Quantum Leap’s Final Chapter

Last month, we reported on the abandonment of Quantum Leap after her captain, delivery skipper Phillip Johnson, was severely injured. Later, we posted video of Johnson and his two crewmembers being rescued by the cruise ship Celebrity Century, which had diverted to effect the rescue. Now comes the final chapter in the 48-ft boat’s sad story.

Last Thursday, the aluminum boat washed ashore at Baby Beach off Spreckelsville on Maui two weeks after she was abandoned. The main was shredded but the boat itself was intact. Johnson and his crew reported having a number of problems with the equipment onboard the boat before leaving her, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from finishing her final voyage. The Coast Guard and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are working together to remove the boat and determine who should pay for the clean-up.

An interesting side-note in the story is that Bill Finkelstein and Mary Mack, who were aboard the Celebrity Century during the resuce, later gave a talk about bluewater cruising to interested passengers. "It was a lively session," recalls Bill. "We talked about cruising and answered questions about the rescue. The cruise director said he would consider it a huge success if we got 30, but the room was almost full with 70 people!"

Unfortunately, a handful of irate passengers apparently caused the rescuees to be restricted to their cabins for the remainder of the voyage. "Out of the 2,000 folks onboard, a very few were vocal that we should not have diverted to pick them up and miss Maui as a result," says Bill. "Some out of ignorance — which we could address — some out of pure selfishness, most just pure jerks."