Out on the Derwent

Don’t be too “distressed” if you see a partially sinking ship and a rescue helicopter buzzing about in Sullivans Cove as you settle down to your second afternoon at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

What’s this all about you may well ask?!

Well like all good, and some bad, stories around wooden boats it all started some time ago - back in 1986 to be precise. One of Tasmania’s foremost boat builders, Ray Kemp of Woodbridge, was tasked to build a sail training vessel as part of the Bi Centennial celebrations for the Tasmanian people. Some two years later the ship, the Lady Nelson, emerged from Ray’s shed at Woodbridge. The Tasmanian Sail Training Association was formed and charged with operating the vessel. Before too long she was plying the local waters and introducing hundreds of Tasmanians and many mainlanders to the joys, delights and tribulations of tall ship sailing. To this day she trains individuals from all over the world in the ways of the sea. She has sailed the East Coast of Australia and dropped anchor in most of the secure bays and tributaries in Tasmania. After 37 years it’s fair to say that thousands of people both young and old have trod her decks, slept in her somewhat cosy bunks and enjoyed the delights of making way under sail.

As part of our ongoing training programme we will be conducting a live flare firing and abandon ship exercise on Saturday the 8^{th of} February. The ship will move into position in Sullivans Cove whilst flares are fired and distress signals displayed – we will probably leave the burning barrels of tar ashore this time! Once in position one of our ten man life rafts will be deployed, the crew will gracefully enter the water and swim to the raft. By now you will notice the presence overhead of the Tasmania Police rescue helicopter. As would happen in a real world rescue a diver will be winched down into the water and swim to the raft. The diver will then assist the crew into a harness for evacuation to the helicopter. Not the way that you’d plan to end a voyage but great to know that the process works.

Now…turn to Annex IV of the International Rules for Prevention of Collision at Sea and see how many distress signals the good ship Lady Nelson is displaying.

And now some interesting bits and pieces about the helicopter:

Type:              BK 117

Crew:            4 Pilot, Aircrew, Rescue Crew, and Intensive care paramedic

Average range: 80 nm to conduct a winch operation and return to land safely

Average missions flown each year : 350 - 400

What’s it worth:  approximately $5M.

The Tasmanian Sail Training Association is today a completely voluntary run affair. Crew, office staff and even the individuals that come weekly to clean and polish the ship are all volunteers. Herding cats I hear you say …well something like that, but hey… there must be something in it as the ship continues to operate continually throughout the year. If you’d like to join us, then pop onto the Lady Nelson web site and have a noodle around — we’re sure you’ll like what you see.