‘Devastated’ Pip Hare says ‘wrong decision’ led to grounding
British sailor Pip Hare has been rescued by the RNLI after running aground off Cornwall.
“I am pretty devastated about everything that happened. I managed to sleep through a lot of alarms and run aground off the coast of Cornwall on my delivery home from the Return to Base race,” Hare says.
The incident happened on Tuesday, 12 December at 05.30. Her team kept her fans updated as the RNLI came to the rescue.
“We were tasked at 6.20am to launch the all-weather lifeboat following reports of an 18m yacht with a single-handed sailor aboard that had run aground,” says Fowey RNLI.
“On arrival at the scene, as the all-weather boat was not able to gain access to the beach, the XP boat that is carried onboard was launched. Crew members Callum Pritchard and James Dowrick boarded the yacht and set up a tow to get the yacht off the beach and into the bay.”
John Baxter, from Falmouth Coastguard told the BBC, that 60ft Medallia had grounded on Black Rock as the tide was going out.
He said the recovery operation was a “good result” and the boat “wasn’t damaged enough to stop it”.
In an emotional address, Hare has reassured her supporters that she is fine. “The boat is seaworthy, a little bit bruised, but okay. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the incredible crew from Fowey RNLI and volunteer coastguards who were on hand when I needed them.
“As an individual, and as a team, we will unpack this later. My decision to sail home alone is largely based on the fact that we are a very small team and always need to be making economies where we can. And for me, just sailing an extra 300 miles alone when I’d done 3,500 already, didn’t seem like a big risk.
“I made the wrong decision.
“I would just like to say a massive, massive thank you to both RNLI Fowey and the volunteer coastguard who came down and supported as well. The Fowey lifeboat towed me off the beach and I cannot praise the crew enough.
“If anybody wants to support the RNLI in thanks of them supporting me, I’d be really grateful for any donations you make.
“They are a charity, they basically look after our whole coastguard and they were on hand when I needed them, without question.”
Hare’s decision to be open about her sailing experiences has won her legions of fans, including Marine Industry News.
“That’s what I like about your updates; you share the highs and lows, saying as it is. Which is why you have a few glued to their phones/computers,” says one online fan. “It takes a strong person to share the highs and lows, all of your followers can learn from your inspirational reports. Truly amazing lady and sailor,” agrees another.
Watch Pip Hare’s highlights from her Return to Base race below.
All images courtesy of Pip Hare’s Facebook page.
