A CREW rowing and cycling from the Minquiers to the Shetland Islands has found itself in a near-death situation as their boat failed approaching Portsmouth – sending them drifting in the way of an enormous tanker.
The South North Adventure team set off from the Minquiers – the British Isles’s southernmost point – on Thursday morning, crossed Jersey on foot before they got back into the boat to go to Sark and Portsmouth.
But their crossing across the English Channel has skirted with disaster after they had to cut themselves free from a snagged bowline, wind and tide conditions led to multiple failed launch attempts and then they faced communication issues.
The team said they had “never known so many things go wrong on a boat” as “one thing after another failed”.
They found themselves having to repair a broken rudder on the water, and when three separate autopilot systems failed, they ended up drifting into a busy shipping area.
Kevin Dutton, who leads the team, said they called Solent Coastguard and an “absolutely massive” tanker responded.
He said: “They came closer and stopped about 200 meters away and slowly approached. Communication was tricky with the captain, but they inched closer and threw a line out that fell short. Our small ocean rowing boat was dwarfed by this massive vessel, and it was still getting closer and closer – to the point where there was significant potential for collision.
“The ship felt incredibly close to us and appeared to be only feet away. It was a terrifying experience.”
The tanker came about 10ft from the rowers – narrowly avoiding a collision, they said.
After the tanker left, the team were rescued by a Border Force crew – described by Mr Dutton as “calm, efficient, and completely in control”. They arrived in Weymouth
“An incredible team turned what was an imminent disaster and near-death experience, into a seamless rescue,” he said.
The team, who are raising funds for ten children’s mental health charities, were due to continue their journey from Portsmouth on a specially-made tandem rickshaw yesterday.
This will take them across the UK before they get back into the boat to row to the northernmost point in the Shetland Islands, Out Stack.
The journey, which should take 30 days, is an extension of the traditional Land’s End to John O’Groats route, which crosses the British mainland.
