RUDDERLESS ROUND LAND’S END

IN JUNE 2021, EXPERIENCED SAILORS DELIA SWIFT AND HER HUSBAND CHRIS BELL SET OFF FROM CHICHESTER HARBOUR WITH THEIR DOG OZZY, ON A VOYAGE AROUND BRITAIN. AT LAND’S END 3 WEEKS LATER, THINGS FELL APART ...

The first few weeks afloat passed peacefully along the south coast. But when they reached Padstow Harbour in north Cornwall, their luck ran out. An unusual run of strong northerly winds held them there for 13 days. Chris explains: 'We calculated the remainder of the trip and it was going to be around 50 miles a day, every day. So we aborted.’

Watching the forecast closely, Delia and Chris picked their moment and left Padstow. Chris recalls the day: 'It was grey, overcast, and blowing force 4–5.' The winds carried them well past Newquay and St Agnes but, knowing they wouldn’t round Land’s End before nightfall, they stopped at St Ives. What followed was a long night – fully dressed and with lifejackets on – on anchor watch through force 6 winds.

The morning brought gusts up to force 8 and a dragging anchor. They were forced to head out to sea, informing Falmouth Coastguard that they would stay clear of the shore until the wind abated mid-afternoon. They continued to call in hourly updates.

But things were not going to plan: 'Because we had a spring ebb tide and force 8 northerly,' explains Chris, 'we were going in a south-easterly direction at 1½ knots so we would have run ashore.'

By midday, with no sign of the wind dying down, they called the Coastguard again. 'We made the decision to make a run for Land's End with the wind and tide,' says Chris. For the next few hours, they made good headway in heavy weather. The wind had eased but was still gusting, and the seas remained big.

Delia says: 'We couldn’t go back and we faced Land’s End so we were between the devil and the deep blue sea. There was torrential rain and – even though we both had our Gore-Tex on – with the sea crashing into us, we were wet right through.’ Chris adds: 'The rain brought restricted visibility. And we had big following seas.

We were being picked up by the stern and surfing down each wave. The load on the rudder to stop a broach was really quite difficult. The Coastguard had informed the National Coastwatch, who were looking out for us. And we were transmitting AIS, so they knew where we were.’

When the turning tide brought heavy swell and turbulence, the pressure proved too much. 'At about 4.20pm there was one almighty CRACK! and the bottom fittings of the rudder came off,' Chris recalls.

Now, without steerage, Delia, Chris and Ozzy were at the full mercy of the sea. 'Because of the following seas, we then broached. We were surfing sideways down the seas and I was looking down at Delia and Ozzy – over the other side I could see the keel.

'At that point we were about 1 nautical mile from the granite spires of Longships Rocks. We wouldn’t have survived them. The Coastguard were made aware and they asked Sennen Cove lifeboat to attend.'

Sennen Cove’s volunteer RNLI crew launched their Tamar class all-weather lifeboat and located Delia and Chris 4½ miles north-west of Sennen Cove. 'They came close to us and threw a line so that we could take a drogue over the aft end of the boat to act as our steerage,' says Chris.

'Even experienced sailors can get caught out – particularly in areas with tidal gates, such as Land’s End. But Delia and Chris’s great communication with the Coastguard meant that we could be there for them when they needed us.

'If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t panic. Inform the coastguard and, if safe to do so, secure the rudder – you may prevent it damaging the hull and putting you in greater danger.

'While the rudder succumbed to the swell, pre-season inspections of your vessel can pick up some issues and potential points of failure before they become dangerous. So never skip this vital part of sailing.

'As before any sailing trip, if embarking on a passage check wind and tides. A tidal stream atlas will help you understand where you’ll encounter wind against tide conditions – which create bigger and rougher seas than when the tide is flowing with the wind.'

'I had to then crawl along the deck to the bow to take the tow rope from the lifeboat. That wasn’t easy. But we got the line attached!’

Delia remarks: 'Ozzy was distressed, barking. We truly expected to die. I remember vividly, being in the cockpit and seeing the lifeboat coming straight towards us. At one point, in these big seas, they were what felt like 1m from the boat – everyone going up and down – then they just powered away again. The skill of that team is incredible.’

Chris continues: 'The tow down to Land’s End was in really quite difficult conditions. Delia was showing signs of hypothermia so I got an emergency blanket and wrapped it around her. And then the tow continued to Newlyn Harbour.'

'Between us, we have 100 years of sailing,' says Delia. 'But I’d never experienced anything like that, it was absolutely terrifying. The crew were professional and compassionate. Had they not come, the outcome could have been so different that day.’ ■

Words: Anna Burn Photos: RNLI/(Sennen Cove, Tim Stevens), Shutterstock.com

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