Hot off the press from 'The daily Disaster'
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Wed 13 Feb 2013 08:24
An hour ago, just before 5pm local one of my neighbours returned to his boat. I don't know him and don't have the boat's name which is probably for the best to save his blushes. Anyway, matey-boy dingied out to el barco against a fairly stiff ebbing current, I'd say a good four knots. He was wearing a backpack....I know you're ahead of me but I'll continue anyway.
The boat is one of those designs which has a fairly low freeboard at the cockpit but forward of the cockpit it's several feet higher. Where would you choose to climb out of your dingy? Right, so would I but no, the attempt was made to get out of the dingy at the point of highest freeboard. Shame about that really because it simply wasn't a good idea, particularly not wearing your 'Johny Cool' wrap around sunglasses on an overcast day.
After hanging there half in the water and half out for perhaps twenty seconds, during which time I went on deck as did Pete anchored behind me, matey-boy now let go of his boat and fell in the water having failed to swing himself up on deck.We both shouted to Jack who was anchored the closest to the impending disaster but he was below and didn't hear. Both Pete and I made a grab for our dingies but Pete released his dingy first, they were both on davits and as he has a rigid dingy I thought it didn't need two of us swanning around in a strengthening current and a rigid boat rows better.
Matey-boy was now clinging to his dingy but couldn't get in due to the backpack. Yes I know, I would have done as well but he didn't. He was being swept downriver at a rate of knots, about four as I've already said. As Pete was half-way over to him he collided with Glen's boat. Matey-boy that is, not Pete. I lost sight of him but Pete got there, secured his dingy clambered on board and helped him out. An American arrived at high speed from the other side of the river to help but it was luckily all over bar the shouting. Pete then had a hell of a pull against the current to get back to his boat but all ended well. I sincerely hope that he gets a cold case out of this, he bloody deserves it.
I'm seriously thinking of starting a daily 'on the river' column because most days something happens worth writing about.
Speaking about writing, there is a new article on the other blog, my thoughts on the implications of the North Koreans conducting a nuclear test. As usual those Ladies and Gentlemen of the press who aren't totally absorbed by an elderly German CEO of a multinational company resigning just haven't joined up the dots on this one. They are correct in saying how serious it is but action by somebody may be much closer than they imagine. Read the article to find out who I think just might now do something concrete.
Gosh I've just realised. Absolutely nothing that I'm aware of has happened for the last half hour. On that note I think I'll close now. It just remains to say that I've written the first chapter of the New Karno adventure today. More news on that as it progresses but on the other blog.
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