Dutch Sailing Ship ASTRID wrecked

[Keith at Tregenna]

KINSALE AND COURTMACSHERRY LIFEBOAT:

I know many from both Kinsale and Courtmac including the lifeboat men and women and have been prior to Health and Safety out on the Courtmac Lifeboat on a few occasions. Few realise that the Lusitania was lost only 3 - 4 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale but such a rescue even today would be difficult.

At the time lifeboats were largely rowed and much help came from as far afield as Cork and near every town and village were involved. Kinsale dealt with much of the aftermath including the initial inquiry. The sea going community deal with tragedy since - still and often.

Image132.jpg

Lusitania Remembered: Old Head of Kinsale.

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

A fine example of the outstanding support given by the local community in the aftermath of the dramatic rescue of 30 people on board the Dutch sail training vessel Astrid near Oysterhaven on July 24th is the Prendergast family from Oysterhaven, writes Leo McMahon.

Orla and Gerry Prendergast are one of several families who hosted some the stricken sailors and crew following their arrival at Kinsale Pier and the nearby yacht club.

The Prendergasts, along with their son Jack, an Atlantic sports international surfing competitor, who was working at Oysterhaven Centre, hosted three French teenage sailors from Paris, Brittany and Normandy. ‘They could so easily have been our own’, said Orla, a home economics teacher at Kinsale Community School.

All three, she stated, were shocked and relieved, thankfully not injured and delighted to get into a change of clothing, a good meal and have a place to stay, sleep and recover.

Other families in the Kinsale area also rowed in and, overall, the entire operation from the time the alert was raised, was a huge success and reflected very well on the emergency services and local community.

The trainee sailors were part of The Gathering Cruise from Dublin to Dingle via Oysterhaven. With no tall ship to go back to, arrangements were put in place, after breakfast and lunch on Thursday for the trio travel by bus to Dublin to a hotel and later the French Embassy and arrange a journey home at the end of a visit to West Cork and its coastline they will never forget!

Leo is the Senior Reporter for the Southern Star and a good friend.


Though the mail: they did cover it also if interested: LINK: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...h-weather.html

K.

[happy daze john in oz]

[
Here is me leaping aloft, not bad for a 72 year old at the time,
Brian.[/QUOTE]

And just who were you attempting to get away from, I never knew **** was a sailor!!

[Ron Kendall]

If you want another trip on the Prince William, you will have to join the Pakistan Naval Service, she is now the PNS Rah Naward!

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for that Ron, I will inform ****, he needs an adventure holiday.
Cheers
Brian.

[Captain Kong]

Lusitania Remembered: Old Head of Kinsale.
.
Hi Keith. the Lusitania lies on the track from round the Scyllis to Cork.
It was always good to check the navigation, the Lusitania is marked on the chat=rts, and when getting close switch on the Echo Sounder, the sea bed is very flat there and then if in a correct position the lump on the sea bed shows up on the printer. an accurate way to check you are on track.
Always did it running from Fawley to Cork.

Cheers
Brian.

[Keith at Tregenna]

"SOS, SOS, SOS. COME AT ONCE. BIG LIST 10 MILES SOUTH OLD KINSALE. MFA."

The last three letters were the Lusitania's call sign.

When Vice Admiral Coke in Queenstown received his copy of that distress signal, it must have seemed as though his worst nightmare had come true:

Along the coast and inland flew the message. Queenstown the Admiralty port, thirteen miles from Kinsale heard the news and Admiral Cocks, the naval ofiicer in charge ordered all available vessels to the scene of the disaster. Half a dozen tugs steamed forth, followed by torpedo boats and a fleet of trawlers, to render assistance and pick up struggling humanity from the water.

"Later, when the smoke cleared away he saw the liner's boats on the scene laden with passengers, but the ship had dis-
appeared. A fishing boat was the first to reach the scene and took some boats in tow. An eastbound cargo boat next arrived.

This boat saved a great many. Later other vessels arrived to assist in the rescue work, and when darkness closed over the
scene a number of destroyers were in the vicinity. One destroyer, which arrived early, lowered boats and picked up a num-
ber from a raft.

1916 On the 7-May: the famous liner Lusitania is sunk off the Old Head of Kinsale with the loss of 1,198 souls - torpedoed by German submarine U-20. She sank in just 17 minutes. Courtmacsherry lifeboat Keria Gwilt was the first rowed boat to the scene.

"We were out here one year with the Merchant Navy Association from Barry Dock in Wales, all strong men who had seen and experienced a lot at sea themselves and lost companions and relations during the Second World War and they all had tears in their eyes, imagining what it must have been like for those aboard the Lusitania". Courtmacsherry Lifeboat.

LUSI SOUND 001.jpg

Courtmac LB Echo Sound.

K.

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for that Keith
Cheers

[Chris Allman]

If you want another trip on the Prince William, you will have to join the Pakistan Naval Service, she is now the PNS Rah Naward!

Yes I know, crying shame and I believe that her sister Stavros S Niarchos is also up for sale if not already gone.

[Trader]

Sad to hear about the Astrid, she was here in Dover harbour a couple of weeks ago, a lovely looking vessel. Good to see every one was saved and congratulations to all the rescue services.

Alec.