Traveller's Tales

What excitement did you have get to or from the Isle of Wight? Does anything compare to this story from Chris Glen Smith of the return leg?

The Titaninc 2000 (well almost!)
(some of the events portrayed may have been dramatized)

The cast :

At approx 14:00 August 20th 2000 we steamed out of Bembridge while the skipper (Russell) pointing out the sights on the way, like where he went aground, where he lost the propshaft etc!

We set sail and turned off the motor but the wind was light and fitful so we were only getting a couple of knots on the GPS and some of that was the tide helping.

Eventually to help us get across the channel the motor was started but we were not going any faster, it seemed to be stuck in neutral.

The skipper (Russell) checked inside the cabin and uttered his favourite nautical term : "Shit!".

We were taking on water :  he hurriedly threw the contents of a locker down into the cabin so he could get to the propeller shaft. Yes it had slipped out again, presumably due to the enormous rush of water at two knots dragging on it or perhaps it had been hit by a small ice berg?.

The well drilled crew swung into action! ( well, I manned the bilge pump while Asif  videoed the efforts to save the ship! )

Meanwhile the captain contemplated calling out the coastguard, however the bilge pump was coping OK (with the help of my right arm! ) so instead with the aid of distress flares and the wireless operator (well OK he waved his arms!) he hailed a passing yacht and negotiated salvage terms in return for a tow.

Once under tow Russell donned his wet suit and hung over the stern pushing the prop back in with his feet while Mark stood on his head in the access locker tightening the prop shaft retaining ring. Ian the Cabin Boy relayed messages from Mark to Russel (mostly of the form "Harder! Harder!")

The water stopped coming in so we decided that we might live after all and the drinks were broken out again.

Arrived at Port Solent on schedule at approx 17:30.

                   THE END