Going Drogue [Diana Nyad Fact Check Annex]
drogue: a device, typically conical or funnel-shaped with open ends, towed behind a boat, aircraft, or other moving object to reduce speed or improve stability.
I had thought until now that, during her Cuba-to-Florida crossing, Diana Nyad rested in one of two ways: either she held onto (or hooked onto) her directional streamer; or she snoozed on the boat, possibly while someone swam in her place. Maybe both.
But Nyad’s guide boat just dragged another option into the picture. Once you it you’ll grasp the possibilities immediately…
Diana never mentions drogues in Find A Way—or anywhere else for that matter. Given the potential for accusations of drogue abuse, that’s not surprising: a drogue in the water gives her not one but two (and maybe three) lines dragging along beside and behind her guide boat—pig heaven for wannabe hangers-on.
Git Along, Little Drogueies
Three people on Nyad’s crew, however, do mention drogues. First, Janet Hinkle writes about them in her observer’s report:
Stability of the boat at such a slow speed has been improved with the launching of a second drogue.
No mention of drogue one. Hinkle, by the way, had no prior experience as an observer before joining Nyad’s crew at the last minute. This may explain why she missed the (hypothetical) no-drogues memo.
Don McCumber, one of Nyad’s kayakers, must also have missed the memo. He writes about the drogue on his personal blog and provides the only available photo of drogue-use on Nyad’s crossing. Don’t worry—I’ve saved it in case it vanishes like most of the rest of the crossing’s images and video. If a picture of the two-drogue setup existed, it has probably vanished too.
Be that as it may, there’s a moral to this story: You CAN teach an old drogue new tricks. That’s something you can hang, onto, forever. (Oops, I apologize for those last two drogue-induced commas.)
UPDATE: FishMonster to the rescue! Its website mentions…
…a sea anchor dragging along on the port side.
If I understand correctly, a sea anchor is the same thing as a drogue. Maybe we have discovered drogue one. Below is the only image I can find that hints at a port-side drogue. You can see what looks like the first few feet of a boom extending from the left side of the boat. Click the photo for a higher resolution.
<°))̂)̖)>< ><((̗(̂(°> <°))̂)̖)>< ><((̗(̂(°> <°))̂)̖)>< ><((̗(̂(°>
Please note: For the health and safety of our employees, the Diana Nyad Fact Check Annex maintains a drogue-free environment. All DNFCA personnel must agree to random drogue testing.
