Salvaging Lariekoek from La Rief Koek

La Rief Koek

Whilst Jet was sleeping (see prior posting), Ewout and Aedgard sent messages to the international rescue authorities requesting assistance to salvage Lariekoek. Within minutes a voice came up on the radio identifying itself as “Martin from Mago Island”. All agreed that nothing could be done that night, but that at daybreak contact would resume. Before catching some sleep we contacted the insurers and drafted a list of the most important items to retrieve from the boat. However, we fully expected that half the hull would have been ripped open by morning and many items swept away.

That night, conditions were good, but it was pitch dark and drifting in unknown waters in the vicinity of a reef that had just claimed a victim kept us on high alert. After an early breakfast we gathered waterproof boxes, tarps etc. Soon Aedgard and Ewout were picked up by a fast tender with two Fijians and Martin Livingston a Scottish Fijian. Martin manages the island and runs quite a show. He can swear like a drunken sailor, but has a heart of gold and ran an amazing salvage operation:

- During the night Lariekoek had moved several hundred meters over the reef.

Aedgard left the sail up hoping that during high tide the wind would push Lariekoek beyond the surf.

As Aedgard and Ewout worked down a list of important things to retrieve from Lariekoek a crowd of some 25 strong Fijians assembled. This crowd helped fill up four Panga's (i.e tenders) with *everything* that was loose on Lariekoek including the stove and the batteries.

A Panga full of gear

Martin then rolled in a large CAT excavator which gently lifted the bow, stern, and keel, whilst the work crew placed tires under Lariekoek.

Next they placed 8 *massive* mahogany(!) beams under Lariekoek. These were lashed and nailed together.

What do beams like these cost at your local hardwood specialist (note: orange music cassette for scale)?

The raft taking shape

To add buoyancy they tied some 15 empty 200 liter oil drums to the "raft".

At that point they had to wait for the rising tide before an attempt would be made to re-float Lariekoek. Time for lunch at...  ... a Hollywood mogul’s house.

This is perhaps the right time to explain that Aedgard keeps high standards. Hence, it took 17 years of cruising Lariekoek, before he finally found a reef that met all his criteria:

1) A beautiful tropical island.

Mago Island, the largest private island in the South Pacific.

2) A Friendly island manager with a great sense of humor and enormous drive and creativity.

Martin Livingston who built his own resort, winning a prize for being the best small luxury resort in the world. (Who was going to tell Aedgard that Mago Island wasn't a resort?).

3) A personal assistant assigned to do whatever it takes to get Aedgard off the island.

"Punk" Aedgard's more than capable assistant.

4) A cook who will make a great curry any time of day or night.

Melle operating the coconut grinder.

5) A good place to lay your head to rest.

 Aedgard walking to his personal cottage.

6) A good place to store your gear

One of 3 places where Aedgard's gear was brought. Did he get any work done?

7) Transport when you need it.

A Private island without a private plane wouldn't be much use to the stranded sailor would it?

On Bravado we were just left wondering whether we should tell the Hollywood mogul that being such an excellent host is NOT the way to get a yottie off your island?

Two tenders slowly pulled the raft to deeper water.

As for Lariekoek: She was re-floated and after twelve 18-hour days she was ready to complete the trip to Savusavu. She sustained significant damage, but considering the beating she received, the hull is in remarkably good condition. Quite a testament to the care Aedgard put into building her!

Aedgard and Punk cleaning Lariekoek's interior.

*Part* of one category of gear (electronics) that needed drying, cleaning, and inspecting. Many items became junk due to the salt water that washed around inside the boat during the incident.

Whilst Aedgard was working on Lariekoek, Bravado moved to nearby Vanua Balavu for shelter. This is a difficult place to get permission to cruise, but considered one of the most beautiful locations in the Pacific. We had some great contacts with the local villagers, wired up a home with LED lighting and did some other technical work for them. (Blog post to follow). Ewout divided his time between Bravado and Lariekoek, writing a detailed damage report for the insurers.

As Lariekoek became ready to continue onwards, we brought Bravado back to Mago Island and Martin gave us a wonderful tour of the island (Blog post to follow). The meal on the final night was quite a feast: Oysters, lobster, various curries etc. Fijian hospitality certainly is way beyond anything we ever expected it to be.

P.S. As word spreads about Lariekoek’s reception on Mago Island Martin runs the risk of getting many more uninvited visitors. He asked us to spread the word that he is a character worth staying clear of.


P.P.S. Naming credits for the reef go to Daniel Wlochovski, a French friend of Aedgard's, who apparently is well aware that many things in the Pacific are named after the famous English explorer Captain Cook.

Rescuing Aedgard by Jet Mante

After many happy weeks in Tonga, we set sail for Fiji in the middle of September. As we passed the Eastern most islands of Fiji, we were enjoying a beautiful sunset when...

Lariekoek earlier this year behind a reef in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia

...over the VHF radio we heard: “Shit, shit”, some crackling, and then “Mayday, Mayday!!” Those 4 simple words set the world upside down.

Dad rushed outside and uttered some expletives. I ran with him and saw Lariekoek (our buddy boat) with the distress light on. She was heeling over one way, almost toppling and then heeling over the other way till toppling point.

We went into action. Mum, Dad and I lowered the sails, started the engine and headed at top speed to Lariekoek. Mum steered, while Dad talked on the VHF to Aedgard (Lariekoek’s captain) and I put my hair in a ponytail. My two brothers (Hein and Eltjo), and I put all the long lines, Dad’s shoes and a fender into The Peerys (our dinghy). Next, in preparation for our rescue expedition, we gave two (solar charged, waterproof, LED) flashlights to Dad.

Dad asked me to go with him, so I pulled off my dress and put my windbreaker on over my underwear. I tucked a third flashlight like the ones Dad already had in my pocket and grabbed a lifejacket and a lifeline for Dad and myself. Finally, I clipped the mobile VHF to my lifeline.

Meanwhile Dad had put the last things into the dinghy, changed into swimming trunks and grabbed Hein’s headlight. Together Dad, Hein and I lowered The Peerys, and brought it to the back of Bravado, where Dad joined me in The Peerys. Dad started the engine to leave, and I let go but unfortunately we had forgotten the extra fuel tank. We came back and managed to get the extra fuel (Aaron, thank you for filling it up before we left Tonga!). Dad shouted some last instructions to Mum, before we really left.

While Dad explained that the lines in front were tied on and that the lines in the back weren’t I prepared a line with a fender and flashlight attached to the end. I prepared to throw the line overboard. Suddenly the depth went up from about 307 meters to 1 meter. We were over the reef!

Dad threw the fender overboard and let it drift to Lariekoek. Since it didn’t come quite near enough we hauled it back in, and dad decided to try again coming very carefully nearer to Lariekoek.

We came nearer and let the fender out again, it was almost at Lariekoek, when suddenly a huge wave washed over! It was cold, salty, sudden, but the worst bit was, that when I pointed the flashlight ahead, as we tried to get away, there were so many more!

I have no idea how many waves we went through, maybe three, maybe ten, but every time it was the same. First, I would see the wave and would crouch down in preparation, then under we went! When we came up again, I pointed the flashlight and saw what seemed like an even bigger wave ahead. I tried to bail, but couldn’t, for the bailer kept pulling up short on the rope, or only half of it was going overboard (it was abut a one quart bailer). After about two or three half full bails, another huge wave would crash. After the first wave my life jacket had exploded into being.

Finally, when I thought it could get no worse the engine failed, and we capsized!

I swam to Dad carefully to keep my feet off the sharp reef. I grabbed his hand, and made him promise to stay with me no matter what. Together we struggled to Lariekoek, wading and swimming over the sharp coral and through the surf.

Dad and Aedgard helped me get through the railing onto Lariekoek, which was hard with the life jacket on. I went back to the cockpit. Soon I was shivering as I listened to Dad and Aedgard discussing our options. There was talk of Dad and I swimming back to Bravado, but because of all the cuts we had, and since it was dark, “Jaws” was very much on my mind. (Later Dad told me he too had thought of sharks). Finally Aedgard and Dad decided Dad would try to find The Peerys and make her useable.

The whole time Dad and Aedgard were discussing the ship, leaning over 65 degrees, made grinding noises and violent thuds. Suddenly, the chart table, against which I was leaning to keep my balance, started moving separately from the rest of the boat... The hull was giving way.

I soon lay down in Aedgard’s bunk under a towel to keep warm. Crouching, while holding on so hard it hurt my knuckles, because the boat would change to leaning over 65 degrees to the other side, I drifted in and out of sleep, afraid for Dad.

Every now and then I would use the VHF radio to give Mom an update, and helped Aedgard and Dad. I was very grateful for my life jacket. Not only for helping me swim, but also for being a great pillow.

After what seemed like forever, Dad was done and I persuaded Dad into taking Aedgard with us. I did this while gathering Aedgard’s most important stuff with him.

Dad borrowed Aedgard’s bailer and replaced The Peerys broken outboard engine with Aedgard’s. Then he told me to sit up front on the fender and that my 3 tasks would be: 1. holding the oars, 2. Bailing, and 3. Guiding us through the waves.

I got in while Dad and Aedgard pushed us to the breakers. There Aedgard got in and started his engine while Dad steadied the boat. We were off to safety!

This time it was a little less scary. I bailed till Dad got in after going through the breakers. We made it with only 3 waves coming over us. By the time Dad got in there was water up to 3cm under the rim of The Peerys and it was still 1 kilometer to Bravado, but we were safe.

Dad bailed while I helped to guide Aedgard till finally we were at Bravado. It had been the scariest night of my life, but now we were safe!

We pulled The Peerys up on deck, showered, dried off, had hot chocolate and decided a route together with Mom.

I talked the adventure over with Mom before snuggling up and going out like a light.