2 weeks
Chaser 2
Yvonne Chapman
Sun 10 Dec 2006 11:54
We've been at sea now for two weeks and have
traveled over two thousand miles. Our current position is 14.57.29N 49.12.00W.
We haven't had time to celebrate our 2000 miles yet although we did our halfway
point a few days ago. That was during some of the roughest weather and our plans
of a nice dinner in the cockpit turned out to be Champagne and
Pizza.
Last night we were preparing for a quiet night and
some comfortable sleep. I tuned in to our SSB just to listen to any ARC
news and chat. The broadcast was interrupted by OM Shanti an ARC vessel,
relaying a MAYDAY from sailing vessel Alegria, a Belgium non ARC sailing boat.
They gave coordinates and Yvonne plotted them on our chart to find they were
approx 30 miles away. We altered course immediately. Our son James
emailed me the day previous with ARC boats nearby and we had during the day
made contact with Macnoon a 42ft Island Packet. I called Macnoon and asked if he
had heard the broadcast, he hadn't but he called the ARC control and they
confirmed to him that a man had been lost overboard, leaving only one other
on board ALegria.
Macnoon altered course to assist aswell, they
were 5 miles closer than we were, two other boats were gaining on t his
position too. In this situation the more boast searching the better. We
would not arrive for another 3 hours by this time it was dark, very dark
with no moon. We dropped our sails, Yvonne thought she saw something in the
water, we marked the spot and returned but nothing. We weren't very optimistic
now because visibility was poor in the darkness, we moved closer to the scene,
then we heard from Alegria that he had got his friend on board and was alive. He
had been in the water 5 hours by this time and was very cold and in shock so we
thought.
Another German vessel put two of his crew
aboard to help the lone man. The patient was coming round he had
problems with his eyes, concern also that he could suffer from secondary
drowning.
As the night passed the patient became more
lucid and using the loo, apparently good signs. He had been asleep so we
were told for the past 3 days, he had been taking some prescription drugs,
buckets of them it appears, and one can assume by the type of drugs he was a
manic depressive, he later became violent he jumped into the dingy, then into
the water again. He was recovered and he later threatened to kill the crew
and burn the boat. He was restrained and tied to the cockpit table, some
sleeping tablets were administered but urgent medical help was necessary.
Macnoon tried calling Fort de France MRC with no
joy. I called Falmouth MRC by our Sat phone. They had all the necessary
information and a warship HMS Lancaster has been dispatched and should arrive at
1100hrs UTC this morning.
It hasn't arrived as yet but I am hearing on
the SSB that Macnoon is in touch with the Lancaster and will be here by 1300
hrs.
Hopefully they will take the man aboard to their
ships hospital and take him to a shore facility.
No more news on this as yet, we are all making way
to St Lucia and monitoring the situation. Falmouth MRC confirmed again to
me that Lancaster is due to arrive within the next hour.
Hopefully tonight will be a calm one