I saved a life at the weekend

[soreknees]

.....well a dog's life, but it still counts. I was returning into Troon on Sunday and saw a dog flapping about in the outer harbour and an agitated owner flapping even more on the quayside above. It's a commercial quay with the ladders stopping about 6' above water so no way he could reach the dog. The poor hound had been in the water for about 15 mins and was really struggling so had to move quickly while avoiding crushing it between my 32' yacht and the wall. Anyway, easiest and quickest recovery was effected by catching the boat hook on its chain collar and, with owners permission, hauled it up the stern by its neck. 30 secs later, dog was fully recovered and wanting to chase more seagulls (which was reason why it launched itself off the harbour wall in first place). Demobilised the dog in the marina and grateful owner insisted on slipping me a few quid for a pint or 3 on him. Everyone happy and dog will probably still chase seagulls.

 

[Slipstream 34]

Good skills! Makes a change for the owner not to go in after the animal with disastrous results.

 

[SimbaDog]

Have a virtual pint :encouragement:

 

[dom]

Everyone happy and dog will probably still chase seagulls.

Nice story with a happy ending ...and who knows, you might have saved a human life too as that's exactly the psychological point people jump in. So well done!

BTW boat hook was a good idea to prevent him from going under the boat/swimming away.

 

[Seajet]

Excellent - and I agree you may well have saved the owners' life too; definitely worth a pint !

 

[davidpbo]

Well done, little else you could have done to help in the circumstances. I don't like the thought of having to hall a dog out by its collar (Not a criticism you had no other options in the circumstances) and try and always move the lead (A piece of 10mm rope) from round the neck to the loop on the back of our mutt's buoyancy aid, the loop is the reason he wears one. It makes grabbing him so much easy.

 

[Scillypete]

Well done, and nice to hear your actions were appreciated . . . . . . . . . a couple of years ago I fished someone out of our local harbour after he upturned his inflatable and ended up clinging to a mooring (it was early April and the water was cold) his friends/crew watched the events from the stern of their large yacht moored nearby, I got him back to their boat and didn't get so much as a thank you, in fact I believe he was that embarrassed that as soon as he warmed up and dried out they dropped the mooring and scarpered elsewhere. I would still leap into action whatever as its not about earning thanks but some peoples reactions can make you wonder why.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I know what you mean about people not appreciating assistance.

A couple of years ago I was eating a meal down below and I heard a splash nearby. I went into the cockpit and saw a woman struggling in the water. I looked around and couldn't see anyone doing anything to rescue her; they were just gawping. So, as it was chilly, I went down below and put my jacket on. On deck, still nobody seemed to be doing anything, so I got the outboard out, put it on the tender and went to rescue her. I must admit I was surprised how far she had drifted by this time. I pulled her out of the water and even gave her my jacket.

Not a word of thanks.

She still complains that I showed no sense of urgency when I rescued her.

 

[pessimist]

I know what you mean about people not appreciating assistance.

A couple of years ago I was eating a meal down below and I heard a splash nearby. I went into the cockpit and saw a woman struggling in the water. I looked around and couldn't see anyone doing anything to rescue her; they were just gawping. So, as it was chilly, I went down below and put my jacket on. On deck, still nobody seemed to be doing anything, so I got the outboard out, put it on the tender and went to rescue her. I must admit I was surprised how far she had drifted by this time. I pulled her out of the water and even gave her my jacket.

Not a word of thanks.

She still complains that I showed no sense of urgency when I rescued her.

Very good.

 

[jdc]

...She still complains that I showed no sense of urgency when I rescued her.

You married her then?

 

[Sandy]

Well done, little else you could have done to help in the circumstances. I don't like the thought of having to hall a dog out by its collar (Not a criticism you had no other options in the circumstances) and try and always move the lead (A piece of 10mm rope) from round the neck to the loop on the back of our mutt's buoyancy aid, the loop is the reason he wears one. It makes grabbing him so much easy.

Not sure I would want to take a walk along the pier with a dog in a Lifejacket just incase...

 

[Gordonmc]

A dog rescue story.
I came out of the Brazen Head in Dublin to find crowds either side of the Liffey.
Wandered over and saw a labrador size dog struggling in the midstream. On the other side from me was a fire engine and a bold member of the crew stripping off.
In only Y-fronts he jumped in and swam to the dog. He pulled the dog to our side which was nearer.
Problem 1... how to get a dog up 15' of iron-rung ladders set into the stonework river-wall...
Solution... give the dog a piggy-back holding on to the collar with one hand using the other hand to grab rungs.

Problem 2... What to do when the dog's scrabbling hind legs get tangled in your Y-fronts, pushing them down past the knees...
Solution... carry on.
The fireman made it to the top to the cheers of the crowds, put the dog down and calmly pulled his Y's up.
The dog promptly disappeared.

 

[30boat]

I was in Vilamoura once and saw a cat with its head stuck in a tin skquirming like hell in the water.I picked it by the tin but it stuck a claw in my finger.
The pain was such that I instinctively jerked my armed and teh cat flew away.An idiot cat lover, tree huger of a woman started yelling at me.I just told her to feck off.I think the cat made it.

 

[DownWest]

I was in Vilamoura once and saw a cat with its head stuck in a tin skquirming like hell in the water.I picked it by the tin but it stuck a claw in my finger.
The pain was such that I instinctively jerked my armed and teh cat flew away.An idiot cat lover, tree huger of a woman started yelling at me.I just told her to feck off.I think the cat made it.

I wasn't going add my cat story...but, since you have one from Vilamoura, I was there carefully transporting a new genset on a couple of planks across our rib. This was easier than trying any thing along the pontoons. Saw a disturbance in the water and paddled across for a look, as it wasn't the usual mullet. Cat, swimming in decreasing circles with only one nostril above water. So mindful of claws, I proffered an oar, which the cat grabbed and we pulled it into the rib. Asked on the nearest pontoon and was told a French boat had a cat on. Carrying Mr Mog, I knocked on the deck. Woman pops up and grabs the cat and dissapears. Fine, I get on with life. But later in the day she did turn up and thank me.