Henry Wrigley on Harbours

It was a heavy lift ship that I was asked to take from Cowes Roads to sea out to the east. The Captain … the Bridge was like a spaceship, space city. I don’t watch space films but you know the sort of thing and the Captain, a delightful person and all the rest of it, and we got out to the east and the Captain said, “I’m sorry Captain Henry, I’m going to overcarry you to Le Havre.”

I said, “No you’re not. I’m going to a good luncheon today” and having checked with Portsmouth and Southampton there were no ships moving, I said, “What we’ll do, we’ll bring on half ahead and do a big circle, smooth the sea out. The Pilot launch will come in and I’ll go down off and you come round to 167 degrees which will take you straight into the Fairway approach of Le Havre.”

He said, “Oh, thank you very much” so off I went and climbing down the ship’s side and I thought something doesn’t look right here and I looked along the ship’s hull, she was rather a large ship, and I saw a mass of water coming down so I hung on with one hand, I waved the launch away and I hung on and the sea came right over me and my expensive Pilot’s hat was blown off.

Now that hurts (laughs). About 40 guineas.

However, and then … what had happened the Captain had come round too early before I’d got off and the launch came in again, they dragged me off, flattened me on the deck and tore off and brought me home.

I suppose in a way we all thought it was a bit of a joke, but when you think about it, maybe it’s not so funny (laughs), but I must say I decided ‘why am I doing this for the Pilotage fee that I’d be paid at my age?’

However, such is life. I mean we’ve all had near situations.

You know, the sea world, even inside Cowes Harbour, River Medina, is fraught with danger and this is why I take my hat off to Skippers, yacht owners, people, they learn their skills automatically but automatically they learn their safety skills as well.

All the time you read the RNLI giving good advice for what you would have considered was the Office, but we all have to be reminded from time to time.