September what now PB?

[longjohnsilver]

Real life scenario, last Sunday evening. Taking partner + friends back ashore by dinghy in Salcombe to drive home. Me staying on board and taking boat back to Plymouth next morning. Elderly lady approaches us and asks if we can switch on her mobile phone. We all try but without success.

She tells us that she is waiting for her husband who is now several hours overdue. She spoke to him at 17.00 and he said he'd be back on his mooring in the Bag within about 30 minutes. I have no phone with me. One of my friends tries to phone him but no reply. Nothing more they can do so they leave. It's now dusk, the eldery lady asks me what should she do. Furter more she tells me that he owns the boat house which is just across the water about 30 yards away and that is where he keeps his inflatable. She also tells me that the inflatable has a punctured chamber. And she has no idea where his mooring is in the Bag. And it's now almost dark.

What now passer by?

 

[fireball]

If this is unusual behaviour for said Gent then Contact CG.
I'd probably see if inflatable was there first though - just incase he's come ashore and gone to the pub .....

 

[TargaLout]

When your friend tried to ring him did it go straight to answer phone or ring? (if it rings unlikely he has fallen in drink with phone see?) Could you not row the 30x yards out to boat house and check it out yourself? Without hesitation then after the above contact harbour master who will in turn contact CG and then will coordinate (as i think is the correct protocol).

 

[hlb]

Get the HM on the job pronto. He'll know which mooring the bloke has, so it can soon be checked.

 

[breezer5012]

I think I'd be straight onbto the coast guard. Better they know asap. I'd tell them about the boat house and then would go and check it out. The CG could then be called off if all turned out well. It sounds too dodgy a situation for me to not call them and let them know.

How did it turn out? I presume the gentleman concerned turned up safe and well.

 

[longjohnsilver]

No sign of any HM around at 7-30pm on a Sunday evening. And we could see that there was no dinghy in the boathouse.

 

[breezer5012]

Just had a thought - did anyone call home to see if the gentleman had arrived there?

 

[hlb]

Has to be CG then

 

[gjgm]

CG and then go to the Bag.. she must have some clue of the boat or boat name, or even his name. May as well do something while CG wonders what next. What is next for CG, anyway? Try VHF radio?

 

[longjohnsilver]

I did a quick reccie of the Bag in my dinghy but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. When I returned I could see that the lady was really worried. Luckily there was one car in the car park with occupants so we borrowed their phone to call the CG. All got a bit confusing at this point. The elderly lady was German, her English was not brilliant and she insisted I carry out the call on her behalf. I couldn't make out her name, obviously had no idea of the mobile number I was calling from and halfway through our conversation an inflatable appeared out of the gloom and the lady walked off after it. Fortunately it was her husband. Seemed when he got back to his mooring it was all twisted up and he had to dive into the water to free it up. Seemed very unconcerned about the angst he'd caused his wife. And with that they were gone.

He should at least have made sure that his wife knew exactly where his mooring was which patently she didn't. And should have kept her better informed as to what was going on. Still, at least it was a happy outcome.

 

[hlb]

Yer as bad as Tony Jones, only give out half the information, then come up with a totally implausable solution. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[longjohnsilver]

So what more did you need to know? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Would you like to see a few pics of Salcombe to remind you of what you're missing? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[ebbtide]

\"we borrowed their phone to call the CG\"

Lucky you weren't in the Solent then . . . .

Seriously, is this the time or place to raise the subject of the current CG strike? Would appreciate some comments.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: \"we borrowed their phone to call the CG\"

CG were ver re-assuring and helpful. Even during a strike my understanding is that they resume normal service for emergency situations. Even radio checks get answered so the caller knows their vhf is working!

 

[breezer5012]

Re: \"we borrowed their phone to call the CG\"

One for a new thread perhaps if it hasn't already been posted? I'd be interested in forumites views too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif