How to Sink an H28 - Part 2

Taupo Maritime Radio advised them to activate their EPIRB which Keith secured to himself. Bev included a space blanket, tarps to make a bivouac, food packs and extra water. She even included tooth brush and paste as she does not like being unable to brush her teeth.

Keith and Bev left the boat in water which varied from chest deep to hip depth and waded a couple of hundred meters to the beach walking backwards. They did not use the life raft but Keith tied it to himself when they went ashore. They did not want to be thrown forwards onto rocks by unseen waves from
behind. The high flotation collars behind their heads
would protect them if they fell backwards towards
the shore.

Keith had managed to contact Taupo Maritime Radio and through them the Tongan authorities were notified. The police had been given the co-ordinates of the wreck and came looking for them. However, they had no knowledge of longitude and latitude so they enlisted the assistance of an American Peace Corps worker, a little Indian fellow, who led the way.

Bev and Keith got ashore safely and set about getting
dry, warm and trying to get some sleep. Keith said that sleep was difficult as they could hear their boat being crunched against the rocks. The EPIRB light was flashing and Keith suggested covering that with a towel to enable sleep. “No!” Bev wanted to see that flashing light. All of Tamujin’s lights were on so Bev and Keith saw those swinging back and forth continually. Bev wanted to crawl behind a rock to get out of sight of the boat lights. She also had cold feet and eventually put them into plastic bags which improved matters.

The boat’s lights stayed on all night which enabled the police to find them on an otherwise black coastline. Their helpers arrived before day break and suggested that they go back to the boat immediately as the tide was out. Keith flatly refused to go in the dark and said that he would wait for daylight. Later local fisherman arrived too to assist.

The audience was enthralled by the events related so far and the calm manner in which Bev and Keith spoke about danger and disaster. Now the tale took a turn. Many positive things were said. Keith had high praise for Taupo Maritime Radio who responded quickly and gave good advice. Bev explained how the locals were delightfully polite and caring.

Keith was matter-of-fact when he explained that he had no further use for many of the items on the boat that the locals could utilise. Keith decided to give them away - if he did not the locals would take them anyway. Keith gave away the batteries, solar panels and much more. Bev said that the food would not last and they had heaps on board. When they had loaded up the boat before departure the remark was “Do we need all of that? - we are not going to feed the Third World”. Prophetic – as that is exactly where the food ended up.

The Tongans were helpful, polite and respectful even though they had come to glean the spoils of the wreck. It was “looting by consent” with Keith and Bev indicating what was theirs, not to be taken and donating the rest. When the beer, champagne and wine were discovered the removal of items from the boat became somewhat of a party. The inside of the boat was at this stage still fairly dry.

The most highly prized commodity was rope. Keith said that if ever you go to Tonga take all the old rope that you can find. Everyone there wants rope. Everyone uses rope. They use rope for everything from tying up cattle, goats, pigs to tying up wives and children (perhaps that was an exaggeration?).

 Bev and Keith spent a second night on the beach.

Then the Tongan navy arrived and after communication problems were solved offered to try to tow them off. That failed when the naval rope broke. Keith had plenty of his own rope and some chain and offered that. Time had run out as the tide had receded and the naval vessel declined further attempts. Tamujin had already sustained considerable damage and it rapidly worsened when the next tide came in. Keith said that the forces were brutal and the fuel and water tanks were pushed up and through into the inside. Parts of the boat were subjected to enormous forces and hugely distorted.

At one stage timbers opened, trapped the cuff strap of his jacket, and then closed. He had to cut off the strap to free himself.