Anchor watch

This morning was interesting! The day started at 3.30 for me, I was on watch at 4am. Its only when I'm at sea that I appreciate just how early it gets light! It was already getting light by 4.30am. We were anchored in Great Yarmouth Roads about 3/4 mile of the beach and about a mile inland from a large sandbank area and a wind farm. One thing I have noticed this trip away to sea is the amount of sea wind farms that are popping up everywhere it would seem.
Anway i got some lovely photos as the sun was rising,.

Windfarm at dawn

 It only takes a few minutes for the sun to rise and its so beautiful.

Its a Sunday here so there was quite a lot of activity on the beach, its a sunny day after all. At about 10am I heard a couple of the lifeboats calling in on the VHF radio to say they were going out on an exercise. Probably to have a spin along the beach and practice.
They were from the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifebaot Station.

They came across to near our ship and did a circle round us,

Click here to see details of this Lifeboat Station

Wow I thought how good was that, being an RNLI committee member I was pleased to see them and glad to get some photos too.

At the same time there was a ship sailing out of port behind and also a little sailing boat. It was sailing to the east of us, between us and the sandbanks, heading north towards the wind farm.

A little time later, after the lifeboat had gone back into the port, I heard a yacht calling Yarmouth Radio on the VHF. When  I looked out the window behind me i could see the little yacht again but this time it had its sails up but was getting quite close to the sandbanks and because of the tide etc there were quite a few waves breaking near it.

I didn't catch what exactly was wrong, perhaps the engine had given up because the man on the yacht was explaining that they were drifting onto the sandbanks and couldn't seem to get off.  Sadly the wind was westerley so he was being blown further out onto the sandbanks.

Great Yarmouth radio explained they were launching the lifeboat and asked the man to drop his anchor in an attempt to stop him actually going aground.

In a few minutes the lifeboat was back in sight, zooming along towards the yacht. However once he got nearer it became clear that the water was too shallow for the lifeboat to get close enough to get a tow rope to the yacht. So the inshore lifeboat was called to assist too,

At the same time another ship at anchor volunteered its fast rescue craft to assist. Their offer of help was accepted and soon there was two small fast craft and the larger lifeboat all on scene.

Luckily they got a tow line to the yacht and managed to get him clear of the sand banks.

Well done to the crews who helped rescue him.

This is one of the reasons I support the RNLI - no matter what the situation they will come to your rescue at sea and they are all volunteers!

It does highlight though that if you are a small craft owner it pays to carefully plan your voyage and  clearly know what direction wind and tide are going and what effect this is likely to have on your vessel. Also make sure your equipment works and your engine is in good working order.

Below is a video I have put together of photos and video footage of the rescue  - make sure you have the volume on!