One-man sea disaster towed to safety again

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 9

One-man sea disaster towed to safety again

NZPA London Ron Davies, Britain's one-| man maritime disaster, has been rescued again. He was towed into Padstow Harbour by a lifeboat [ after getting into difficulties while attempting to sail round Land’s End. For the 42-year-old skipper with a jinx it was just! another chapter in a series! of boating mishaps with his! cruiser Calcutta Princess. He was spotted by a naval helicopter from Culdrose, drifting in gale force winds 22km from the Cornish port. Liverpool-born Ron, who is 42, left St Ives on Tuesday, where he was towed last week-end after getting lost in St Ives Bay. It all started two years ago when he decided to leave Belfast, where he had lived for five years, and sail away to a more peaceful life. There is not much peace for the coastguards when Ron, who lives aboard his boat, is on the high seas. He logged his first drama when he crossed from Ulster to the Isle of Man. it took 10

days and the Calcutta Prin.cess reached port on the end lof a lifeboat tow line. ! Since then, he has been I lost, and rescued, a number of times. He has been lost in the ( Irish Sea (on that occasion I he was towed to safety from [the Aberforth rocket range), and nearly swept on to [rocks (that time, the aircraft! [carrier Hermes was among !the vessels keeping watch for him). _ Ron was found last night, in a south-westerly gale, and • the coastguards went to work again. He refused to be flown off the boat by helicopter and I was finally towed in early ; yesterday. Ron’s ambition is to sail 1 to the Continent, but he has . already lost his “crew," ■ Brenda Collopy, the girl he 1 hoped to marry. She jumped ship at Padstow and has not : been seen since. 1 His only companion now : is his dog. Where Ron will head next 1 is anyone’s guess — but ■ coastguards will keep a look-out.