Yacht crews evacuated as southerly wind hits pontoon
HORRIFIC was how one yachtsman described the situation in St Peter Port Harbour early on Tuesday, when high southerly winds saw some boat owners moored to the Swan pontoon in the Pool in St Peter Port Harbour being evacuated from their vessels.
But the only serious damage was to the walk ashore bridge connecting the pontoons to the Crown Pier and this has now been removed for repairs.
Yacht crews can now either use their own boat’s tenders, or make use of a free water taxi service being provided by Island Rib Voyages.
A local resident who crews on board the Grey Wolf was aboard during the night. ‘It was horrific,’ said the man, who asked not to be named.
‘We have some huge fenders that actually popped – I’ve never seen that in my entire career.’
He said the Swan pontoon was particularly full that night. ‘Boats were sandwiched like sardines but it meant they didn’t go anywhere.’
While he felt sympathy for Guernsey Harbours, he said the infrastructure was long overdue for additional investment. ‘In comparison to some facilities available in the UK, ours are poor.’
It was between 2 and 3am that high south-easterly winds hit the harbour, and as a result many boat crews added extra ropes and fenders to their vessels to prevent damage.
Among these was Bernt Johanssen, who is visiting the island with his wife, Kari Birkeland, on board their 42ft cruiser Panta Rhei.
‘We went to bed at about 11.30 and at about 2am I woke up, my wife as well, and we understood that something crazy was happening,’ he said.
He saw other yachts people on the pontoons attending to their boats, and praised the work of Guernsey Harbours who were on hand to assist the crews.
‘My wife and I spoke and we decided we had to have an escape plan if we had to leave [the mooring],’ he said.
Because of the number of other boats around, if necessary he said he could probably have manoeuvred his closer to those in the more sheltered northern part of the harbour.
He said they had never experienced such conditions in a harbour before.
‘There was no damage or injury to any vessels or their occupants berthed on the Swan pontoons, although some crews were evacuated temporarily until daylight when the damage could be fully assessed,’ said a Guernsey Harbours spokesman.
The walk ashore bridge was removed ‘in the interests of public safety’ and no pedestrian access from the pool to the Crown Pier will be available for two weeks.
But it has paid for Island Rib Voyages to provide a water taxi service between 7am and 11pm, with crews able to call for a ride on VHF Channel 10.
Harbour master Captain David Barker thanked harbour staff, the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre and the emergency services personnel involved for their ‘swift and decisive action in dealing with what could have been a hazardous situation’.
‘We are very relieved that there was no damage to boats or injuries to their occupants during this incident, which was caused by unusually strong southerly winds.
‘Incidents such as this serve to remind us how quickly the weather and water conditions can change, making even the safe haven of our harbours a challenging environment.’
He said that mariners and vessel operators should pay attention to the instructions in the local notices to mariners, which will be updated with information about the walk ashore bridge, as will www.harbours.gg.
. With the free water taxi service due to end tomorrow, a notice to mariners has been issued advising yachts that they must bring their own tender if they wish to come ashore.
