Mixed fortunes
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Tue 31 May 2011 08:03
flotation sausage as they were asked to and the second one, which arrived
after dark last night, also not only had leaks but a U/S valve. Repairing
the various defects meant that we left the dock about 2 hours after we
meant to.
We arrived out at Trouters just before low tide and successfully
positioned the sausages, things didn't look too bad so we settled down to
wait. With the incoming tide came the realisation that Trouters was
floating bow-down and finally, with the port bow well and truly awash we
were afloat.
We paid out the anchor chain to float back on the incoming tide and retain
some form of control, despite bringing out a generator the shore power
system on the boat was shorting out so we couldn't charge the batteries to
power the windlass. Turned out that the water level had been higher during
the night and the windlass system was U\S due to being immersed in the
briney (that's the witchery, not the actual windlass motor.
The rescue boat was dispatched back to the Dive Shop to pick up two more
flotation bags, but on arrival one had a bloody great tear in it and the
other leaked. Also the fittings were incompatible with the compressor that
we'd borrowed from the same dive shop, so a filling system was jury-rigged
using dive tanks, of which we had one left.
So, we dumped the main anchor and chain and floated bow-awash a distance
of about 0.5Km; well we floated/were towed by the rescue boat. Smiley
decided it was too risky to continue the tow into deeper water and back to
the marina as we now had no further means of filling the bow flotation bag
and were totally dependent on the compressor filling the two sausages,
both of which gently (but persistently) leaked as well.
We deposited Trouters on the harbour-end of the reef, just short of the
channel so that she could settle on the (predominantly) sandy bottom. All
well and good, but she settled bows-first, so the water damage inside is
considerably more than it was. The stbd forward guest cabin totally fills
with water and most of the bookshelves are now under water. Heartbreaking
to see but maybe there isn't much more damage. The plan is tomorrow
afternoon to make the (hopefully) final attempt, having gone out
mid-morning to make a further assessment of the situation. We have about
two miles to Tow Trouters back to the drying pad and it's all in deep
(ish) water, so we have to be certain that we won't lose her on the way
in.
Many, many thanks for all the emails and electronic hugs, sorry if I don't
respond to you individually but I'm hopeful that you will understand.
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