Troutbridge - hopefully not lost

[ess105]

See this article from our friends aboard Callypso.

Calypso's Journal: A Night from Hell

If you know anyone in the area, please push the message out.

[sabray]

Who is Peter? Where was he heading what boat? Etc....why would anyone push this out? Back up and explain what has happened. Who needs help or notification?

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Been following his blog for about a year now. Hope he's OK...LL
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Pete Bernfeld

[sabray]

Originally Posted by AfterHoursNLCT

Been following his blog for about a year now. Hope he's OK...LL
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Pete Bernfeld

Okay but still does not explain what is going on.
Pete has a boat that is on the cheap. Pumps are not working maybe. Come on man. Hope if I screw the pooch I get better then look out for Pete.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by sabray

Who is Peter? Where was he heading what boat? Etc....why would anyone push this out? Back up and explain what has happened. Who needs help or notification?

Seems like where ever he goes things have a way of breaking bad. At least as far as employment goes.
About Me - Peter Bernfeld
But, he always seems to end up on his feet. I hope that the weather that hit him and Calypso have just knocked his communications and he turns up with a tale to tell.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Synopsis is:
Headed to Figi and hits a reef.
Gets air bagged in and hauled in Suva.
Less than honest mechanic kinda scews him for a bit.
Figi immigration doesn't extend his visitor visa.
He leaves with Calypso to make the move to Vanuatua.
Hits storm/squall.
Now we don't know where he is.....LL

[sabray]

Gets air bagged. That has to be a story. So he got air bagged like respiratory failure or the boat was salvaged using air bags? Maybe it's me but can anyone describe this in full.

[ess105]

Originally Posted by sabray

Who is Peter? Where was he heading what boat? Etc....why would anyone push this out? Back up and explain what has happened. Who needs help or notification?

Good questions. Sorry, I learned this as I went out the door. Peter is the captain/owner of Troutbridge. I'm not looking for emergency response at this point. Merely to push out the awareness of a boat that could well be trouble. So for instance, if you know how to contact Jim who runs Rag Of The Air or have some other ideas, please act. I know no more than the information provided by Calypso on their blog which I presume they made via their HF.

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Boat was salvaged using air bags. The blog tells it all...LL

[AfterHoursNLCT]

Start here:
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Down and very nearly out

[ess105]

Originally Posted by AfterHoursNLCT

Start here:
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Down and very nearly out

It is helpful to know that the boat is not as sound as others. But there's a time for analysis and a time for focusing on life. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[Seaworthy Lass]

We have been following this blog since Pete hit the reef in Fiji, May 2011. The link to that entry is: 'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Down and very nearly out

Pete's last blog entry finally has him about to depart Fiji in the company of Calypso (with the boat still not in great condition). Reading Calypso's report of conditions yesterday and the fact they lost contact with Pete has me truly worried .

[ess105]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

We have been following this blog since Pete hit the reef in Fiji, May 2011. The link to that entry is: 'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West' - Down and very nearly out

Pete's last blog entry finally has him about to depart Fiji in the company of Calypso (with the boat still not in great condition). Reading Calypso's report of conditions yesterday and the fact they lost contact with Pete has me truly worried .

I am truly worried too. Pete left New Zealand the same time as we did last year bound for Savu Savu. He was sharing the role of net controller with a number of us and it was quite a shock to hear he'd gone onto the reef as we only had an inkling of the issues that contributed to the disaster that befell him. We have some insight into the incident but it's not relevant here, only to say there is a personal connection.

Loss of radio contact is quite normal and not, in of itself, a sufficient reason to ask others to put their own and their crews' lives at risk. But awareness is a huge help. So again, I appeal to anyone who knows of anyone in that region of the world they can share this information with, please forward Calypso's blog for the information. Better the message gets out there and we find out he's ok than people go through the area without knowing there may be a vessel in distress.

In a day or two the appropriate response may change but remember, plenty of boats make it into port having lost much of their capabilities. Let's hope this is the situation.

[venturing seagull]

According to Calypso's blog, the Pacific Seafarer's Net have informed the NZ authorities.

As for vhf ....... Troutbridge's radio was good for at least 5 miles yacht to yacht.

I think it is enough that anyone in the area is asked to keep a lookout for Troutbridge at the moment. If we don't hear by say Thursday then an active search may be needed ..... but that is best done by planes and ships.

Just because Troutbridge is out of vhf contact doesn't mean that he is in trouble. He has an EPIRB that tested ok just before he left. The US Coastguard say that it has not been activated.

David on Puddytat

[ess105]

That would be an appropriate response for normal boats.

Peter ran out of time in Fiji and was forced into a decision to leave before his boat was ready. That adds an extra complication and dilemma for the response team. Do the emergency services factor the seaworthiness of the boat into their response? There's pros and cons either way depending on how you look at this.

The good news is the NZ Maritime Authorities are some of the best in the world so I have some comfort knowing they're now in the loop.