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.
