Sailing community comes to rescue after sailors forced to end Arctic voyage
The Oban sailing community came to the rescue when two ex-military adventurers were forced to abandon the voyage of a lifetime in the midst of lockdown.
Skipper James Harrison and crewmate Darren Boyd were sheltering in the Hebrides waiting for a weather window to round Cape Wrath, en route to the Lofeten isles, 170 miles north of the Arctic Circle, when they heard about Boris Johnson’s announcement.
And instead of sailing north, for a planned stop in Orkney to pick up supplies for the journey ahead, the men turned back on three years of planning and headed home to Ireland.
With no gas, and a bare food cupboard, they needed to restock their yacht fast.
Tobermory harbour was in lockdown and the tiny West Highland village of Lochaline had no gas.
But it was third time lucky when the men, aboard the Just Because yacht, asked retired Glasgow doctor Douglas Wilcox if he knew anyone in Oban who could help them.
Dr Wilcox, a keen kayaker and sailor, said: “I basically got a Facebook message from them saying, do you know anyone in Oban because we might need to come in and get food and gas.”
Dr Wilcox, 66, said: “The marine gas retailers were shut but several people offered the yachtsmen their own bottles. Local man Duncan Martin, who had the right type of gas/ bottle, arranged to leave it at the end of the yacht club jetty. with no personal contact and no charge.”
Several people also offered to go shopping for the men, but as they were virus free, having self isolated on the yacht for some time – and did not want to put others at risk – they had walked to Tesco to stock up themselves.
In a message on Facebook, yacht skipper Mr Harrison, said: “Just like to say a big thank you to everyone who gave us help and offered us help, it will be well remembered.”