SuperTed Meets India Juliet - Experiences of a highline in 35
knots of wind!
A funny thing happened on the way back from Hardway
the other weekend! With the luxury of a rare additional crew in the form of
Ann Arscot, we set off home in a steady 35 knots with two reefs and storm jib.
As we bashed past Lee On Solent hard on the wind, India Juliet appeared out of
the gloom, circled around and hovered close overhead.
Looking up, we saw crew standing at the open door
holding a board with 67 written on it. Changing to channel 67 on the VHF I went
below to communicate with them – far too noisy on deck! “With the skipper’s
permission we would like to do a high line” OK. Now I’ve always wanted to do
this practice but really with 35 knots of wind and big holes in the sea and the
boat doing 6 ½ knots? The pilot then asked if we were ready to copy the brief.
Not sure what the brief consisted of, I prepared myself to take down copious
notes! Scrambling around for a piece of paper and pencil with the boat
lurching I got myself ready to write – wasn’t easy but got a few keywords down
“steady course, close hauled on port tack, don’t attach the weighted line to
the boat, pull in all the slack, helmsman mustn’t be distracted by the
helicopter, winch man will indicate when to stop pulling etc. So here goes…………
The weights came down slowly and the helicopter
moved in closer to position them over the cockpit. We managed to grab hold and
pull in the slack of the line which seemed to go on forever. Eventually the
winch man was in the door way and started come down. Ann and I pulling and
pulling on the line for dear life. Instruction to stop. Pull again, we pull
and eventually we get this strangers feet on the right side of the lifelines,
but not quite all of him, so we keep pulling. A bit of a lurch and he’s now
hanging backwards over the rail just about upside down. I’m a bit worried that
he’s going in the drink and Matt’s worried about his paintwork, but somehow we
manage to help him over.
He signals to the helicopter that he’s on board and
slings his hook. We get a congratulatory “that was well done but next time
pull harder” shouted in our ears, tells us to keep hold of the line and not let
him swing out as he goes back up and then not to let the weights drop in the
water. Down comes the hook, he attaches and he’s off with Ann and me feeding
the line through as he goes up, pulling desperately trying not to let him
swing. Then he’s in the helicopter and the weighted line is being pulled up.
To our surprise the weights are left hanging in mid air but we soon realise
that we are about to go through this drill again!
Down come the weights, we grab them and pull as hard
as we can, then down comes a different winch man, this time we pull harder and
manage to get him into the cockpit (albeit in a big heap). Hooks away aloft
again, then it’s time to pull it back in. All going well (done this before),
then as I pull on the line the end comes away from the winch line! Now we have
the weights, a mass of line and a winch man in the cockpit!
He calls up for a replacement line and down comes
another – pulling this line, the same thing happens! Now we have a winch man,
2 sets of weights and 2 masses of lines in the cockpit (sounds like a Christmas
song?) By this time we’re nearing Calshot and running out of water, so Matt
tells the winch man we’re going to have to tack – but that would put us on
starboard and we have to be on port tack for a highline, so we tack round and
run down wind before tacking back close hauled on port again.
At this point we have all this extra line and
weights together with a large hunk of human in size 10 hob nail boots (not
quite) all lurching about the cockpit! We manage the manoeuvres whilst the
helicopter circles around and a 3rd set of weights is lowered –
we’re getting the hang of this now! The winch man tells us that they will send
down a bag and we will throw in all these extra weights and line! I try to
lift a set of weights and realise that there is no way I can throw these
anywhere so am a bit concerned as I have visions of my last unsuccessful game of
hoopla! The bag arrives in the cockpit and the winch man stuffs everything in
it, hooks it and himself up and signals to the helicopter he’s ready to go.
As he goes it’s amazingly difficult to keep him from
swinging around – the line is very thin and slippy and my gloves are wet – I can
feel the burns as it slips through my hands. Now just hold the weights at arm’s
length until the helicopter comes directly over and pulls them in. Done.
He’s up and away with a wave! Hey presto, job done, what an experience! I
happen to glance at the wind speed -35.5 knots but in all of this we realise
that time has stood still and the wind and waves have become irrelevant!
That’s concentration for you!
A few observations:–
The crew of the helicopter are very well disciplined
and give very clear instructions to follow which you don’t need to write down.
As you’d expect its very noisy and impossible to talk to each other, but
surprisingly we did not notice any significant down draught from the
helicopter.
It was a pleasure to experience the professionalism
of the helicopter crew at first hand – sure beats a classroom lecture.
Jean, Matt & Ann - Superted
FOOTNOTE: "India Juliet will be retired
during 2007, having completed over 4000 rescues"
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