NOTICE

This is a very isolated incident so don't let it put you off from having fun, I was back on the water two days later.

 

 

            COPYRIGHT 2001 Seaside nursery and garden center.

Sunday 7^th, a beautiful sunny day with a large swell at sea. Launched my trusted 3-month-old Yamaha gp1200r. I checked that the bungs where tight seat was fastened and all the usual pre launch checks. I went out of the inlet into the large bay area (see map). I was having great fun jumping and getting lots of air, until I jumped one particular wave were upon landing the seat popped open and the bilge area filled with water at the same time hydro-locking the engine. Now with the craft submerged I got my bearings and knew I was drifting towards land as I always go out with an onshore breeze. There where quite a lot of thoughts going trough my head at the time. I decided to phone the lifeboat but I knew that my mobile and v.h.f. were in the waterproof fire extinguisher compartment which was now below the water surface, so in one quick movement I opened the compartment and took out the phone (all while trying to hold on to the craft) but the phone would not switch on and the v.h.f. was totally submerged. I decided to try and steer for the beach as I was heading in that general direction. I do not know exactly how long I was out there for but it was getting dark and I set out to sea at 5 o’clock (I estimate about an hour) as I seem to be drifting just slightly right of the beach I started kicking my legs for all I was worth I knew I had to land on the beach or face the consequences, but the submerged ski was having none of it just kept on heading straight for the rocks. Upon nearing the rocks the waves started crashing over me and I had cramps in both legs and was feeling tired getting yet nearer to the rocks I could see large waves breaking over them and I was started to feel very scared I knew at this stage I could not save the ski so attention turned to saving myself. My father had told me some of his diving stories about landing on rocky shores in large waves so I remembered jump up with the wave and put your hands in front of you once you hit the rock grab as hard as you can and as soon as the wave pulls back climb up further. So I parted with the ski and looked for the least bit of jagged rock I could find and went for it. I got thrown on top of a nice flat peace of rock grabbed and ran up, The life jacked made for a nice comfortable landing. When I looked back I saw the sickening sight of the handlebars been ripped of my ski. I turned around and started the sad lonely, but glad to be alive, one mile walk back home.

Monday 8th. I rang the local jet-ski repair guy Finnian Nolan n.m.j. Engineering and told him my story, and went to look for the remains of the ski. We found a piece of blue vinyl of the seat on fountain hill beach so we knew we were looking for something, which was well mangled. Further up the rocks we found it and what a disgusting sight it was the remains of the hull and engine wedged in between two rocks. It was wedged so tight we needed the tractor to pull it out and once free we skidded it down to the beach where we picked it up with the fork lift and brought it home where it is now (see pictures.)

1=Launch site

2=Accident area

3=Landing sit

4=Recovery site