Report by Skipper and Chief Instructor, Tim Sunderland.
During our recent Milage building weekend, whilst on passage to Salcombe, Bewitched received and responded to a Pan Pan. It was issued from Falmouth Coastguard regarding a 21ft blue and white angling boat with engine failure drifting NE from Hope Cove.
For those not familiar with the term, a Pan Pan is a distress call. It is issued by craft when an urgent situation has occurred; it is serious, but not life-threatening. (Not to be confused with a Mayday which is used in an urgent, life-threatening situation.)
Upon hearing the call, the Crew aboard Bewitched started to scan the area with binoculars and located what they thought was the vessel. Communication with the Pan Pan vessel was challenging because the vessel had a bad connection on their VHF radio so were only able to communicate when very close. Bewitched notified the Coastguard that they had the vessel in sight and were proceeding toward them. Bewitched was advised that the Pan Pan vessel was in contact with someone by mobile phone and was relaying information to the coastguard. In the meantime, the crew of Bewitched was preparing to set up a towing bridle if this was required.
Once Bewitched was on the scene, the crew took over communications with the vessel and Coastguard. The skipper of the Pan Pan vessel indicated that he had some comms on the VHF currently. Bewitched spoke to the vessel and they had managed to resolve a temporary jury rig fix of the cooling system and the engine was running, all be it a bit roughly. The Coastguard was notified of this and advised that Bewitched should ‘Shadow’ the Pan Pan vessel to Salcombe and take them in tow if required. During the next 90 minutes, Bewitched checked in with the vessel and Coastguard every 30 minutes to ensure all things were ok.
As soon as the transit into Salcombe was in view, Bewitched took up station leading the Pan Pan vessel in on a safe course, as the crew was unfamiliar with the port. When we were close to the pontoons, there was only just sufficient space for the Pan Pan vessel to go alongside which they duly did. They called up the crew of Bewitched and thanked them very much for their assistance during their difficulties and that it was comforting to know that someone was there should things turn for the worse again.
Bewitched advised Falmouth Coastguard that the Pan Pan Vessel was safely alongside Normandy pontoon in Salcombe, she then picked up a buoy off the town and the crew went ashore for a deserved drink after their ‘rescue mission’.
Just another day in the life of Bewitched!
