5th May 2001 - A shout that
illustrates one of the danger areas in Poole Harbour
1. Saturday 5th May 2001.
Its a busy Saturday afternoon in Poole Harbour, Dorset. The second largest natural harbour in the world is buzzing with all kinds of activity: ferries sailing to France, pleasure boats, jest skis, power boats and yachts. The new season of yacht racing has just started and 15 X class 6m sailing dinghies are engaged in a ten mile race. The chain ferry which travels to Shell Bay has stopped mid stream to let some dinghies through. This causes four of the X class boats to misjudge the path of the ferry and collide with its side. There's a strong ebb tide in excess of 5 knots with a swell and, with little wind to help free the dinghies, they are pinned against the side of the ferry.
2. 2.23pm
Both Poole lifeboats, which are already afloat, intercept a radio call from the pilot cutter and respond immediately. 2.24pm The Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB) Friendly Forester II arrives at the scene and passes a line to one of the dinghies and tows her clear.
3. 2.25pm
The Brede class lifeboats Inner Wheel, takes the next two dinghies in tow, one after the other.
4.
As the ILB has towed a dinghy clear, the crew suddenly, see the fourth dinghy being swamped. Within ten seconds it sinks under the ferry.
5.
The two men from the dinghy cling to the grablines on the side of the ferry but the third member of the crew, a lady of 73, is dragged underneath the water and under the ferry. She is trapped below for 90 seconds.
6.
The Inner Wheel lets go its tow and goes to the other side of the ferry to search for the woman. Miraculously she is spotted in the water and Second Coxswain Mark Cole jumps in to save the woman from drowning.
7.
The ILB
also lets go its tow to rush to help the two men in the water. The ILB
cannot manoueuvre due to the strength of the tide but helmsman Gavin
McGuiness lays the ILB alongside the ferry, where it is pinned by the
tide. Crew Members Anne Millman and Paul Savage work tirelessly to recover
the two men. The strength of the tide, coupled with the lack of working
space, is making it near impossible and Paul Savage injures his right
shoulder against the ferry.
8.
The ILB crew manage to secure a line around the older of the two men. The Brede then tows the ILB clear of the ferry so the crew can recover the man over the starboard side.
9.
The younger of the two men is helped by the ferry crew and is recovered up a small ladder on the side of the ferry. The ILB and Brede land their casualties to a waiting ambulance by 2.56pm.
10.
This very difficult and dangerous rescue only takes these well trained and professional crews just over 30 minutes but this is a busy afternoon for the Poole lifeboats - the ILB attends six services and the Brede attends five services. For the part they played in this brave rescue Helmsman Gavin McGuiness and Crew Members Anne Millman and Paul Savage each receive framed Chairman's Letters of Thanks. Second Coxswain Mark Cole receives a Chief Executive's Letter of Thanks and Coxswain Jonathan Clark and his crew receive a Collective Operations Director's Letter of Thanks from the RNLI.
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The graphics and copy above are reproduced
by permission of Storm Force RNLI HQ, the original Publishers. Stormy
Stan is a regular feature in the RNLI's Storm Force magazine for young
enthusiasts.
The ILB was also en route to another shout when they came across
4 "XOD" Class 18ft boats all from Parkstone Yacht Club being held sideways,
pinned by an extremely fast outgoing tide on the Chain Ferry at the entrance
to the harbour.
The ILB had to act quickly and the big lifeboat also re-routed
immediately to help.
The Bramble Bush Bay chain ferry is a car ferry which
carries 48 cars across from North Haven to Shell Bay every 20 minutes
or so at the entrance to Poole Harbour. It is about 100ft long.
The ILB towed one yacht clear and the big boat towed 2
more clear, whilst this was happening one of the "X" boats which was pinned
against the side of the chain ferry was dragged under and sank, putting
all 3 occupants in the water.
The boat disintegrated in seconds. 2 of the crew were
male. They managed to grab and hold onto lifelines and ropes which had
been thrown from the ferry. They other elderly female sank with the boat
and was dragged completely the ferry. This was an agonising moment for
the crew on the ILB as they were trying desperately to get to them.
The Brede (big boat) instinctively went full astern to
the other side of the ferry; thankfully she reappeared and pooped up on
the other side some 20ft away from the ferry. She had not inflated her
lifejacket, which was probably a blessing as she may have got stuck and
appeared semi-conscious but she was being swept away by the fierce 6-knot
tide.
As she popped up 2nd Coxswain Mark Cole immediately jumped
into the water, inflated her lifejacket and worked with the crew in securing
a lifting harness to lift her out of the water. She was suffering from
extreme shock and was utterly exhausted from this frightening experience.
The big boat took her ashore at North Haven where she
was treated by the lifeboat crew and a doctor who happened to be on the
scene and offered her assistance.
Meanwhile the other 2 men who were holding onto the chain
ferry lifelines were being pulled under the ferry and were often completely
submerged, ILB crew member Paul Savage leaned over the front of the ILB
to help the elderly of the 2 men (the husband of the lady who went under
the ferry).
He hung on to him and kept the elderly man's head out
of the water as he was fast becoming completely exhausted. Paul Savage
hung on to him despite the fact that the ILB was crashing against the
ferry banging his shoulder. Anne Millman another crewmember was trying
to attach a line to secure him and the helmsman was having a battle to
keep the ILB from going under the ferry.
There was a horrendous ebb tide that pinned the ILB against
the chain ferry making it impossible to manoeuvre as the stern of the
boat was being sucked under.
After what seemed like an eternity the big boat came across
and threw a line onto the ILB and towed them out from under the ferry.
The elderly gentleman was pulled onboard the ILB and landed to an ambulance
along with his wife who was rescued earlier, by the big lifeboat.
The 2nd man, who was younger managed to pull himself along
the side of the chain ferry and was hauled out to safety by the crew of
the chain ferry.
Both crews had a testing time, with difficult conditions,
a screaming ebb tide that could have been fatal. There was also an incredible
amount of Bank Holiday boat traffic milling around the entrance of the
harbour, which did hinder movements and gave the Coxswain who was steering
the Brede some tricky situations.
But before they returned to the station the proceeded
to East Looe Bar to assist another 2 boats, a Jay 92, 30ft "Perfect Jay"
and "Upgrade" a 24ft yacht that had both gone aground. It seems extremely
shallow there this year and a few boats have been caught out.
Conditions - North Easterly gusting 4-5 and a 6 knot merciless ebb tide.
For further information please contact Coxswain Jon Clark, Poole Lifeboat Station 07721 617685.
ILB - Inshore Lifeboat Atlantic 75 "Friendly Forester II"
Big Boat - Brede Class "Inner Wheel"
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