both custom messages, which would have allowed the canyoneers to adequately explain the situation, and two-way communication, which would have allowed the support team to inform the canyoneers that the boat was unavailable.
