Overview
- A humpback struck the family's 7.6 metre S/V Windrush while it was anchored in Glacier Bay, pushing the boat under within minutes and flooding the attached dinghy.
- The family abandoned ship, reached shore wet and cold, started a fire to stay warm, and were retrieved the next morning by National Park Service crews.
- Responders found a large puncture in the hull and chunks of whale skin on the wreck, and scientists later confirmed the material came from a humpback.
- A Glacier Bay park biologist said the whale may have rammed the boat while chasing fish, and the family has since towed the wreck ashore to assess a large hole and possible rudder damage.
- The family launched a GoFundMe that raised more than US$25,000 within days, and the incident highlights safety questions for small craft operating at night in active whale habitat.