How to Sink an H28 -Part 3

Bev and Keith left the beach area with difficulty. Scaling the steep cliffs carrying their saved possessions was not feasible, even with the assistance of locals, so they were taken out by police
to a fishing boat. Getting into an inflatable from the rocks in the still heavy seas was quite a feat. Keith described how a local police lieutenant achieved that by timing the waves to perfection.

“All that remained after that was to report to immigration, have our passports stamped and to fly home” said Keith.

Bev described various little incidents and her emotions about events before they left Tonga. If you go shopping there do not expect to be able to buy anything other than fizzy drinks and bully beef. The locals were very kind and a woman who had heard of their plight brought them a dish of taro with a delicious fish sauce. Bev said that their huge tragedy was really a most enriching experience. Later at the airport they met the lieutenant from the navy ship and he said “I am so glad that you are safe”. Bev was impressed by everyone’s caring. When she told that they had lost not just a boat but their home people felt very sorry for them. That sort of caring really made an impression on Bev and Keith. Keith summed up the whole event: “A bit of a bummer – but enriching”. Bev said that she got tearful only at the airport and mainly because folk were so caring and sympathetic.

Keith ended by saying that getting off the boat safely
and knowing what to do and what to take with them was vital. Hisadvice was:“Do what the Coast Guard teaches”.

During question time other facts were mentioned: Bev and Keith were at sea for 12 days. Most of that was in high winds so that they averaged 6.8 knots doing 130 miles per day. The cockpit filled several times but not from being pooped by waves.

It was “slop” that came up over the sides. The weather was atrocious with several weather fronts following each other. Weather forecasts were “spot on”. In the area where they were wrecked an interisland ferry runs every day of the year but it had not put to sea for the three days prior to the wrecking which is an indication of the conditions at the time.

Other boats also out there were having a rough time. The cause of their being wrecked? Wind blowing inland after swirling over the top of the island? Wind direction change? Tide? Keith said he thought that currents were the most likely cause of them being moved towards the island rather than being blown away from it as on the previous occasions.

Were they insured? “No”. Keith explained the financial issues and problems like high excess and premiums; the requirement of having a third person on board to qualify for cover and more. Keith said that he suffered no injuries during the events except for a broken finger nail. Even if the navy had managed to pull them off the reef the boat was not in a condition to sail back for repair and shipping it would also have been a problem.

“Would you do it again?”. “Yes, but with a larger steelhulled boat”. 

“What about the future?” “We plan to go to the mines
in Australia to earn some serious money and then take it from there”.

Good luck, Bev and Keith, for the future and may any sailing you do be free of the dramas that you have experienced recently. Thank you for sharing some of them with us and most of all for showing how to see the positive side of adversity.