New definition of being 'in trouble'

Rob_Webb

Rob_Webb

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New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Funny story just emerging here.....

Yacht 'Bluenose' departed Auckland (actually Opua) couple of weeks ago bound for Tonga. Father and son onboard (75 and 38). Son's wife stays at home in NZ. Father's wife heads to Tonga to meet them. After a week or so no sign of them. Reported overdue. Big S&R inc NZ airforce Orion etc. Still no sign.

Then yesterday father and son send email back home to say they heard report of search on radio but are fine. Apparently got blown off course in severe gales and lost radio - ended up at holed up at an island off New Caledonia - at least 1000nm off course! So sent email via another yacht to say all is well.

Mother and daughter both livid. Mother still in Tonga. Daughter has ordered them home immediately regardless of boat. Still not spoken to their respective husbands 'live' but on radio they told the nation they were looking forward to 'having words'.

Potentially tragic story with amusing ending although actually gives yachties a bad name.

And having survived a storm I'd say they're now in trouble of a different kind!
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Also, as far as I know, there are now at least 4 abandoned yachts floating around north of NZ from crews being taken off in bad weather over the last week or so - could just about get into the charter business if one managed to salvage them all /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Can we assume they were abandoned because they were sinking or is this another case of abandoning a perfectly seaworthy craft?
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Yes, mostly the latter. But in some cases it has been with short-handed or singlehanded crew who have been in a chronic state of health due to a week of 70+ kts winds leading to sea sickness, lack of sleep, exhaustion etc. And staying aboard the craft could have proven fatal for them. So they have been taken off onto other vessels for medical treatment and a chance to recover. They could conceivably return to their yachts under calmer conditions.
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Yes, mostly as Rob says. One the wife had already put 23 (or thereabouts) stitches in her husbands scalp from injury in the weather.

As far as I know they are all (or mostly) non NZ boats - the one that turned up ok that Rob mentioned was NZ though, think only 8.5 m long it was - and the general thing is that they are doing the trade wind tropic/subtropic drift around the world and come down here to get out of the Pacific hurricane season. Head back Juneish after hurricane season but many have never struck really bad weather before and that is likely to be found down this aways this time of year (in fact, at anytime of year /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) so they sometimes don't fare too well.

Also, the passage to anywhere from NZ is too long (well over 1,000 nm) to plan the passage for during a weather window, and obviously only temperate climate, so even the best laid plans can find one in very heavy weather.

John
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

<<Mother and daughter both livid. Mother still in Tonga. Daughter has ordered them home immediately regardless of boat. Still not spoken to their respective husbands 'live' but on radio they told the nation they were looking forward to 'having words'.>>
Thank god they only put the men in the rugby team.
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

[ QUOTE ]
Thank god they only put the men in the rugby team.

[/ QUOTE ] Good point. I've watched "prisoner cell block H"
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

I happen to know Prisoner Cell Block H is Strine. Completely different country.
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

[ QUOTE ]
One the wife had already put 23 (or thereabouts) stitches in her husbands scalp.


[/ QUOTE ] Good opportunity to do a face lift.
 
Re: New definition of being \'in trouble\'

Good opportunity to carry on sailing. Mother and Daughter might get a message from French Polynesia saying I was once again lost. Then a few months later a message from the Seychelles saying I am deperately trying to get home and so on and on.
 
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