Sunday 25th January 2009.
I couldn't decide whether to go out or not, it was bit windy for me, but David was determined as were John and Sonny. I went with Peter in the end. We were last to launch, David was sailing up and down in front of the clubhouse and John and Sonny had shot off down stream. Peter pointed the boat downstream and we set off towards Sunderland. It was gusting and I took lots of showers of spray thrown up by the plunging bow of the Lark. Peter said he'd never capsized in it yet and I thought am going to be the one that causes it to capsize!
Giles launched his sailboard and was flying along.
We were racing towards the Sunderland moorings and had almost reached them when Peter spotted that John and Sonny had capsized. We tacked round and headed back to them, this took some time and they didn't seem to be getting the boat up again. As we drew level we shouted that we were going for the Rescue Boat. Meanwhile David had come ashore and his GP was tied up to the Jetty.
It seemed to take us ages to make progress but we beached the Lark below the stile and left Giles keeping an eye on it. Peter ran and joined David who was launching the Rescue Boat with the help of other members, who I didn't identify, probably John (Glynn), Martin (Lord), Jeff and Norman.
David and Peter got to John and Sonny and after several attempts, they had got it upright twice only to realise it was gradually sinking, one of the buoyancy compartments had got damaged and was flooded. They started to take it in tow but gave up and, they tied it to Race Mark 'D' and brought John and Sonny ashore as they had become cold. The plan was to go and sort out the boat when the tide had gone out.
Thinking John was becoming distressed, I called an ambulance, which arrived accompanied by a police car, while they were still struggling with the boat. The ambulance men checked John over and then Sonny and found them both to be OK.
After the Rescue Boat and the other two boats were washed and stowed away we were all in the clubhouse when someone spotted that the boat had broken loose, taking the marker buoy with it. Unsure as to whether it was safe to launch the Rescue Boat and chase it, it was coming up to two hours after high water, we eventually concluded that it was too late.
John, Sonny and I, at the lighthouse car park, watched the boat and buoy disappear out to sea. John contacted the Coastguard to explain the situation.
You can just make out the race mark and if you're eyes are good a medium blue hull.
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