Mark Morley and Suzanne Bickel died when a storm capsized their boat during the 2011 Chicago to Mackinac sailboat race.
/ 7&4 TV
SAGINAW -- A sailor, who survived a brutal storm that took the lives of two people during the Chicago-to-Mackinac sailboat race, has released video footage from a helmet camera.
The video, which was posted on youtube this week, shows a boat's battle against tumultuous waves and winds, as massive raindrops pelted the vessel. The video information says, “the worst storm hit just after midnight which made bolts of lightning our only light source…. As the wind built, our take line exploded; we were knocked down immediately and stayed horizontal from winds of 54 knots for about 15 minutes. Shortly after being knocked down, with no steerage, lightning flashed and another boat, just to weather, without sails was planning right towards us.”
The storm took the lives of two Saginaw residents, skipper Mark Morley and crew member Suzanne Bickel, crewmembers of WingNuts.
Both Morley and Bickel were experienced sailors, whose love for the water led them to compete alongside six others in this year’s competition. The other members were rescued out of the water by a passing boat.
You can see the youtube video of the devastating storm below.
RaceToMackinacTragedy
Meanwhile, funeral arrangments are being made for Morley and Bickel.
Visitation for Suzanne Bickel will take Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Snow Funeral Home in Saginaw, and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Friday at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Bridgeport.
Complete funeral details have not been made yet for Mark Morley, but a service is being planned for July 29th.
