Fools stuck on derelict Thames Estuary fort for the night, then fined for Covid regulations breach!

LittleSister

LittleSister

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Plenty of folk cross the Channel in less seaworthy craft...

The error was more in the choice of knot (or not) All the same, not my choice of boat. though we've no information on its size. The RNLI go out into the estuary in seriously nasty conditions with RIBS.

Given their skill level in tying up, I'm going to hazard a guess that safety equipment probably wasn't the highest priority. I'm going to make another guess that the only lesson learned is to dodge the Covid cops. Darwin award in the making?
 
If I was going to squat or even anschluss a sea-fort, a RIB would seem a good choice; or even better, some kind of FRC with lifting points, so it could be winched up under the accomodation, out of reach of any 'passers-by'. (Of which there are plenty in Sheerness and Queenborough who enjoy a bit of 'salvage'..)
Calling for help is just embarrassing, I hope they were foreigners.
Fuel, drinking water, bedding and victuals were sadly lacking in this ill-planned attempt, what do they teach youngsters at school these days?
 
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Stork_III said:
May be it is seastoke, denied access to CA forum, so went for a day out?
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You enjoy crowing over the banning of other forumites, dont you? A bit creepy I'd call it

But yes, I can confirm that it was indeed seastoke who was the ringleader for this escapade and I can also confirm that he doesnt know how to tie a bowline
 
Stemar said:
Plenty of folk cross the Channel in less seaworthy craft...

The error was more in the choice of knot (or not) All the same, not my choice of boat. though we've no information on its size. The RNLI go out into the estuary in seriously nasty conditions with RIBS.

Given their skill level in tying up, I'm going to hazard a guess that safety equipment probably wasn't the highest priority. I'm going to make another guess that the only lesson learned is to dodge the Covid cops. Darwin award in the making?
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The error was in being there at all. Couldn't they have been fined more than £200?
 
Caraway said:
The error was in being there at all. Couldn't they have been fined more than £200?
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These pesky young upstart Englishmen, with a sense of adventure and casual disrespect of petty bureaucracy need punishing harder? Really? Chaps after my own heart, fair play to them. Absolute empire-building material, it's called character.
If someone can put me in touch, I will shake their hands and buy them pints of ale. And a round turn and two half hitches woudn't go amiss :) (next time it might be government property!)
 
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So the boats drifted off and they subsequently spent the night on the fort - what on earth did they think was going to happen overnight that might have helped them get out of their quandary?
 
maybe they thought that if the boats drifted off with the tide, if they waited for a full cycle of the tide the boats would return to their start point?

and it would have worked if it hadn’t been for that pesky wind, perhaps?
 
Gary Fox said:
These pesky young upstart Englishmen, with a sense of adventure and casual disrespect of petty bureaucracy need punishing harder? Really? Chaps after my own heart, fair play to them. Absolute empire-building material, it's called character.
If someone can put me in touch, I will shake their hands and buy them pints of ale. And a round turn and two half hitches woudn't go amiss :) (next time it might be government property!)
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It's that attitude that is prolonging the rise of the virus.
Are you really that dismissive of the UK's fight against the pandemic?
No wonder we have such a high death rate. It's not the government's fault.
It's people with your attitude.
 
V1701 said:
So the boats drifted off and they subsequently spent the night on the fort - what on earth did they think was going to happen overnight that might have helped them get out of their quandary?
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I'd wondered that, too.

Perhaps they were calling their mates and trying to arrange a private party to rescue them, rather than revealing themselves to the authorities.
 
This is what one of them posted on Facebook shortly afterwards:


Im one of the idiots that was involved in all of this at the weekend

Im posting here for two reasons. Primarily to apologise and express our gratitude to all the people and organisations involved. Namely the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Port of London Authority and Kent marine police.
Also to the Redsand project who work to preserve the forts and don't need nob heads like us interfering.

Secondly to explain what happened and to expel the myths

We are not foreigners. One of us was from Manchester so that could be classed as foreign. I will let you pass your judgement!

Our RHIBs have been recovered

We did spend the night there

We were not cold. Infact one of us slept in our pants inside a down sleeping bag

We waited till the morning to alert the Coastguard as that's when we realised our vessels were adrift

We have made a £1000 donation to the RNLI

We have also made a £2000 donation to the Redsands Seafort Trust

We recieved a Covid fine each

Hindsight, a wonderful thing. If we could turn back time we wouldn't attempt this selfish mission

The idea was to spend the night on the forts and return the next day without ever a soul knowing
We went prepared, we're experienced boaties, we didn't break in but used drones and rope access as method of entry. We had GPS radios and SAT phones
We realise the boats were missing Sunday morning after the cleat had failed on the bow line and the aft line had chafed on the Fort when the direction of pull had changed

We spent a while trying to hail and call local vessels as to not impact on the RNLI
We were also aware of our duty to report the adrift vessels and as such the coastguard scrambled the RNLI

We are truly sorry for causing such a shit storm and having to involve and impact on so many

We will learn from this and would deter anybody from a copycat mission

The forts are dangerous and more importantly are being preserved by a dedicated bunch to enable others to pay homage safely to these incredible structures and the men that served on them

I have changed my profile picture for authenticity of this post

Im happy to answer questions but not interested in a slanging battle with people over our wrongdoings, unless of course your perfect and have never made a mistake.

All the best and once again our sincerest apologies
 
Juan Twothree said:
This is what one of them posted on Facebook shortly afterwards:


Im one of the idiots that was involved in all of this at the weekend

Im posting here for two reasons. Primarily to apologise and express our gratitude to all the people and organisations involved. Namely the RNLI, HM Coastguard, Port of London Authority and Kent marine police.
Also to the Redsand project who work to preserve the forts and don't need nob heads like us interfering.

Secondly to explain what happened and to expel the myths

We are not foreigners. One of us was from Manchester so that could be classed as foreign. I will let you pass your judgement!

Our RHIBs have been recovered

We did spend the night there

We were not cold. Infact one of us slept in our pants inside a down sleeping bag

We waited till the morning to alert the Coastguard as that's when we realised our vessels were adrift

We have made a £1000 donation to the RNLI

We have also made a £2000 donation to the Redsands Seafort Trust

We recieved a Covid fine each

Hindsight, a wonderful thing. If we could turn back time we wouldn't attempt this selfish mission

The idea was to spend the night on the forts and return the next day without ever a soul knowing
We went prepared, we're experienced boaties, we didn't break in but used drones and rope access as method of entry. We had GPS radios and SAT phones
We realise the boats were missing Sunday morning after the cleat had failed on the bow line and the aft line had chafed on the Fort when the direction of pull had changed

We spent a while trying to hail and call local vessels as to not impact on the RNLI
We were also aware of our duty to report the adrift vessels and as such the coastguard scrambled the RNLI

We are truly sorry for causing such a shit storm and having to involve and impact on so many

We will learn from this and would deter anybody from a copycat mission

The forts are dangerous and more importantly are being preserved by a dedicated bunch to enable others to pay homage safely to these incredible structures and the men that served on them

I have changed my profile picture for authenticity of this post

Im happy to answer questions but not interested in a slanging battle with people over our wrongdoings, unless of course your perfect and have never made a mistake.

All the best and once again our sincerest apologies
Click to expand...

Ah, journalism
 
V1701 said:
So the boats drifted off and they subsequently spent the night on the fort - what on earth did they think was going to happen overnight that might have helped them get out of their quandary?
Click to expand...
Well, when the powerful Sun rose they would be able to use a mirror to signal their plight to potential rescuers... (More likely Cloud-Cuckoo!)
 
ryanroberts said:
Ah, journalism
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I guess there's another side of gutter journalism which sees people who get fined, subsequently getting shamed and named.

Fair play to the chaps for trying to put it right.

Either way, if it boosts compliance right now that's got to be a good outcome for all.
 
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