Sailor saved in storm drama off Dorset coast (From Dorset Echo)

Sailor saved in storm drama off Dorset coast

9:01am Monday 15th June 2009 in Local Video By Jim Durkin

AN ADVENTURER on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage saw his dream end in near death when his yacht sank in high seas off the Dorset coast.

Sailor Jonathon Orme-Dawson, a retired teacher, had planned the 12-month solo trip around the British coastline for two years – but his restored £18,000 yacht Harnser sank after hitting rocks midway between Lyme Regis and Bridport.

The 61-year-old, who set off from Norfolk eight weeks ago, feared he was going to die as thick fog descended and heavy seas battered his 24ft yacht.

The father-of-five was rescued by a lifeboat which was scrambled along with the Portland Coastguard helicopter.

I’ve only lost material possessions that you can do without. The main thing is I’m alive and I’m healthy, and that is because of the people that came to rescue me

Jonathon Orme-Dawson

Recalling the moment he sent his mayday, Mr Orme-Dawson, from Norwich, said: “It was a tough decision. All the time the boat was rocking and crashing and I was thinking, ‘Any minute now, that’s it – I’ll be in.’ “I’m fairly fit but I suffer from asthma, and I think the shock of hitting cold water would have triggered an asthma attack. I was very fearful for my life.”

He got into trouble after weather closed in around steep cliffs at Golden Cap on Friday night.

He said: “I’d been over to Torbay. I’d arranged to meet my family at West Bay for the weekend and was making my way there when thick fog set in.

“The wind was quite fast and blowing in the wrong direction, and the sea was rough, with metre high waves.”

Water flooded the engine before the 1950s restored Finesse 24 yacht foundered on rocks.

Mr Orme-Dawson said: “I battled for an hour to get away from the rocks, but there was a sheer cliff there and it distorts the wind when you get near it. So I was just drifting.

“But the response I got, and I cannot understate this, was absolutely unbelievable.”

The Lyme Regis RNLI crew and coastguards, including the helicopter, answered the call within minutes.

“I got a huge boost when I first saw them. I knew I wasn’t alone,” said the battered sailor.

But as the Harnser’s sail was still up, the strong down-draft from the helicopter’s rotor threatened to tear it apart.

It was decided to use the lifeboat to get alongside the vessel, but this proved fruitless.

Lifeboatmen were put ashore and managed to get to the vessel that was wedged between rocks but close to the beach.

Mr Orme-Dawson continued: “The lifeboat came along and John, from the lifeboat crew, managed to get on my boat and pull down the sails.

“He assisted me in getting off, which I am tremendously thankful for, then we got ashore and the helicopter winched me up.”

He watched his beloved yacht, and all his possessions, sink into the sea.

But his rescuers didn’t finish there – Portland Bill coastguard station officer Nigel McColm put the weary sailor up at his home for the night.

Mr Orme-Dawson said: “Nigel and his wife acted so kindly. They put me up and fed me. They have been lovely.

“I cannot emphasise how important the coastguard and the RNLI is. Obviously my trip is off. It’s back to the drawing board, but at least I’m alive to do that.

“I’ve only lost material possessions that you can do without. The main thing is I’m alive and I’m healthy, and that is because of the people that came to rescue me.”

A thick bank of fog probably disorientated the skipper of the Harnser, rescuers say.

But it was his attention to detail, particularly when it came to safety procedures, that ultimately saved his life.

Portland Coastguard watch manager Allan Norman said: “Fortunately the skipper not only had a VHF radio on board, but was wearing a lifejacket.

“In the bad visibility he had mistaken his position, thinking he was three miles further east, and subsequently hit the rocks.”

Lyme Regis lifeboat helmsman Tim Edwards said: “Visibility was down to 20 metres and because of the rocks we could not get close enough to take the man off the yacht and on to the lifeboat.

“Instead, we put two crew members ashore and they managed to get to the yacht, which was wedged between rocks but close to the beach.”

The lifeboat made three attempts to tow the yacht clear of the rocks – but she took on too much water and sank 50 metres offshore.

Mr Edwards added: “It must have been very frightening for the yachtsman. We tried to save the yacht, which must have been holed, but our main aim was to save a life.”

The other lifeboat crew members were Mark Colley, John Cable and Andrew Rice.