A 45ft wooden charter schooner went aground late yesterday afternoon in Roaring Water Bay, West Cork reports Sheela Broderick of Baltimore Lifeboat There were 3 men, 3 women and a young girl of preschool age on board at the time. The tide was falling so assistance was immediately required.
At 17:44, the Baltimore inshore lifeboat Bessie, was tasked to go to the assistance of the stricken vessel. Bessie is a twin-outboard Rigid Inflatable Boat that is capable of a top speed of 32 knots.
When the lifeboat arrived on scene, Helm,Micheal Cottrell, assessed the situation. The yacht was stuck fast on a rock on the North East corner of the East Skeam Island. A tow was passed to the schooner. Initially the inshore lifeboat attempted to pull the yacht off the rocks directly from behind, but the she did not budge. The vessel was listing 10 degrees on the rock, so it was decided to try a tow applied at right angles and this strategy proved successful in shifting the yacht from its perch.
The crew of the lifeboat then took 2 women and the little girl aboard as the journey time back to the yacht moorings at Sherkin Island was considerable. The lifeboat took the women and the little girl to Sherkin Island. The yacht was able to make her own way back to Sherkin with the rest of the passengers.
Lifeboat Crew: Helm - Micheal Cottrell, Ronan Callanan and Paul O’Driscoll.
