Cruising with force 11 winds, 7m waves and a fatality

A postcard dated 26th April received from my parents on a cruise round the Iberian Peninsula tells of the sort of thing you never want to encounter on a boat trip.


Itinerary changed because we had to answer a mayday call. Tugboat was abandoned & then sank. Our captain co-ordinated search & rescue. Saw 2 chaps winched up by helicopter. 3rd not found & search called off after 6 hours. Poor fellow. Weather was horrendous - Force 11 gale & sea very, very rough. Waves 7m high. Told to stay in cabins.

My parents went on to say that after four days at sea it was calm at last, and that they were due to land the next day. It sounds as though they were rather looking forward to it.