Australian rescued off Thai coast after 3 weeks at sea

[David_Old_Jersey]

"Thai marine police have rescued a 52-year-old Australian man who was adrift at sea for three weeks on his yacht off the coast of the Thai holiday island of Phuket, an official says.

Rocky Donald was rescued late on Saturday after his yacht, Moonstar, had engine trouble.

Marine police lieutenant Prateung Srilamontri said the lone sailor, who left Cocos Island last month for Phuket, survived on rain water and instant cup noodles.

"His health condition is good, and we rescued him after receiving his radio signals seeking help," he said.

His yacht was drifting about 5.5 kilometres off the coast of Phuket, police said."


http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...1/s1797775.htm


Instant Noodles, one more thng to pack!

Apparently a well known traveller in the area and on a "shoestring" - not sure if he just didn't run out of money.........

[Tropic Cat]

no gas money? Dang...

Rick in Florida

[cat man do]

Did he lose his rig?
Or did he just have no wind for a few week's?

If so, make's me glad to be building a dirty stinkboat for my travel's north:]

[Lodesman]

catmando,

What makes you think he didn't have a dirty stinkboat?

Kevin

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

catmando,

What makes you think he didn't have a dirty stinkboat?

Kevin

Last Update: Sunday, November 26, 2006. 11:23pm (AEDT)
Australian rescued off Thai coast after 3 weeks at sea

Thai marine police have rescued a 52-year-old Australian man who was adrift at sea for three weeks on his yacht off the coast of the Thai holiday island of Phuket, an official says.
Rocky Donald was rescued late on Saturday after his yacht, Moonstar, had engine trouble.
Marine police lieutenant Prateung Srilamontri said the lone sailor, who left Cocos Island last month for Phuket, survived on rain water and instant cup noodles.
"His health condition is good, and we rescued him after receiving his radio signals seeking help," he said.
His yacht was drifting about 5.5 kilometres off the coast of Phuket, police said.
- AFP

just tend to think when I see these words that he was on a yacht and was sailing.

Dave

[44'cruisingcat]

A yacht is simply a boat meant for leisure rather than trade. The people who operate ships are also called sailors.

I hope those peope here in Aus, who were whining about the cost of rescuing Tony Bullimore and Elisabeth Autissier, notice that Australians are sometimes rescued in foreign waters too.

I was particularly disgusted when one of the hosts of the Today show was saying we shouldn't rescue Tony Bullimore, after he had been out of radio contact for a week or so, since we had already rescued him once. (As it turned out he didn't need rescuing, his radio just wasn't working.)

[tdw]

Originally Posted by cat man do

just tend to think when I see these words that he was on a yacht and was sailing.

Dave

As would any person with a less than rigid sphincter.

So, what of his "yacht"? Did they fly him home and keep his boat? or did they tow him to the local boat yard, and give him a hot meal? It really isn't clear if he was a rag bagger or a stink potter, but not really an issue. Good that he was rescued Sounds like he needed it.

[mudnut]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

So, what of his "yacht"? Did they fly him home and keep his boat? or did they tow him to the local boat yard, and give him a hot meal? It really isn't clear if he was a rag bagger or a stink potter, but not really an issue. Good that he was rescued Sounds like he needed it.

If he was adriffed for so long,"When did he send and when did they receive his call?And as far as Bullmore,did anyone see his docking skill's on TV in western Australia.Bow on to a wharf,this bloke IS an accident waiting to happen,and if he is an expeiranced sailor it sure didn't show thru on that clip.Mudnut.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by mudnut

Bow on to a wharf,this bloke IS an accident waiting to happen,and if he is an expeiranced sailor it sure didn't show thru on that clip.Mudnut.

Maybe we should be thinking about how we would handle a cat of this size ourselves before knifeing him in the back.

It did'nt look like he has space to come side in, and if he reversed he probably would not have been able to get off , as his transom would have been to low.

Maybe he needed 4 knots over the rudders to keep steerage happening, and maybe he had 10 knots up the clacker adding more speed than his motors could pull up.

Plenty of maybe's, maybe he is an accident waiting to happen, but I don't know if his sponser's would keep giving him multi-million dollar boat's if this was the case.

Dave

[swagman]

Re all the chat over Bullimore.

I'm not about to criticize his sailing skills - he has covered more miles than most of us and I'd assume learnt lots on the way. Did not see the pictures but Freo Harbour is not alwasy easiest place to park up in a strong sea breeze.........but

When he was rescued last time round he was hosted by Freo Sailing Club in WA, and Tony did not make many pals whilst he was there.

They claim he projected a huge ego, was rude to club members, and depite being virually penniless - did not seem appreciative of the efforts put in for him by the locals.

I equally know the Royal Australian Navy appreciate the opportunity to exercise in real life situations and they themselves defended the values in going to Bullimores rescue - despite wave damage to the warships hull which I think was reported at $4 Million.

But overall, I can't help wondering if the less well prepared solo sailors who do take risks in cutting corners and going deep south just off Australia - might not just take more care if they in some way had to contribute to the costs of a rescue?

Or if they even take time to consider the risks they place on people who have to be mobilised to rescue them?

Cheers
JOHN

[Princewig]

I think the term is Hijacked that has happened to this post...

I did a few searches on the web to attempt to find the whole story to no avail. Has anyone heard anymore on Rocky Donald?

[tdw]

Originally Posted by cchris0411

I think the term is Hijacked that has happened to this post...

I did a few searches on the web to attempt to find the whole story to no avail. Has anyone heard anymore on Rocky Donald?

Only that he was on his way to Phuket and was towed into Chalong Bay by the Thai coast guard. Nothing more since then.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by swagman

Re all the chat over Bullimore.


Cheers
JOHN

The Navy men and women would be quite happy to get out to sea I'm sure but it was more the Australian moral majority (read the Oz Media) who had there noses out of joint. Whether we like it or not Australia has obligations under the international treaty of the seas but so do other countries (NZ actually has to cover an even larger area than Oz ).

While the design of some of these boats does disturb me if you read the acccount of the 1998 Sydney Hobart you will see that it was still won by a lightweight flyer and a full keel timber ketch of the type we like to think of as the perfect sea boat went straight to the bottom. Tragically, s..t happens.

Bullimore himself does come across as an arrogant duffer I admit, made worse by the fact that he is a 'bloody pom'. Autissier is not only French but a woman to boot. No place for a woman, should be in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. Totally unacceptable, next thing they'll want the bleedin vote and then we'll have them running for parliament.

I am in no way having a go at anyone here except the Oz media. Heaven help us all if our activities are to be restricted because a couple of very epxerienced sailors have a spot of bother. There but for the grace of god and all that.

regards

Andrew