Close encounter

[Magnus]

On thursdays night, when i came back from my little gentlemans club meeting (RT) at around 11,30 PM, a gale had started to blow in from the west. It is quite usual where I live, a nothing to get excited abt. To be on the safe side though, I decided to fill my spare into the main gasoline tank on my little boat, to run out of gas is not very pleasant. The lights where out, since the battery was emptied, but there is no other traffic this time of the year, and I thought that it only takes three minutes so it should be no problem; I do the trip around 2000 times a year, so it´s not like it was the firt time either ;)

Anyways, when I came out on the sea, there where quite big waves as expected. I slowed down to abt ten knots, in order to have enouogh speed not to get the boat filled from behind, and at the same time avoidning any jumps. they can be fun, but not when you just want to get home...
Suddenly the revs dropped, and my 30 hp four-stroke Mercury gave up its breath. :(
I immediately realized that I was in **** creek. The cliffs where abt 400 meters from my position, and I was approaching them fast. I could see the cascades from the water and hear the sounds of the waves crashing upon them. I tried to call 112 (911), but they where OCCUPIED, and could not answer :s It was abt five degrees(in water aswell) and the wind was blowing with around 30 knots.

****! I trided to call the pilots, but could not get hold of theyr number. So I took my padle and tried to paddle, for my life, towards where I live, so the I could drift down further before I encountered the cliffs.
I was only about 30 metres from where I live, when the currents started moving me towards the cliffs again. My girlfriend was standing on our quay, and we could yell to eah other, and I asked here to try to get in touch with the pilots. Then I couldn´t here her anymore. my final hope was a buoy abt a hundred metres from my position. i tried to plan my drifting so that I would be able to tie the boat to it. But it was very difficlut; the current took me in one direxction, and the wind in another.
I hit it right on though, but it is built like a stick, and i was so wet and cold i could hardly hold on to it. So it started to slip my hand, and while the buoy started to lean I found my self holding on to almost nothing. Suddenly when I thought it was all gone, I found a hole in the buoys top part in which I with numb fingers finally managed to get my rope.

So I sat there, soaked and somewhat helpless...
Suddenly I realized i was adrift again. The rope hade broken. So the cliffs where approaching once more.
Luckily enough I could now see the pilots boats approaching and soon their strong lights found me, and I was pulled to safety.

Quite cold and somewhat shaken I was glad to be able to sit down i n the sofa within five minutes...
I have rescued so many people myself in this area, and as them, i made some stupid mistakes:
- My big boat(rescue boat actually) got water in the carbs so it is out of order, otherwise it wouldn´t have been any probs.
- I should have checked the quality of the fuel in the spare (which was the reason the engine stopped)
- When I borrowed the anchor from my little boat some time ago, I should maybe have put it back...? :s
- I should have changed the battery in time, or at least arranged for some extra lights.
- Just because you have done it a thousand time, you shouldn´t drop your guard.
Well: stupid lives to tell the tale :)

[Donney]

Good to hear you are OK.

[ShiftingGears]

On thursdays night, when i came back from my little gentlemans club meeting (RT) at around 11,30 PM, a gale had started to blow in from the west. It is quite usual where I live, a nothing to get excited abt. To be on the safe side though, I decided to fill my spare into the main gasoline tank on my little boat, to run out of gas is not very pleasant. The lights where out, since the battery was emptied, but there is no other traffic this time of the year, and I thought that it only takes three minutes so it should be no problem; I do the trip around 2000 times a year, so it´s not like it was the firt time either

Anyways, when I came out on the sea, there where quite big waves as expected. I slowed down to abt ten knots, in order to have enouogh speed not to get the boat filled from behind, and at the same time avoidning any jumps. they can be fun, but not when you just want to get home...
Suddenly the revs dropped, and my 30 hp four-stroke Mercury gave up its breath.
I immediately realized that I was in **** creek. The cliffs where abt 400 meters from my position, and I was approaching them fast. I could see the cascades from the water and hear the sounds of the waves crashing upon them. I tried to call 112 (911), but they where OCCUPIED, and could not answer :s It was abt five degrees(in water aswell) and the wind was blowing with around 30 knots.

****! I trided to call the pilots, but could not get hold of theyr number. So I took my padle and tried to paddle, for my life, towards where I live, so the I could drift down further before I encountered the cliffs.
I was only about 30 metres from where I live, when the currents started moving me towards the cliffs again. My girlfriend was standing on our quay, and we could yell to eah other, and I asked here to try to get in touch with the pilots. Then I couldn´t here her anymore. my final hope was a buoy abt a hundred metres from my position. i tried to plan my drifting so that I would be able to tie the boat to it. But it was very difficlut; the current took me in one direxction, and the wind in another.
I hit it right on though, but it is built like a stick, and i was so wet and cold i could hardly hold on to it. So it started to slip my hand, and while the buoy started to lean I found my self holding on to almost nothing. Suddenly when I thought it was all gone, I found a hole in the buoys top part in which I with numb fingers finally managed to get my rope.

So I sat there, soaked and somewhat helpless...
Suddenly I realized i was adrift again. The rope hade broken. So the cliffs where approaching once more.
Luckily enough I could now see the pilots boats approaching and soon their strong lights found me, and I was pulled to safety.

Quite cold and somewhat shaken I was glad to be able to sit down i n the sofa within five minutes...
I have rescued so many people myself in this area, and as them, i made some stupid mistakes:
- My big boat(rescue boat actually) got water in the carbs so it is out of order, otherwise it wouldn´t have been any probs.
- I should have checked the quality of the fuel in the spare (which was the reason the engine stopped)
- When I borrowed the anchor from my little boat some time ago, I should maybe have put it back...?
- I should have changed the battery in time, or at least arranged for some extra lights.
- Just because you have done it a thousand time, you shouldn´t drop your guard.
Well: stupid lives to tell the tale

Glad you're fine :up:

Once in primary school I jumped over fallen powerlines, but I have no idea whether they were active or not. That could've ended badly.

[J4MIE]

Glad you're ok Magnus, even the most intelligent people look back and think how they should have done things differently! :s

Magnus, that's a scary story. Good thing your girlfriend was on the quay but she must have been worried for your safety. Glad it turned out ok for you.

[leopard]

It's ten years ago or so I lived in an island where the main transportation are river. Driving speedboat to transport me somewhere else was wonderful, but the wave and considering it has no roof it can easily cause nausea. Make sure that properly fit for driving it.

That's good you are safe and can can figure out the problem.

[slinkster]

The important thing is you're alright. Sounds very scary for you though.

[Daniel]

Lucky Magnus. At least you're alright.

[Norwegian Blue]

It can totally happen to anyone...I'm a Senior Sailing instructor yet I've been picked up by the lifeboats twice, just silly mistakes that get punished real bad because of the environment you're in. It's dangerous out there, especially if you are inexperienced and you don't know what you're doing.

It's why I take pride in my work to try and train people to be responsible and safe water users. Did a few days of training with the RNLI (expect alot of people on here know who they are) recently and my respect for the volunteers who go out to help people is sky high.