I'm assuming the skipper had been thru there numerous times before... Most of my biggest screwups have occurred in places that were familiar to me, where it's easy to let your guard down... I'd wager the perfect weather was also somewhat of a contributing factor, it's so easy to slip into the mindset of "What can possibly go wrong on such an ideal afternoon for sailing?"

I don't envy the jobs these crews have to do, that's for damn sure... Sailing a 70-footer is work enough alone, much less adding the responsibility of making sure people who are paying $20+K to be aboard are content, and 'entertained'... (grin)