Antigua – April 2009

 

Well, following on from the last update we stayed in the British Virgin Islands for a further week or so, waiting for a suitable weather window for our trip down the islands to St Kitts.  It never really arrived but when the forecast was for gentle east – north east winds we decided to head out.    We anchored in Gorda Sound so that we could leave at about 6 pm to clear the islands during the last of the daylight on Wednesday 1^st April.

 

When we left Virgin Gorda it was a lovely evening with clear skies and the waxing moon was high in the sky.  Unfortunately by midnight (ish) the moon was hiding behind clouds before it finally set over the horizon.  From then on it became darker with the winds picking up and squalls passing over us.    What was a nice gentle sail was turning out to be the usual type of longer passage, getting from one place to another as quickly with as much comfort as possible.   So donned in our full foul weather gear we crashed through the waves.

 

Unfortunately at around 2.20-2.30 am when I was on watch we hit something in the water.   Paul had been sleeping in the cockpit and unfortunately hit his head when the boat stopped so suddenly.  This in turn made him dizzy and seasick.  At first there was no sign of anything untoward but as the night progressed, we realised that water was coming in from below the black tank area in the bow.  

 

It is too painful at this time to go into any further detail but as daylight approached in spite of the constant use of the various bilge and shower pumps, the water level was nearly above the batteries and trying to save her was no longer an option and we were forced to abandon Helen Mary Gee,  It felt that we were deserting her and I felt so bad.  We could see Saba rising high in the distance and from our position we knew we were about 20 miles north west  of the island.     Sitting with the dinghy and the liferaft we watched our beautiful home struggle to stay afloat, but she finally slipped beneath the deep blue water of the Caribbean Sea.

 

We had put out a Mayday without any response.  The ships radio had earlier stopped working probably because of the water over the wiring. Now in the dinghy we had only our handheld radio.  We thought that the nearer we got to Saba the more chance we had of being heard either by the coast guard or another ship.  The current and the wind were taking us further from the island and we had to make a decision to leave our fate to the dinghy, as the liferaft, without any means of propulsion was taking  us further away.  We therefore unclipped the liferaft painter and watched it drift quickly away.    We continued to call on the radio and fire flares in the hope that someone would hear us or see the flares but there was no other ship in sight.

 

Eventually we received a response to our continued Mayday calls from the French sea rescue service in St Martin.   Immediately after that another ship, Dreamcatcher of Jersey, answered the Mayday and offered assistance being only 8 miles due south of us.   We slowly motored towards them on the  reciprocal course to the one that they gave us.     Roger and Lucyna eventually picked us up and we are here to tell the tale, albeit a very painful one at this time.  We hope you will understand why we have kept this brief for the time being.   We were invited to remain on their boat for as long as we needed and they made us extremely welcome and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

 

One bright note however, Roger and Lucyna suddenly announced on Monday 6^th this that they were getting married.   Hasty arrangements were made and Paul and I were asked to be their witnesses.    The arrangements certainly occupied our minds and hands and I can report that on Wednesday 8^th April the civil ceremony took place on their boat in Jolly Harbour marina, Antigua.  I have attached two happy pictures to record the day.  The four of us enjoyed a wonderful wedding breakfast, followed by our hasty exit for the airport.

The happy couple

 

 

 

The four of us

We are now back in the UK and will be returning home in the next few days.  Eventually we will prepare a full account of what happened that night.  To all of the friends that we have met on the way please stay in touch as we want to hear your tales.  If you need crew for a longer passage we are happy to help out and the invitation for you to come to the UK and stay with us still holds.  

 

Until we meet again I will sign off the adventures of Helen Mary Gee with sadness. 

 

 

 

Helen and Paul

Helen Mary Gee