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Beaten by the weather
Sunday 28th May
Day 10
Position - Port Solent
At 0700 the alarm went off aboard Calm Voyager. The weather looked promising, with blue skies and very little wind. However another check of the weather online revealed that it was a different story in the Channel. With Force 5 wind and a forecast for a possible Force 6. With Monday also looking marginal, it became clear that a last minute dash across the Channel was not possible.
Both the crews and the MBM team were very disappointed. Although the cruise was unsuccessful in reaching its intended cruising grounds, many new friendships have been formed and on the whole the consensus was that the best had been made of the situation.
Once all boats had departed, Calm Voyager and Time Flies set out for Port Solent. Just outside Cowes we witnessed a 17ft fishing dory sinking rapidly. The boat disappeared within seconds leaving one person in the water without a lifejacket. Calm Voyager and Time Flies headed to where the boat sank, and Richard aboard Time Flies tried to pull the casualty in. Being on his own he was unable to get 71 year old George aboard. Calm Voyager came alongside and Neale and Claire, with the aid of the Fairline's boarding ladder helped George out of the water. In conjunction with Solent Coastguard, George, who seemed to be suffering no ill affects from his unintentional dunking, was landed at the Red Jet terminal in Cowes to be met by an ambulance. After a quick once over, George declined medical treatment and was dropped off at his car.
Although a happy ending, the incident highlighted the need to wear lifejackets in small boats. George had no time to put out a call, and had we not seen his predicament, it is unlikely that he would have survived more than a few minutes in the cold water. As it was, he was lucky, as we were able to retrieve him in just 5 minutes.
All boats are now safely back in their intended ports, including Ocean Spirit who made Falmouth in under 7 hours.
Motor Boats Monthly, 29 May 2006
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