Strange story of yacht aground near Eastbourne
- Thread starter Seven Spades
- Start date
Tomahawk
Well-known member
so apart from rampant speculation..
Does anyone know what has actualy happened to Jerry over the past week?
Does anyone know what has actualy happened to Jerry over the past week?
Thistle
Well-known member
S
shannon9
Guest
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
One of the major symptoms of hypothermia is irrational behaviour. The approved first aid is restraint, coupled with gentle warming - in a field situation, using body heat to warm the patient.
Downsman
New member
A little background..This gentleman's intention was to sail alone to Argentina where, he had been told, there was a sunken submarine containing gold bullion. He has said he was on the way to salvage the sub's contents....
One of the reasons he did not wish to leave his vessel at the time of rescue was that he believed he was off Weymouth and not as he was told, Eastbourne.
He is being cared for by people doing the best they can to attend to his present welfare..which may not meet with the approval of some forumites but is the best that can be done under the circumstances.
He is no longer on a lee shore aboard a vessel internally awash with spilled diesel and flares in such a state of corrosion that some had split. Give him a chance....talk about col regs..
rogerboy
New member
here here
[27631]
N/A
'A little background..This gentleman's intention was to sail alone to Argentina where, he had been told, there was a sunken submarine containing gold bullion. He h
as said he was on the way to salvage the sub's contents....'
Love it....pity about the emergency services being indisposed...BUT..WOULDN'T THE WORLD BE A SAD PLACE ...without a few 'Jerry's' here and there ..we have all met the odd one in our nautical travels..
That boat was a mess...........lol
as said he was on the way to salvage the sub's contents....'
Love it....pity about the emergency services being indisposed...BUT..WOULDN'T THE WORLD BE A SAD PLACE ...without a few 'Jerry's' here and there ..we have all met the odd one in our nautical travels..
That boat was a mess...........lol
Caliban
New member
Which means they are doing what they want, not what Jerry wants.
Buh-bye Jerry, we'll not be seeing you again, or your boat
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dslittle
Well-known member
Having been in the position of 'doing what I want' with a number of decomposing bodies, I doubt very much that those who put their own safety at risk to 'save' the poor demented man were doing what they wanted to deprive him of any liberty. If some of you wish to independently die your lives away from officialdom please make sure that you are sufficiently far enough offshore so as not to bother those of us who have to live with the memories of your rotting bodies.
jerrytug
N/A
This thread is getting really spooky! Signed,.. Jerry 
purplerobbie
Active member
I work in mental health.
He would of been held on a section 136 which allows the police to remove him to a place of safety.
He would of then been assessed by a nurse who could hold him on a section 5(4) for 6 hours which give the chance to get a doctor to see him.
A doctor could then hold him on a section 5(2) for 72 hours to be assessed by a second opinion doctor and an approved social worker.
If they all felt he needed to be held he could then be put on a section 2 which is for assessment only and is 28 days.
If he was prepared to stay informally then they wouldn't section him.
Once he is well he will be discharged and he can do whatever he wants.
People can't just be kept forever with no good reason sooner or later he will be able to go his own way and do as he pleases.
It's really sad that it came to this. It's really sad that he has been tried by this forum. Maybe he wanted to stay with his boat to try and refloat on the next tide.
He would of been held on a section 136 which allows the police to remove him to a place of safety.
He would of then been assessed by a nurse who could hold him on a section 5(4) for 6 hours which give the chance to get a doctor to see him.
A doctor could then hold him on a section 5(2) for 72 hours to be assessed by a second opinion doctor and an approved social worker.
If they all felt he needed to be held he could then be put on a section 2 which is for assessment only and is 28 days.
If he was prepared to stay informally then they wouldn't section him.
Once he is well he will be discharged and he can do whatever he wants.
People can't just be kept forever with no good reason sooner or later he will be able to go his own way and do as he pleases.
It's really sad that it came to this. It's really sad that he has been tried by this forum. Maybe he wanted to stay with his boat to try and refloat on the next tide.
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toad_oftoadhall
New member
I think that trapezeartist was referring to a different incident.
Tomahawk
Well-known member
ok
From our local rag in Essex..
Seems the vey good people of Mersea have got together and bout the boat to save it fir him...
Though some say he would be better off staying put in Essex?
Some people are just so wonderful.......
PS... yes we afe not supposed to be able to read the local rag in.Essex... Like Jerry we haven't got as far as we thought we would?..
Ce'est la vie
From our local rag in Essex..
Seems the vey good people of Mersea have got together and bout the boat to save it fir him...
Though some say he would be better off staying put in Essex?
Some people are just so wonderful.......
PS... yes we afe not supposed to be able to read the local rag in.Essex... Like Jerry we haven't got as far as we thought we would?..
Ce'est la vie
sailorman
Well-known member
Splendid news
dunmor
New member
so where is the boat, and where is he?
TQA
New member
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so where is the boat, and where is he?
Don't know to either Q but have seen a pic showing the boat on a low loader in another forum here. Liveabaord maybe? I think mention was made of the transport co involved helping a distressed mariner. If yes MUCH good karma to them.
Captain Haddock
Member
so where is the boat, and where is he?
The Mary Celeste is ashore in one of the yards on Mersea Island. The local boat transport people C-Wey Boat movers picked her up an brought her back to the island (I believe for free) after hearing of his ordeal.
No idea where Gerry is. However, according to the local paper he's doing well and recovering.
chinita
Well-known member
Great news. Restores faith.
Captain Haddock
Member
Thought I'd dig the article out from The Mersea Courier and share it with everyone. There's no website for the Courier so the story can't be linked to. Thought I'd type it out for you all as I think it's worth sharing and it's quite a tale.
From the Mersea Courier
issue no. 553
25th March 2013
Sixty five year old Gerry Van Dongen arrived in Mersea from Romford over five years ago. He came with very few possessions , but using money he had inherited from his mother, set about buying himself a boat on eBay. Gerry had a plan.
Ross Wey of C-Wey Boat Transportation in Coast Road went with him to pick up the Mary Celeste and Gerry started living aboard the 36 foot launch while she was being repaired in the West Mersea Marine boatyard. As soon as he considered her seaworthy, he took her out into the channel to an anchorage near the Nass beacon.
Gerry remained in the vicinity of the beacon for the next five years, enduring the primitive conditions about the Mary Celeste and the extremes of Wind and Rain. The lifeboat and coastguard launches were called out to help him on a number of occasions - once when his inflatable dinghy had sprung a leak and he set off a flare because he needed someone to bring him ashore for food and fresh water - and he soon became a familiar face on the Mersea Waterfront.
"I got to know Gerry very well" said local photographer Chrissie Westgate and you couldn't wish to meet a more honest or decent man. He had been homeless for a while before he came to the island and although he may have led an unconventional lifestyle that would probably not have appealed to most people, he was still a great character. You don't get enough of them these days.
Stacey Belbin who runs the charter boat Lady Grace, said "Gerry was always very pleasant and polite whenever I bumped into him. He used to come ashore in a battered old yellow dinghy that wasn't really up to the job and he was always talking to himself. But he was completely harmless. As far as I know, he never caused anyone any trouble, except perhaps the coastguard".
Gerry had long nurtured an ambition to sail to the Caribbean where he was convinced there was a submarine containing gold bullion had been sunk. He thought he knew where it could be found, and started talking about crossing the Atlantic in the Mary Celeste to begin a search.
Late last year he decided that it was time to set off on his quest, but he had only got as far as Brightlingsea before his engine failed and he had to abandon the journey. He anchored the Mary Celeste off East Mersea Stone for a few weeks and then moved her into the Pyefleet Channel, but by the beginning of February he was back at his station in the Blackwater.
With the engine repaired, Gerry was determined to make another attempt at an Atlantic crossing and motored out of the river once more. With no navigational charts, he headed south, keeping the coast in view of the Starboard side. He crossed the Thames estuary and followed the Kent shoreline, but the weather was steadily deteriorating.
By the morning of Friday 15th March, Gerry was in trouble. A force eight gale was now blowing and Dover coastguard started receiving erratic radio communications from the Mary Celeste as she drifted dangerously close to the shore near Bexhill. At first Gerry told the coastguard that he did not need any assistance, but it was still decided that a lifeboat crew should be sent out to assess the situation. However, when they approached the Mary Celeste Gerry refused to make contact with them.
The progress of the boat was monitored closely throughout the day, and as the weather worsened, the coastguard became increasingly concerned for its safety. Eventually at just after 8:00pm, Gerry sent out a mayday distress call and fired several flares into the air. The engine on the Mary Celeste had failed again and the vessel was about to run aground on the beach near Eastbourne.
The all-weather lifeboat arrived on the scene but the rescuers were unable to approach the stricken vessel because of the low tide and the force of the surf breaking on the beach. Realising that the situation had now become life threatening, lifeboat coxswain Mark Sawyer requested the assistance of the coastguard rescue helicopter, hoping that it would be possible to winch Gerry from the deck. But he refused to co-operate and shouted to the lifeboat crew that he was going to bed.
With the helicopter circling overhead, the Mary Celeste was gradually driven further up the beach until she eventually settled in the sand and could be secured by coastguard officers. After more negotiations, Gerry came out of the cabin and allowed himself to be carried ashore, where he was promptly handcuffed and led away. An Eastbourne RNLI spokesman said "The drama started on Friday morning when the all-weather lifeboat was launched at the request of Dover coastguard to assist a lone yachtsman in difficulties of Bexhill. While the lifeboat stood by, negotiations took place between coastguard officers and the skipper, which eventually resulted in the lifeboat being stood down because the skippers was refusing all offers of assistance.
The lifeboat was scrambled again and was underway within a few minutes of the mayday request to launch. It was guided to the location by red distress flares fired from the yacht and was soon on the scene."
"The yachtsman was assisted through the surf and taken into the care of the Police and ambulance service".
A Police spokesman added "A man was detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act because he was deemed not to be of sound mind. He was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital before being placed in custody at Eastbourne to be assessed by a qualified medical practitioner".
Meanwhile coastguard officers called a bomb disposal team to make safe the many flares on board the Mary Celeste, some of which were thought to be contaminated and dangerous. The boat was also carrying a significant quantity of Diesel that had to be removed as had spilled across the deck and causing further hazard.
East Sussex County Council hired a security firm to guard the boat until she could be collected and on Friday 22nd March. Ross Wey made the journey to the South Coast to pick her up and return her to Mersea.
Chrissie Westgate said "What happened to Gerry was pretty disastrous but it could have been much worse. It's true that suffers from a few delusions and maybe at times he does have some crazy ideas, but that doesn't make him a bad person. Far from it. He's a true Gentleman and has become a welcome member of our community."
"It's my belief that when you live in a small community as we do, everyone should look out for each other, not just when it's time for parties and celebrations, but also when the going gets tough, as it probably has for much of Gerry's life".
"When I look at others, I always try to see what we have in common, not what separates us, but sadly there will always be some who look at people like Gerry and just see a negative image of a person. I can only say that I'm pleased not to be one of them. I see a lovely character and fellow human being who desperately needs our help".
"I think we should do whatever we can for him when he gets back to the island, perhaps by making the Mary Celeste a bit more comfortable and seeing if we can't find her a decent mooring in one of the creeks where there's a bit more shelter. Perhaps if he were to feel welcome here and understand that people cared about him he might give up his dream of finding gold in the Caribbean and spend the rest of his life in a little more comfort than he's been used to".
Anyone who feels able to help Gerry in some way should contact Ross Wey on 0777 6487889
From the Mersea Courier
issue no. 553
25th March 2013
Sixty five year old Gerry Van Dongen arrived in Mersea from Romford over five years ago. He came with very few possessions , but using money he had inherited from his mother, set about buying himself a boat on eBay. Gerry had a plan.
Ross Wey of C-Wey Boat Transportation in Coast Road went with him to pick up the Mary Celeste and Gerry started living aboard the 36 foot launch while she was being repaired in the West Mersea Marine boatyard. As soon as he considered her seaworthy, he took her out into the channel to an anchorage near the Nass beacon.
Gerry remained in the vicinity of the beacon for the next five years, enduring the primitive conditions about the Mary Celeste and the extremes of Wind and Rain. The lifeboat and coastguard launches were called out to help him on a number of occasions - once when his inflatable dinghy had sprung a leak and he set off a flare because he needed someone to bring him ashore for food and fresh water - and he soon became a familiar face on the Mersea Waterfront.
"I got to know Gerry very well" said local photographer Chrissie Westgate and you couldn't wish to meet a more honest or decent man. He had been homeless for a while before he came to the island and although he may have led an unconventional lifestyle that would probably not have appealed to most people, he was still a great character. You don't get enough of them these days.
Stacey Belbin who runs the charter boat Lady Grace, said "Gerry was always very pleasant and polite whenever I bumped into him. He used to come ashore in a battered old yellow dinghy that wasn't really up to the job and he was always talking to himself. But he was completely harmless. As far as I know, he never caused anyone any trouble, except perhaps the coastguard".
Gerry had long nurtured an ambition to sail to the Caribbean where he was convinced there was a submarine containing gold bullion had been sunk. He thought he knew where it could be found, and started talking about crossing the Atlantic in the Mary Celeste to begin a search.
Late last year he decided that it was time to set off on his quest, but he had only got as far as Brightlingsea before his engine failed and he had to abandon the journey. He anchored the Mary Celeste off East Mersea Stone for a few weeks and then moved her into the Pyefleet Channel, but by the beginning of February he was back at his station in the Blackwater.
With the engine repaired, Gerry was determined to make another attempt at an Atlantic crossing and motored out of the river once more. With no navigational charts, he headed south, keeping the coast in view of the Starboard side. He crossed the Thames estuary and followed the Kent shoreline, but the weather was steadily deteriorating.
By the morning of Friday 15th March, Gerry was in trouble. A force eight gale was now blowing and Dover coastguard started receiving erratic radio communications from the Mary Celeste as she drifted dangerously close to the shore near Bexhill. At first Gerry told the coastguard that he did not need any assistance, but it was still decided that a lifeboat crew should be sent out to assess the situation. However, when they approached the Mary Celeste Gerry refused to make contact with them.
The progress of the boat was monitored closely throughout the day, and as the weather worsened, the coastguard became increasingly concerned for its safety. Eventually at just after 8:00pm, Gerry sent out a mayday distress call and fired several flares into the air. The engine on the Mary Celeste had failed again and the vessel was about to run aground on the beach near Eastbourne.
The all-weather lifeboat arrived on the scene but the rescuers were unable to approach the stricken vessel because of the low tide and the force of the surf breaking on the beach. Realising that the situation had now become life threatening, lifeboat coxswain Mark Sawyer requested the assistance of the coastguard rescue helicopter, hoping that it would be possible to winch Gerry from the deck. But he refused to co-operate and shouted to the lifeboat crew that he was going to bed.
With the helicopter circling overhead, the Mary Celeste was gradually driven further up the beach until she eventually settled in the sand and could be secured by coastguard officers. After more negotiations, Gerry came out of the cabin and allowed himself to be carried ashore, where he was promptly handcuffed and led away. An Eastbourne RNLI spokesman said "The drama started on Friday morning when the all-weather lifeboat was launched at the request of Dover coastguard to assist a lone yachtsman in difficulties of Bexhill. While the lifeboat stood by, negotiations took place between coastguard officers and the skipper, which eventually resulted in the lifeboat being stood down because the skippers was refusing all offers of assistance.
The lifeboat was scrambled again and was underway within a few minutes of the mayday request to launch. It was guided to the location by red distress flares fired from the yacht and was soon on the scene."
"The yachtsman was assisted through the surf and taken into the care of the Police and ambulance service".
A Police spokesman added "A man was detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act because he was deemed not to be of sound mind. He was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital before being placed in custody at Eastbourne to be assessed by a qualified medical practitioner".
Meanwhile coastguard officers called a bomb disposal team to make safe the many flares on board the Mary Celeste, some of which were thought to be contaminated and dangerous. The boat was also carrying a significant quantity of Diesel that had to be removed as had spilled across the deck and causing further hazard.
East Sussex County Council hired a security firm to guard the boat until she could be collected and on Friday 22nd March. Ross Wey made the journey to the South Coast to pick her up and return her to Mersea.
Chrissie Westgate said "What happened to Gerry was pretty disastrous but it could have been much worse. It's true that suffers from a few delusions and maybe at times he does have some crazy ideas, but that doesn't make him a bad person. Far from it. He's a true Gentleman and has become a welcome member of our community."
"It's my belief that when you live in a small community as we do, everyone should look out for each other, not just when it's time for parties and celebrations, but also when the going gets tough, as it probably has for much of Gerry's life".
"When I look at others, I always try to see what we have in common, not what separates us, but sadly there will always be some who look at people like Gerry and just see a negative image of a person. I can only say that I'm pleased not to be one of them. I see a lovely character and fellow human being who desperately needs our help".
"I think we should do whatever we can for him when he gets back to the island, perhaps by making the Mary Celeste a bit more comfortable and seeing if we can't find her a decent mooring in one of the creeks where there's a bit more shelter. Perhaps if he were to feel welcome here and understand that people cared about him he might give up his dream of finding gold in the Caribbean and spend the rest of his life in a little more comfort than he's been used to".
Anyone who feels able to help Gerry in some way should contact Ross Wey on 0777 6487889
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