peterb26
New member
Lagos Marina is about 1000 yards from the sea via the river that runs beside the main road (Avenida Descobrimentos).
At the entrance to the marina is a footbridge that yachties have to get opened (tower bridge style) to get into or out of the Marina.
We were going out today as a large steel ketch (50 ft?) came up the river towards us heading for the marina.
The bridge was closed and between the two of us.
Looking at the ketch it was clearly doing a good speed from the bow wave, and people were crossing the bridge in fair numbers. Plus I had not heard any call on Ch9 to request a bridge opening.
It was completely apparent that the skipper had forgotten all about the bridge and I am ashamed to say that, since I could do absolutely nothing, I started frantically searching for the camera!
About 30 yards from the bridge, someone on the yacht obviously realised the predicament and the helmsman reacted. The bow dipped as he went astern but there was no way he would have stopped so he swung the helm over and hurtled into the riverbank (stone!) a few feet from the bridge.
Apparently he demolished the stern of a yacht that was moored minding his own business on the visitors pontoon - but that was obscured from our view.
The marina staff refloated the ketch some time later - but by then the local Policia Maritima were taking a keen interest.
Cant help feeling sorry for the guy really - it must be so easy to forget about the bridge when at the helm of a yacht.
Luckily it doesnt affect us motorboaters. At the top of a big tide I have to drop the VHF aerial but thats as bad as it gets.
At the entrance to the marina is a footbridge that yachties have to get opened (tower bridge style) to get into or out of the Marina.
We were going out today as a large steel ketch (50 ft?) came up the river towards us heading for the marina.
The bridge was closed and between the two of us.
Looking at the ketch it was clearly doing a good speed from the bow wave, and people were crossing the bridge in fair numbers. Plus I had not heard any call on Ch9 to request a bridge opening.
It was completely apparent that the skipper had forgotten all about the bridge and I am ashamed to say that, since I could do absolutely nothing, I started frantically searching for the camera!
About 30 yards from the bridge, someone on the yacht obviously realised the predicament and the helmsman reacted. The bow dipped as he went astern but there was no way he would have stopped so he swung the helm over and hurtled into the riverbank (stone!) a few feet from the bridge.
Apparently he demolished the stern of a yacht that was moored minding his own business on the visitors pontoon - but that was obscured from our view.
The marina staff refloated the ketch some time later - but by then the local Policia Maritima were taking a keen interest.
Cant help feeling sorry for the guy really - it must be so easy to forget about the bridge when at the helm of a yacht.
Luckily it doesnt affect us motorboaters. At the top of a big tide I have to drop the VHF aerial but thats as bad as it gets.
