The sea at Eyemouth

[anteros_lmc]

We're just back from spending a couple of days away on the east coast. We went down to visit a little port town called Eyemouth (more of which in a later post). Eyemouth is remembered for a tragedy that struck the little port in 1881. The town's fishing fleet had just put to sea on the morning of Friday 14th October when a ferocious hurricane blew up and destroyed 19 of the 45 boats. In a single afternoon 129 local men were killed, 73 women widowed and 213 children orphaned. Due to the difficult entrance to Eyemouth harbour, none of the boats were able to return to port and several were wrecked within sight of the town. After the tragedy a public disaster fund raised an incredible £54,000 which was used to pay a pension to the bereaved women and children and the entrance to the harbour was also improved to make it much safer to navigate.

The danger of the sea and the harbour at Eyemouth was tragically underlined again on Monday when two teenage girls were swept off the sea wall and barely escaped with their lives. One was rescued by members of the public and the other was pulled from the sea by the police and flown to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she remains in a stable but critical condition. We were by the sea wall when the accident happened, though mercifully we were a couple of hundred yards away so our daughter wasn't really aware of how serious the situation was. The lifeboat put out immediately but due to the huge breakers, it couldn't get close enough to be of assistance. The tide was extremely high and there was a huge swell running and breaking over the sea wall. The fact that the girls survived such a ferocious sea is nothing short of miraculous and I have nothing but admiration for the courage of the members of the public who risked their own lives to save them. I could't help but think of Pellew and the Dutton. The thing that really horrified me though, was that while there were lifebelts at regular intervals around the harbour quays used by the fishing boats, there were none on the sea front of the town where the accident happened. I was born and brought up in a harbour town and I am used to seeing lifebelts on almost every street corner, the fact that there didn't appear to be any on the front in Eyemouth beggars belief.

Our thoughts remain with the family of the injured girl.

Comments

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

I did see that briefly on the news but it didn't occur to me that's where you guys were, how awful, at least they were pulled out though.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yep, by sheer chance we were there. I've omitted the details here, as have the news reports, but it was a pretty horrendous accident. Some of the rescuers were almost swept away too. it's miraculous that only one person was seriously injured.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I am glad your girl was mostly unaware. Horrible when that happens. Of course, anytime there are conditions that sweep people out, rescuers are in danger too. Old story, old pain.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, people always underestimate the power of the sea.

I was taking pictures when the accident happened and accidentally caught it on camera. I deleted all the pictures immediately.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I have seen people swept out to sea. My mother used to have a thing about rubber floats. She would march down the beach telling tourists not to use them. She always pointed out that an upright body on a raft acts as a sail, and you can be way out there before you think to let go.

Also our local high school math teacher drowned a few years after I left home. He thought something was safe which was not. Silly mistake, simple as that.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

My mother used to do exactly the same thing! Mothers can be very sensible sometimes.

I came pretty close to drowning myself in a sea canoeing accident when I was about 14. I was with a trained instructor but he badly misjudged the conditions. Annoying thing was that I knew that particular beach was very dangerous but I listened to the instructor rather than trusting my own common sense. Silly mistake.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

From what little you have said about your mom, I imagine she would have gotten along very well with mine.

When it came to water safety, especially of kids, mine inisted on speaking up, even if she got rebuffed or looked a little silly.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm sure they would have got along just grand! There are some times it's always worth speaking up no matter how silly you might look.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

That is the event that you used for the Archie drowning/Horatio kissing fic!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes that's the one! Rather bizarrely I'd just started another fic that referred back to that incident again.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Amen to that. I sometimes feel we as a species are losing touch with how dangerous a planet we live on.

Have a good break.

PS We shouted for your lads yesterday and danced with joy when they won. Classic bit when Ansbro ended up with stitches - have your boys forgotten how to celebrate?

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes it's all too easy to forget the dangers of the sea, even in a town like Eyemouth.

Classic bit when Ansbro ended up with stitches - have your boys forgotten how to celebrate?
Yes, I should imagine they're a bit out of practice!

[nodbear.livejournal.com]

A really terrible thing - I actaually find myself looking at even the riverbank here when the rain has made it fsat flowing and wondering about how few lifebelts there are around- and by the sea it is 100 times more important.

A tough day for you all = and as you say brings reminders of the Dutton

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, the river round your way looks very placid but I have no doubt it can be very dangerous in flood.

It was grim experience but thankfully there were some there who were very much men after Ned's own heart and didn't hesitate to risk all to save others.