I’m safe and sound in Padstow,

Thanks so much to everyone who helped in the search and rescue of me and Pink Delta last night. I am safe and well other than a minor head injury.

The plan was to arrive in padstow by early evening but a late start meant that I missed the tidal window and spent a long time fighting tide. As I didn’t arrive by my ETA in the early evening so the RYA safetrax and padstow harbour master alerted the coastguard and my family.

At this point I had no engine, 25-30knots SE Wind and only enough power in my batteries for my nav lights. I was out of communications, but the Falmouth coastguard began a search for me from my last known location. They didn’t find me and sent out the alert to vessels nearby. I wasn’t in danger but was having some difficulties getting to Padstow.

Then at around 10pm I was down below deck working on my navigation (back to paper and pencil) when I was hit by either a large squall or large wave side on. I felt it coming and ran to reach the tiller, the boat was nocked down and I was thrown across the boat. I hit my head and was generally a little bruised, I was sick when it happened then again 10 minutes later. I got the boat back on track and tried both my radios and mobile, I had no charge in anything. I was completely out of battery and out of communication.

At this point I set of my PLB (personal location beacon – a satellite emergency device) this alerted Falmouth coastguard that I was in immediate distress and gave the my location. A helicopter and the padstow lifeboat were send out to me.

The helicopter was first to locate me and the guided the lifeboat to my location. 2 crew members boarded my boat and assessed me as not in immediate danger so a tow was set up to take pink delta back to Padstow. Once the boat was secured we returned to the lifeboat station were we were met my 3 paramedics who took me in the ambulance to the royal Cornwall hospital in Truro in the early hours. Where I was assessed, kept for short observation and later discharged.

I am okay, and glad to know that even when I was experiencing problems with communication, the system I’d put in place worked. I am so grateful to the Padstow harbour master , Padstow Lifeboat Station, Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, My family and friends and everyone else involved in the search.

I will be taking a break in padstow to recover physically and mentally, and get my engine and everything else fixed onboard. I’m confident that at the time I did everything that I could to keep myself as safe as possible but there are always lessons to be learned.

If you do have the resources to spare a few pennies, I would really appreciate anything to help get my engine fix and new batteries installed.