Fascadale
Well-Known Member
I was on a mooring in Castlebay, Barra in July this year when two of the five yachts there were blown ashore.
There had been a severe gale forecast from the SW. Castlebay is very well sheltered from the SW, but unfortunately the storm came up from just to the east of south, giving a fetch of about 1.5nms and no significant hills to block the wind.
Very strong winds, a very dark night and a lot of driven spray giving very poor visibility.
One of the yachts, a Norwegian boat, parted from her mooring, I think her own line to the buoy snapped. They didn't have time to start their engine before they hit the shore. An English yacht was on the mooring closest to the shore, and at the bottom of a big tide in a very strong onshore wind and with quite a long line from her bow to the buoy she was pushed back onto the rocks. I think she was just moored too close to the rocks.
The all weather lifeboat and an RNLI RIb were deployed, both having to come no more than 500m to reach the casualties.
The rescue of both boats with all their crew was an impressive display of seamanship and skill. The LB had to manoeuvre astern, with a tow, in a very strong crosswind through the moorings. At one point they had to drop the tow, realign the LB, then pick up the tow again. Throughout the rest of the night the RIB visited the remaining yachts just to see that we were all OK and to reassure us that they were available if required.
I don't imagine that any of us who were in Castlebay that night have been criticising the RNLI.
The yacht to the left was the one pushed back onto the shore, the one second left broke her mooring and was blown onto the rocks.I was on the middle boat. The LB "lives" on the inside of the pier to the left of the photo. THat night the big MacBraynes ferry "The Clansman" was berthed on the outside of the pier further restricting the LB's room. The photo was taken at a very high tide. At low water the rocks extend much further out.
There had been a severe gale forecast from the SW. Castlebay is very well sheltered from the SW, but unfortunately the storm came up from just to the east of south, giving a fetch of about 1.5nms and no significant hills to block the wind.
Very strong winds, a very dark night and a lot of driven spray giving very poor visibility.
One of the yachts, a Norwegian boat, parted from her mooring, I think her own line to the buoy snapped. They didn't have time to start their engine before they hit the shore. An English yacht was on the mooring closest to the shore, and at the bottom of a big tide in a very strong onshore wind and with quite a long line from her bow to the buoy she was pushed back onto the rocks. I think she was just moored too close to the rocks.
The all weather lifeboat and an RNLI RIb were deployed, both having to come no more than 500m to reach the casualties.
The rescue of both boats with all their crew was an impressive display of seamanship and skill. The LB had to manoeuvre astern, with a tow, in a very strong crosswind through the moorings. At one point they had to drop the tow, realign the LB, then pick up the tow again. Throughout the rest of the night the RIB visited the remaining yachts just to see that we were all OK and to reassure us that they were available if required.
I don't imagine that any of us who were in Castlebay that night have been criticising the RNLI.
The yacht to the left was the one pushed back onto the shore, the one second left broke her mooring and was blown onto the rocks.I was on the middle boat. The LB "lives" on the inside of the pier to the left of the photo. THat night the big MacBraynes ferry "The Clansman" was berthed on the outside of the pier further restricting the LB's room. The photo was taken at a very high tide. At low water the rocks extend much further out.
