COASTGUARDS have called it the great escape.
Seventy-year-old Noel Davies, from Alltwen in the Swansea Valley, was not prepared to allow his £6,000 to the mercy of the thundering surf on Cefn Sidan, Pembrey, that pounded it for eight days.
Hundreds of vessels have floundered on the vast Pembrey sands over the centuries and Mr Davies strived for more than week to recue his beloved vessel.
The night abandoning ship by advising coastguards, Noel decided to give it one more try in the middle of Wednesday night (Sept 18) when Coastguard told him to expect his twin keeled vessel to be ‘smashed to smithereens.’
Reflecting on his ordeal after spending a day recovering Noel said: ”It was really hairy, the scariest thing I have ever experienced..
“Waves were coming at me every which way and forming peaks that shot higher than my mast.
“I was preparing to strip off and take my chances swimming through the surf to shore.
“If my boat started to break up. I was always confident, as a strong swimmer, I could make shore a second time in eight days.
“When the mast snapped I thought that was curtains. But the engine managed to power me though a mile of surf to the calmer channel before water in the engine even cut that out. I could have been cast back into the surf.
“Fortunately the RNLI were on standby and towed me in to Burry Port Harbour where I have been able to lick my wounds and survey the damage. It will be a couple of days before I can carefully navigate round to my mooring at Llandstephan.
“I spent all day Thursday celebrating my ‘great escape’ with a few beers with friends who are calling me Steve McQueen.
“My wife says she has two children. My daughter and me.
“I have to admit there is a bit of a Francis Chichester in me and I am thinking of going to Ireland next. My wife says she will drive over on the ferry!
“One thing is for sure. I will not be going anywhere near Cefn Sidan again. I think I looked into the faces of many perished souls who have gone before me in that half hour in the surf.
“It was my boat the Kumango that got me though. She is 45 years old. I had her surveyed recently and was told she was as tough as old boots with a hull five times thicker than modern vessels. I was advised it was unlucky to change the name of any vessel so I have stuck to the one she had when I bought it.
“My very tolerant wife joked the boat is as thick skulled as me.
“The coastguard were very relieved when I made harbour. They said it was the greatest escape they have known in recent times. Nothing, they said gets off Cefn Sidan.”
Carmarthenshire council harbour master Rory Dickinson said: “It is a remarkable story of perseverance and fortitude. He is a lucky fellow.”
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