Misty to the Rescue

You can view the RNLI video here.

As the 2020 re-scheduled Round The Island race was cancelled, White Mistral owner (David Ardron) and crew (Alistair Kingham and Paul Russell) decided to make use of the holiday booked from work, to undertake a jaunt to Poole from Fareham. Arriving Thursday evening, a quick boat check saw Misty on her way around 7pm intending to make a mooring in the River Beaulieu which would allow a less early start on Friday to catch more of the favourable West going Needles Channel tide. On approach to the intended mooring, the winds increased with gusts over 35 knots and so a preferential overnight mooring in East Cowes was taken. The weather forecasts were holding true as a low pressure passed across the South Coast causing strong, gusty winds to be the norm. Departing East Cowes there was still a Plan B consideration of stopping at either Yarmouth or Lymington if sea and wind states deteriorated further, however as no deterioration happened, Misty ploughed on through the Needles Channel. The conditions faced were the toughest The Solent had offered in many of Misty's previous jaunts with gusts proving hard to helm against without playing the "okey-cokey" sail plan game. Helm and crew were kept busy attending to the conditions and required boat set up. So, some 7 hours later,  it was a tired and extremely wet near arrival into Poole harbour approaches just North of Old Harry. I say a "near" arrival because as we set an entry alongside the training wall for Poole, a Pan Pan message was received from Solent Coast guard asking for any vessels to assist a 18ft racing yacht which had lost both rudders and damaged its outboard and was drifting South of Poole Harbour in heavy tides and seas. Poole Bay is now the home to 5 near redundant cruise ships and the stricken yacht was drifting between them with no steerage. 

Misty made contact with Minnie some 45 minutes later, and, after reassuring the young crew on board, set about a plan to secure and tow the vessel back to Poole. Unfortunately, Minnie had no forward cleats or any ability to secure a bow towing line, and rigging a bridle from Minnie's mid deck cleats hadn't been actioned as requested.

It was now that a heavy dose of reality set in for both yacht crews. Firstly, trying to get clear communications between each in winds of 35 knots was not easy, especially as Minnie was drifting backwards and turning in the water at some pace. When a plan had been communicated and agreed, Minnie set up a very long bridle to allow a tow to be secured. Secondly, all the theory and videos previously watched did not prepare me for the reality of setting up bridles and tow ropes, whilst under some pressure on a pitching sea, high winds and in close, but safe distance to Minnie. Throwing a line from a deck moving almost in every direction and maintain safety was a challenge. It took three attempts to get a line onboard Minnie as either wind, or boat movement saw previous attempts thwarted. Having tied countless bowlines previously, doing so in these conditions with this importance was clearly very different .

After joining lines securing the tow, we set off on the 5 mile return to Poole Harbour at a cautious 2 knots to avoid any damage to either vessel in the conditions.

Not far from Poole entrance, Poole Lifeboat arrived, however the ability to communicate with those onboard was severely hampered by woeful  VHF quality from the lifeboat. We in fact had to use Solent Coast guard station some miles away to relay our comms and agreed transfer plan to the lifeboat approx 15 - 20 metres alongside.

As the RNLI guided Minnie onto an inspection mooring, a crowd had formed as a Search and Rescue team had arrived on scene with flashing blue lights, which of course drew an even bigger audience!! So the RNLI did the least mile of tow and received all the shoreside applause, whilst a tired and very wet Misty crew quietly slipped into her mooring un-noticed.

The three guys from Minnie came over later to return our tow lines and joined us for a beer and it seemed they were extremely experienced for their age having participated in the Clipper Race as either crew or instructors, one giving up his University place to sail the world, alongside his parents university fee's to invest in Minnie!! The other had given up a Royal Marines career to do the same. We enjoyed a few beers together on board Misty and took nothing more than their gratitude for attending. Misty even supplied the beers!

So, again, to coincide with the RYA and RNLI Safety at Sea videos launch, the main learning was that performing a rescue however seemingly slight in high winds and heavy seas, and importantly safely for all concerned, was more difficult in reality than any video or book could have conveyed. As always, life's reality beats the film of the same any day!! 

 Stay safe every body.