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News from your cruising area [email protected], tel: 01202 440825, or write to the address on page 5Regional News
SOUTH
FREE WI-FI
Visiting seafarers can enjoy faster
internet speeds at Cowes Yacht
Haven thanks to a new, free high-
speed Wi-Fi service. WightFibre has
installed two new fibre optic cables
into the site and 10 new Wi-Fi access
points across the marina. Hundreds of
users at any one time can access the
internet for free on the 1Gb (1,000 Mb)
network. There is also a premium
paid-for service available for those
looking to stream films or television,
priced at £3 per day, £5 for three
days, £10 per week or £25 per month.CHANNEL ISLANDS
GROUNDED YACHT
A French single-handed yachtsman
miscalculated the tidal height over the
sill when leaving Victoria Marina in St
Peter Port, and his yacht grounded on
the falling tide. The 11.8m (39ft) Heolia
from St Malo sat on the drying sill for
about six hours awaiting the next
rising tide: Heolia was helped by the
harbour staff and eventually tied safely
over the drying pad alongside the
quay in the marina. Damage was onlysailor travelled from Hartlepool to
collect his newly-bought Halmatic 30
from the Exeter Basin site in early
August. However, when he tried to
book his passage through the ship
canal, he was informed of the closure.
He was given the option of leaving
immediately, but could not due to
repair work being undertaken on the
mast. He said: ‘Exeter City Council
demand three working days notice of
passage, but expected me to drop
everything and make passage with
virtually none. Also on board was
an eight-year-old child.’
The sailor said he had to return to
the North-East Coast without his boat
and with the extra cost of renting
accommodation until the situation is
resolved. An Exeter council spokesman
said: ‘We’re investigating the complaint
and will respond in due course.NORTH-WEST
TALL SHIP SINKS
An investigation is under way after
one of Liverpool’s historic tall ships
sank in the deep waters of Albert
Dock. Emergency services were
called to Zebu’s mooring on 4
September. Formerly a Baltic timber
trader for 30 years, Zebu was built
in 1938 and later re-rigged as a
Victorian-style brigantine. She has
been based at the dock since 1988.
Susan Hanley-Place, chief executive
officer at Mersey Heritage Trust said:
‘As soon as tides permit the diving
support vessel to arrive in Albert
Dock, the raising of Zebu will
commence. She is likely then to be
floated into the Canning Half-TideDock, where dozens of volunteers
will do their best to ensure this
magnificent brigantine sails again.’IRELAND
‘GHOST YACHT’ SUNK
A yacht that crossed the Atlantic after
being abandoned more than a year
ago has been sunk by the Irish Navy.
Yacht owner Thomas Mallunat left the
cruiser Troll in October 2014 near
Bermuda because of a medical
emergency with his wife. Although
never expecting to see it again, he
was advised of a recent sighting by
an Irish Maritime Patrol Aircraft and
travelled to Cornwall in the hope of
retrieving the boat. However, it was
sunk in the meantime.
The cruiser was adrift in the UK
Search and Rescue area of
responsibility (that lies within the Irish
Exclusive Economic Zone). It was
deemed to be a navigational hazard
and at the request of the UK
Coastguard, the L.É. EITHNE sank
Troll 131NM south-west of Mizen Head.MARINA CHANGES HANDS
Lough Derg Marina has been sold
to a local investor for r1.7million.
This is more than three times the
guide price, but falls well short of
the r8 million paid in 2006 when it
last changed hands and reflects
the fact that it has fallen into disrepair.
The 250-berth marina at Killaloe
has 500m of lake frontage, a
workshop/warehouse, an ancillary
first-floor showroom and an adjoining
first-floor apartment. The marina
needs refurbishing but, subject to
planning permission, a new marina
could be built on the 7.18-acre site
with berthing, cruiser rental and
other activities.SCOTLAND
TEEN SAVES GRANDFATHER
AFTER FALL FROM BOAT
A 13-year-old boy has been praised
by coastguard staff after he saved
his grandfather who had fallen
overboard from their speedboat.
The teenager managed to hold onto
his grandfather by a rope while he
called 999 to report the incident
on Loch Fyne on 5 September. A
local vessel responded to the
coastguard’s relay emergency and
assisted the boy in recovering his
grandfather back on board. A rescue
helicopter airlifted the man to
hospital to be checked over.
Dawn Petrie from the Coastguard
Coordination Centre at Belfast said:
‘We were struck by how bravely and
sensibly this young boy behaved. He
deserves to be commended for his
courage and quick thinking.’Peter Frankland
Heolia grounded in Victoria Marina
The Irish Navy sank this ‘ghost yacht’
as it was a hazard to navigationSandpiper of Hamble on fire
at Deganwy Quays MarinaDavid Taylor, Conwy Boat ToursELECTRICAL FIRE
A blaze that devastated a 10.4m
(34ft) yacht at Deganwy Quays
Marina on 19 September was
caused by an electrical fault. A
spokesman for North Wales Fire
& Rescue Service said a person
was on board the yacht, Sandpiper
of Hamble, when the fire started
and tried to extinguish the fire
before evacuating the boat. Two
fire engines from Llandudno
responded to the 3.51pm call, and
crews found the yacht ‘well alight’,
moored alongside a jetty. They
had extinguished the fire by 6pm.RNLI TRAGEDY
While launching Pwllheli RNLI’s
all-weather lifeboat to attend a
grounded yacht on 20 September,WALES
Second Coxswain Robert Wright
suffered a suspected heart attack.
Fellow crew members administered
treatment and the lifeboatimmediately returned to the
marina, where Mr Wright was
airlifted by rescue helicopter to
hospital in Bangor. Sadly, despite
the best efforts of the lifeboat
crew and emergency services, Mr
Wright was pronounced dead
after reaching hospital.
Mr Wright joined Pwllheli RNLI
in 1970 and received several
awards from the institution,
culminating in an MBE in 2008
for voluntary service to the
community and the cause
of saving lives at sea.
Pwllheli’s inshore lifeboat and
Criccieth RNLI’s lifeboat were
subsequently tasked to assist
the grounded yacht on Pwllheli
beach which prompted the
initial launch.superficial, and the yacht set sail the
next day. Victoria Marina’s fixed sill at
dries 4.2m, giving access about 2½
hours either side of high water
depending on the vessel’s draught.SOUTH-WEST
CLOSURE CONFUSION
The closure of Exeter Canal for major
bridge repair work from 10-18 August
has left a liveaboard sailor out of pocket.
The boat owner, who does not wish to
be named, says the unannounced
lock closure – which was not
publicised as a local Notice to
Mariners – has resulted in his yacht
being 350 miles away. Following
liaison with Exeter Canal Office, the