There’s Always One!Last week Newbury Sub-Aqua Club lent their boat, Newbury Diver, to Poole Bay Archaeological Research Group to help in the archaeological excavation of the iron age port in Poole Harbour. The excavation is 150 meters from Green Island in shallow water and mud. The divers were working in a trench dug by a barge mounted digger and Newbury Diver was being used to ferry divers to sites and as a safety boat. On Thursday two divers unexpectedly surfaced and complained that visibility had completely disappeared, mud was flowing into the hole on the tidal stream not out of it. A quick glance upstream revealed a yacht which had wanted a closer look and despite having a 1˝ meter keel below him had deviated from the clearly marked channel, ploughed into the mud (which is clearly marked on the chart of Poole harbour) and was desperately using his engines to get himself unstuck, but only succeeding in getting more firmly stuck. Fortunately there were some experienced seamen around and Newbury Diver, whose keel is only ˝ meter, threw a rope to the stranded yachtsman and pulled him to safety. The yacht then sailed off, hopefully to take some navigation lessons. It was not the most opportune time for the yachtsman to be in the predicament as a photographer from the Newbury club, a video cameraman for the Poole Heritage Trust and 2 BBC cameramen (who were making a documentary about the workings of Poole Harbour) were on site and made a record of the event. The second crewman can be seen on the video disappearing into the cabin - quickly!
Newbury Sub Aqua Club -
www.newburysac.com |
