What a guy - no RNLI call-out here - is this the new benchmark

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tangomoon

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On hols here due to weather

Bet Swansea CG phones are ringing off their hooks from reports.

today there have been gusts of 51 mph from the W this is the lee- shore


The man is on a storm beach has been there two days. Came ashore through the surf, (it must have been big stuff) waited for the tide to go out and walked to land along the beach.

The North Tail as it is called is infamous for wrecks, currents and waves push boats here. Any ideas where?

P1020290.jpg


He is a mile from the Lifeboat station - didn't call the lifeboat out. And tomorrow he's hoping to float off - hope to be there to catch the event - what a sailor.

P1020276.jpg


Photos not wonderful due to digital zoom will try tomorrow from the beach

P1020280.jpg
 
Any more details? Fortunately the wind is moderating now but they will still get a hammering when she refloats in the morning.
 
He's just off Appledore Bar N Devon

Go to Google and enlarge then come to the edge of where the water goes from river mud to the nice blue

Then go North until you are due West of the first sand dune onshore has a path going around it as if it's a flare or flower hanging from the end of the path

That is how the beach looks at the moment and he is just in shore from the waves you see rippling there.
 
Are you saying he has deliberately grounded on a lee shore and been there for TWO days, ie FOUR tides? Not many boats would stand that level of pounding without structural damage.

25 years ago, I grounded on a fine day in 6-8" waves the pounding lasted 20 mins, despite motoring to get further up the sand, and it was very unpleasant. Coming off was very similar, I dug the main anchor in & winched her off as well as motoring. I wouldn't willing do it again, although no damage was sustained.
 
Even a small swell finding its way into a harbour can have you pounding the bottom hard enough for your fillings to drop out of your teeth as she dries/floats. I wish the guy luck in getting off with the keels and rudder still attatched.
 
I swam out to her at high water. She is fine. No idea why there is a bower and kedge out as that put her across the swell but she is fine. Swell is largely wind chop with just a smidge of ground swell. Also, the spot is pretty sheltered swell-wise compared to the rest of the beach. I'm assuming the guy is waiting for the bigger tides tomorrow as she was only just afloat tonight. 7.9m tide today, should be about 8.3 tomorrow and as Graham says, the wind is moderating.
The water is surprisingly warm as I was only in my pants as wetsuit broke last week and I have no money to replace it. Pleasant.
Any reason why the owner should have called the RNLI? No one was in danger.
Nicki
 
It must have been a ride coming in through the surf

Were there children aboard, how many aboard

Many bigger vesels have been wrecked there
 
Reckon it was a ride coming in. No idea as to kids etc. Lots of boats wrecked on the bar. In this weather I would have gone to Clovelly or Ilfracombe. The bar is tricky in westerlies. Have you spoken to the bloke? Any idea if he is going for launch tomorrow morning or evening?
I'll PM my phone number to you. Give me a bell if you learn anything.
Nicki
 
Maybe if he HAD called for assistance his pride and joy would be safely tied up alongside instead of risking getting broken up in the swell if the weather becomes more unfavourable....

W.
 
Maybe indeed, but it is a choice. Life is full of maybes. It would also not be the easiest rescue for the life boat to carry out. I'd love to know how she got there in the first place though. Did he just miss the bar?
Nicki
 
[ QUOTE ]
Maybe if he HAD called for assistance his pride and joy would be safely tied up alongside instead of risking getting broken up in the swell if the weather becomes more unfavourable....

W.

[/ QUOTE ]

LIFE boat is just that, for saving LIVES not vessels. Sometimes, it is a safe option to tow a vessel in, but lives ALWAYS take priority. If you want your vessel saved, call for salvage assitance & bear the cost, or do it yourself.
 
Still there this a.m.

The SP is the guy is from Hampshire - moved to the area

Went out to have a 'look' three days ago and

Searush - you won't believe this but apparently

thought he woud turn right OFF the main fairway, which is well-buoyed and notorious

Basically he turned off the fairway and decided to make his way along a famous surf beach - Saunton

and then landed up grounding on the beach on a falling tide

Engines swamped (outboards) and in with the mechanic being dried out etc

Can't find him for an in-depth interview but our thoughts must be with him as the tide comes in HW 17:26 tonight.

Would offer to help him if found - sea looks as though it will be calm enough and tides increasing - second thoughts - it's too dodgy - tides rip through there both ways, one in to the estuary and one current along Saunton - needs a RIB - shallow draught and grunt.

IF that's when he's going to come off.

Wife dragging me around from the action to other events and sitting around talking interminably

At the moment the sun is shining like - well like the summer's we all remember - I think - does anybody remember.

Will the Fates favour the dingbats and get him off safely

Lovely area - does anybody know the first notes from Deliverance, somebody said something about Straw Dogs

further update and poss pic later
 
Agreed but surely if the vessel was at risk in the surfline and ended up on the beach the lives on board were also in danger... any unplanned beaching (eg drying out to scrub/paint) is a risk. What if he'd broached/demasted/capsized? There's a 'good' video of a yacht doing just that in similar circumstances floating /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif around somewhere.

But I think it would be safer to pass a tow and drag them to safety rather than trying to take crew off the yacht. Hopefully one close pass to pass a tow as opposed to X no. alongside passes until all the crew are off.

W.
 
Years ago it used to be said that lifeboatmen wore two different hats.
On the one hand, they were fearless savers of lives. But after they had saved the lives, admittedly at sometimes great peril to themselves, they became old-time traditional salvagers. They would rescue your boat, but at a price, and made a nice living on the side by claiming salvage rights or seizing rescued ships. It was said many a skipper hesitated, negotiating in the teeth of an on-shore gale, weighing up how much his life was worth versus the value of saving his boat as well as himself.

Was there ever any truth in this view?
 
South coast sailors. The best in the world :-) I am gob smacked that he didn't stick to the channel. As you say Tangomoon, the tide is all over the place there. Sailing along the beach is OK but only on a rising tide. It sometimes takes people by surprise when they discover just how huge the tide range is here. If he tightens up the fore stay and there is a little wind and no swell this evening, he should sail off quite easily as he only has about 300 yrds or so to the nearest fairway buoy.
I hope he succeeds.
Nicki
 
Tide is on its way in HW 17: 26

P1020309.jpg


Vehicle was out there an hour or so ago - could be his engines being returned.

Sea state nice and flat considering yesterday's wind

Suspect rogue wave caused problem in first place -

water onboard

Appledore Bar as most Bars have steep waves when conditions make for them - keep away when it's humpy

Let's hope he manages the few hundred yards to deep water against a strong current
 
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