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HighunDry for Options

yacht, was how will the boat settle on its keel? I explained that this is not a
problem for a Southerly 115 Series Two with her excellent swing keel. We’d
planned on taking the ground at some point this summer … hmm? May be
not in this manner or location though.

Day #1 - “Yacht aground, Redcliff Middle, North of Read’s Island” was
broadcast regularly by VTS to all traffic. We were so far away from the com-
mercial channel how could we be a problem? Of course all ships passing
about ½ mile away would see us, though we were hardly causing a collision
issue. What’s the sit-rep? Provisions aboard for a day sail. Tide Water re-
ceding. Next HW - lower than last. We’d landed on a mud bank which is
about ½ mile wide and a little over 1 mile long when at low water. Tides
were nearing end of springs. Oh dear.

Day #2 - Same yacht, same place. Humber Rescue, out on training exercis-
es, attempted to get close. The girls were togged up in wets ready to be
rescued and became hopeful as the rib got closer and closer - - - then had
to back off to avoid getting stuck in the Humber mud. Very disappointing,
especially when Alison had important engagements in her diary with old
University friends among many other things. They held it together well de-
spite the tease of release from being stranded in sight of beckoning land.
Rationing procedures started and arrangements for provisioning made. I
knew this was likely to be a long stretch waiting for the next spring tides.

Humber VTS and CG communicated with each other and agreed our contact
point would be VTS, who relayed our choices:
Get the boat off somehow, or get off the boat and go ashore, but return to
it each high tide, or stay aboard until she floats off.
Our only option was to prepare to stay aboard Options until the return of
the spring tides.
The Humber is notorious for groundings on the shifting mud banks and the
mud islands that appear often are great for wild bird life, but they’re poten-
tial death traps for humans who can get stuck in the mud as the water rises.
Day #3 - Provisions were delivered to the rescue station at the Humber

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