Diamond boat abandoned on Oranjemund Coast!

[Michael Alexander]

Meant to post this yesterday, went down to the beach yesterday morning with my neighbor, Jacques who happens to own his own diamond boat. Our purpose was to view a diamond boat out of Port Nolloth that had been abandoned in the heavy swell during the night.

We were not too sure what had caused the quartet of crew to jump ship sometime after midnight, great to have such a knowledgable neighbor who gave running commentary on what the crew should have done.

Firstly they should not have been out that evening, the swell was running heavy and all the other boats had already returned to Alex Bay and Port earlier that morn.

It is assumed that in the darkness and in the heavy swell the boat initially had started to drag it,s anchors, with a cable catching the prop, the boat then became directionless and scrapped against a sandbar, causing panic,sometime before 02hoo a s.o.s was sent.

Seems Namdeb responded and jetski's were used, the quartet were brought ashore safely somewhere up at 4 plant....

During the daylight hours the abandoned boat could be seen,anchored about 400m offshore,with two more anchors on the bow, facing into the fresh southwester, bobbing on the rather large swell,

Nice to have Jacques pointing out the various parts to the boat and what needed to be done to salvage the craft...

All in all , we'll done to the rescuers and great to hear that there was no loss of life...

[Michael Alexander]

I went to the beach this morning, no sight of the boat, then went for a walk with Kelvin and Shadow up into the dunes, on returning I received a call from a source informing me that the boat had indeed beached during the night and is stranded behind the braai shelters.... unfortunately I don't have time to go back to the beach, but I am sure somebody out there will post a snap....

[Michael Alexander]

Ok! Better late than never, from my neighbour, Marita, here are a few pics of the activities down at the beach, seem's the folk are worried about pollution and the marine diesel was pumped of the boat.......

[Michael Alexander]

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[Michael Alexander]

Popped down to the beach this fine Oranjemund morning, the beached vessel rapidly becoming the latest tourist attraction for the town folks.....

Seems a local diver is claiming salvage rights,setting up his tent on the beach,running a thick marine rope from the bow of the boat to a point on the land....

Gonna be interested to see where this all goes....

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Talked to the guy with the dozer today,seems they are going to have a go tomorrow to try and get the boat out of the water..... .....

[Michael Alexander]

At what cost to whom?

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Dozer guy said he won't charge them..... one day somebody might roll a stone out
of his way ..nice,poor skipper has enough on his hands allready....

[Michael Alexander]

LINK: http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/diamond-vessel-sinks-crew-safe/

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Sank!!!! hahah the boat is nestling nicely between two braai pondoks thank you,awaiting a trailer to take it to Luderitz....

[Michael Alexander]

I never realized that boat transporting was part of the mines core business activity, next thing I will be hearing that they are thinking of moving into the gold mining industry....

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

Well,why not maybe we are sitting on big deposits here,untill one started something one will never know tsk tsk.Maybe the boat guy should have left the boat on the beach to be used as a nice seafood restaurant ...

[Adriaan Van Rooyen]

I don't think the equipment used was of Namdeb origin Mike,it looked more like a private contracter.....

[Michael Alexander]

Here are more recent snaps of the boat, now landed up between the braai shelters, compliments of Adriaan,

[Michael Alexander]

And here are a few photographs from our roving butcher, Kempie..... it's all happening down at the beach....