Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2019 09:47:31 +0000
From: Robert Me <winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: MV Lady Jean Peterson 9

Hi, I'm sorry about the delay in sending in this chapter, but I am sure you
will understand. Last Sunday my husband and I found out he has cancer of
the pancreas and as a result just about everything normal has been
forgotten. By now we know how his treatment will develop so we can now
prepare for some difficult times ahead. I am not saying all this for
sympathy of for readers of my story to get involved in anyway, I just
wanted to explain the reason for the delay. I hope you have a happy Easter.

____________________________________________________________________________


MV Lady Jean Peterson


by BobbyG



Chapter 9


Scott and Andrew got to the bridge and Paul updated them. Freddy and George
were also on watch. They went to the chart and looked at the position. The
distress call had been made 20 miles to the north east of them.

"The only call was 5 minutes ago and nothing since."

"Ok, send out a general call to Iceland, Norway and the Faroe's and ask
them if they got the call." Scott hardly got that out when there was
another call.


"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. This is the Icelandic trawler Magnasson. We have
engine failure and taking on water and abandoning ship. We are 62 degrees
north..." And that was all. Scott tried to call her time and again, but
nothing.

"Marked it!" Freddy called out and they all went to the chart and also
marked it on the map.

"Freddy, turn onto the mark and come back to 8 knots, we are in for a bad
time. We are at least 2 hours from the Magnasson at this speed and all we
can hope for is this storm lessens." They had been sailing directly into
the heavy sea, but not now as they turned onto the new heading, the ship
was being thrown all over the place. Scott went to the radio and called the
Icelandic Coast Guard reporting the distress call and that they were
heading towards the ships last known position.

"Thank you Lady Jean Peterson, we were just about to call you. The ship
only has a skeleton crew of six and is heading to Kristiansand in Norway
for scrap. The Norwegian Coast Guard are aware, but both of us are out of
helicopter range. Norway are flying off their Orian search aircraft and
should be over the area within half an hour, but the weather is bad and
very little visibility, but it's hoped they will pick up a distress signal
from the survivor suits. You are the nearest ship captain but two others
are also heading towards the area. Good luck." Scott pressed the alarm but
everyone was awake anyway. They all assembled on the bridge in an emergency
for the first time.


"Right, this will now get very rough. Freddy I want to make as much speed
as we can without ripping the ship apart, I will ask for more speed if the
Jean can take it. I want all crew in survival suits including helmets, cams
and two way talk. Andrew and Colin you obviously know what you will be
doing and we all hope you have survivors to pull out and Reggie and Paula
have them to work on, I'm not even sure we can pull anyone out if the sea
stays like this. Paul, Jan and George you will get the RIB ready when I ask
in case we can launch her, but I doubt it. Marcel go to the hanger when I
tell you and if you can, start her up, but again it does not look good in
these conditions. It will be at least an hour and a half now before we get
to the search area, so after you are in your gear try and relax and all of
us hope for a massive slice of luck, without it the guys are in big
trouble. Jerry, let's see just how good the cameras are, you will be our
main lookout.


The Jean was being thrown all over the place and even more as Scott asked
for another two knots, but at least Andrew had forgotten his sea sickness
with all that was going on. As for Scott, even though he had worked out the
current and wind direction he knew he was totally in guess mode, but he
headed towards the search area taking those two guesses into account for
when they started their search.


They eventually got to the search area and he had the Jean bought back to 5
knots. There was no way the RIB or the helicopter could be used and so they
all became extra look outs


Scott was now at the limit to where he had guessed the survivors may have
drifted and at least he could turn into wind and the Jean became more
stable as her bow plunged straight into the waves. He kept going to the
camera screens, but there was nothing.

"Okay, time for lights George you take the bridge lights and scan the sea
from 90 degrees to the ship and forward and Tommy do the same with the
stern lights and search aft."


They were now at the point of the last known position and Scott had to make
another guess, but he was sure from what he knew he could be in the right
place. Okay, he was just hoping!


"CONTACT!" George yelled out. And there he was lit up in the beam of the
forward search lights. Andrew and Colin flew down to the winch and with
Colin at the controls and Andrew with his strop on waited for Freddy to get
them down wind and as close as he could.


The survivor was now close enough and Colin hauled Andrew up and over the
side and at the same time extending the gib and placed it over the
man. Colin got Andrew as close as he could and then ran the cable out and
dropped Andrew from 20 feet up. He gradually took Andrew to within arm's
length of the guy and they all watched as Andrew fought to get the other
strop over his head and body forcing it under his arms. With a wave to
Colin he began to raise the cable, waited until the wave was at its highest
and lifted them both up and bought them onto the deck. Reggie Paula and
Andrew lifted the guy into the sick bay and everyone breathed a sigh of
relief. One down, five to go. They had all just received a massif boost and
at the same time an even more massive slice of luck, the wind dropped so
much Marcel told Scott he wanted to try and take off. Scott smiled at him
and got smiled back. "Ok Marcel and don't worry if you loose her. Good
luck." Jan went with him to help out.

There was no way he could take off and hover and get up to the bridge and
so Marcel would have to fly from the hangar and fly by the small screen on
the hand set. He started up and after his checks he called for Jan to open
the rollup doors. He told her to stand by him and she watched as Marcel
wound the engine up to take off speed and instead of pushing the helicopter
out onto the flight deck, he released the clamps in the hanger took it to
5ft and then flew out and climbed quickly over the stern fighting all the
time to stay in control.

"I'm up Skip!"

"Great stuff, bloody wonderful. Ok fly forward of us 100 yards, but wait
until we have turned 180 we are going back the way we came. Keep flying 30
degrees port then starboard."

"Ok Skip." They continued to search for another half hour and all the while
Scott thinking of his next course.

Meanwhile Reggie called so say the survivor was in reasonable shape and not
injured. "Hypothermia of course but he is responding well. But we need to
find the others very soon Skip, they will not last much longer."

"Freddy, port 10."

"Skip."


After 10 minutes like that Scott told Freddy to go to midships. "Marcel
climb to 200 feet and go forward another 100 ft then do 45 degrees port and
starboard. How is she handling?"

" No too bad... Shit! SKIP! I'm over them!"

"Them!?"

"Yes Skip there are four roped together! Follow my lights."

It seemed to take hours, but it was in fact only minutes. Colin and Andrew
worked brilliantly together as Colin put Andrew over the side and after the
expected struggle, got the first man into the strop and both men bought on
board. Paul was out to help get the survivors into the sick bay. This was
repeated three more times and although the four were in a pretty bad state
they were in the best hands it was possible to be in. They would all pray
that Reggie and Paula could make the difference.

"Skip the wind is getting up again and I'm finding it hard to control her
and my fuel is getting low as well.

"Come back Marcel, you have done wonders."  After a huge struggle Marcel
finally managed to land without bending the machine, they got it back into
the hanger and secured the rotors. Jan hugged Marcel tight. "Well done my
lovely man, you have saved four men tonight." Marcel beamed at her and also
hoped Scott would hug him as well!

Although the helicopter could not fly now, the sea was reasonable and the
search continued to find what turned out to be the Captain even though if
he was not already gone, there surly could not be much time left for
him. He went back to where they had picked up the first guy and with no
other plan in mind steered a course that would take them to where the four
were picked up hoping that as the captain was the last to leave the ship,
he would be drifting more or less on the same course as the others. It was
a sheer guess and hope. It was Tommy who gave them hope.

"I see a beacon! Ten degrees off the starboard bow!" The searchlights
picked him up and for the last time Freddy took the Jean to the last of the
"Magnesson's" crew who's ship had sunk and became a new addition to the
many ships also in the graveyard of the North Sea.


Scott and the crew did not know until Andrew was lifted up he was now in
the basket as they assumed that if he was found, he would almost certainly
be unconscious and it would be very difficult to get him in a strop. As it
was it took some time to get him into the basket and Andrew could see he
was in a very bad way.


Scott asked Jan to go to the sick bay and see if she could help in anyway
and Scott waited for Colin and Andrew to come to the Bridge. While he was
waiting Marcel came on and indeed got his cuddle from the very man he
wanked about most nights. He cuddled into Scott as hard as he could while
Scott thanked him for his incredible work. "Well done Marcel, you were
bloody brilliant!" Then Andrew and Colin came onto the bridge.

"Yea Gods you have done a magnificent job, we are all so proud of you and
now off you go and get warmed up. I will be down in a minute."

"What my cabin or yours Skip?" Colin laughed out loud and went off the
bridge. Scott hung on to Andrew a little longer then he left as well.


Iceland Coast Guard were informed as they made each rescue and were pretty
pleased it has to be said. "I will contact you again when I know more about
the crew's conditions, but I am guessing the Captain maybe in a bad
way. I'm going below to get an update."

"Thank you Captain and congratulations to you and your crew, we will be
praying for more good news."


Scott got to their cabin and found a naked Andrew just coming out of the
shower. He went to him and wrapped his arms around his hero. "Christ you
and Colin did a fantastic job Andrew. Thank you so much." Andrew just
cuddled in and indeed was proud, he had every right to be, they all
did. "Look sweetheart I have to go to sick bay, but you must email your
family, all this could be on the news by now and they will know it's us and
will be worried. They kissed and Scott left to get to the survivors.


Reggie and Paula were too busy, but Jan had enough information to tell him
that the five were suffering with hypothermia, one had a broken leg and
another a broken arm. "Reggie says he is sure they will recover and not in
serious danger and don't seem to be in shock. These Icelanders are made of
strong stuff it seems. I have no idea about the Captain though, it's going
to be touch and go if looks are anything to go by."

Nobody could relax and all but Reggie and Paula were on the bridge waiting
for news. George and Colin had gone down to get food and drink, but nobody
was that interested and they just stared out of the windows or look at one
another saying nothing. Scott had contacted Iceland to give them as much
information as they could. "I cannot sail at more than 8 knots to try to
keep the ship a little more stable, but I am now into the wind and as soon
as I can I will of course increase speed. It's going to be a long wait and
we just have to hang on for the doctor to tell us about the captain." It
was another hour before Reggie came onto the Bridge.


"Right Skip the good news, the five are recovering well, just a broken arm
and leg for two of them, but they are in no danger and in a day or so the
fit ones will most probably be up and about. Now the Captain, it's not good
and he is a very sick man. He must have have hit something on the way down,
I am guessing he did not have time to put a helmet on. His head injury is
serious and I already know if he survives, his sailing days are over. Paula
and I have stabilized him and made him as pain free as best we can. He
needs to be put into an induced coma to have any chance of survival and he
has to be got to a specialist unit as soon as we can organise a pickup. I
need to talk to a specialist in Iceland.

"Can I increase speed Reggie?"

"It will be a rough ride I guess Skip, but yes we need to get within range
of a helicopter very quickly, he is comfortable enough and will not suffer
any more than he is now." Reggie went over to call Iceland and hoped to
organise a talk with a specialist. Scott ordered a gradual increase of
speed to 10 knots.


They all knew that luck was very much on their side, but at the same time
were more than happy about the way they had taken advantage of it and
worked so well together. This unexpected emergency showed them all what a
great crew they had become. The only down side of course was the condition
of the captain, but the fact they had found him and got him onto the ship,
gave him at least a fighting chance. He was about to have an even better
chance as the storm at last subsided enough for Scott to go to 15 knots.

Four hours later and with the captain still hanging on he was airlifted off
the Jean and flown to Reykjavik. Some weeks later it was recognised that
the treatment Reggie and Paulina gave him, saved his life.


Later the same day another helicopter arrived and took the other crew back
to Akureyri where they had sailed from and thanking the Jean's crew for
their rescue and would see the families that they were sure would be
mourning them and not welcoming them back home. The following day Scott got
a message asking for them to go to Akureyri to be officially welcomed and
thanked for their work. Scott agreed and made arrangements to call in at
Dalvik when they left Akureyri for an overnight stay before returning to
Southampton. Jerry made an edited film of the rescue and sent it to William
who then passed it on to all the TV news stations and the Lady Jean
Peterson and her crew became quite famous for a couple of days in the
UK. Scott had it sent to the Iceland stations and they became famous for
all time.


There is an island opposite Dalvik called Hrisay and Scott sailed the
Dalvik side of it when they passed by so he and Andrew could go down memory
lane. They were sailing at 25 knots and overtook a ship Scott had seen
before moored up in Dalvik, the Bjorgvin, who gave out three blasts on her
horn. Scott replied with three of his own.

On the bridge of the Bjorgvin a young lad had a pair of binoculars stuck to
his eyes and stared at the black guy he had seen many times on the news.


They were met by a dozens of small boats and escorted all the way down to
Akureyri where there was a massive reception waiting for them. As they
approached the harbour Scott asked for 5 knots and the cannons to be fired
at full power. Marcel took off and stayed ahead of the Jean with the
Icelandic flag slung below. All this impressed their hosts no end.

Once they had tied up the media and God knows who came on board and they
did not stop shaking hands with all of them for the next three hours. They
were shown around the Jean and Marcel had no problem giving his own show
which was broadcast live. Scott was asked for an interview and he and the
crew went to the lounge while all the visitors crammed together asking a
billion questions quite a number of which asking about crew relationships
and ignored.


At last the visitors left the ship, but a lot of work needed to be done as
Scott had agreed that the ship would be open from 9am to 12 noon the
following day so that the public could come on board to have a look at her
before they set off for Dalvik, meanwhile there were still hundreds outside
the security barriers taking photos.


"Skip there is a delivery for you." Jerry called over the intercom. He went
down the gangway and was handed a large box and lugged it on board and
opened it, 12 bottles of champagne from his father who had ordered and paid
for it on line. Party tonight then. He went to the cabin and video called
William and spoke for an hour going over the rescue again.

They sat for their evening meal and did not stop talking, they were still
on a huge high. It was then Scott mentioned about getting another
helicopter. "Marcel did a great job of course and having two during the
rescue may not have made much difference, but as he only has half an hours
flying before having to come back to refuel we will be without cover until
he can get back up again. So, my thinking is to get another one and recruit
another pilot, from memory I have quite a few to choose from. What do you
lot think, Marcel?"

"Good idea Skip. Can I help choose another guy?"

"There were a couple of girls as well Marcel, I think we could do with
another lady with us."

"Indeed we could Skip, that would make two of us then." Paulina shot up and
hid behind the First Office! "Just wait till I get you in our cabin."
Nobody wanted to dwell on that too long!

"I can't say what I want to say Skip, but a boy would be very nice please!

"I will only be taking the best Marcel regardless of sex. OH, I remember
now! Oh yes, I can't remember her name, but she almost got taken on instead
of you, she is brilliant!"

"I still can't say what I want Skip!" He smiled at Scott and knew he was
kidding, he hoped.

"By the way, where did this "Skip" thing come from?"

"We heard Paul refer to you as that and we just followed him, not that
anyone would argue anyway, but speaking for myself I like it, it's good to
have you called something official and at the same time informal." Colin
apparently spoke for them all.

"How about calling me that only when we are at sea?"

"What's your name again?" Andrew thought he was hilarious.


"Ok, real joke time. I'll go first." George waited for his audience to
become slightly interested.


"A soldier was running from the military police and went round a corner and
saw a nun coming out of a shop and just got under her full habit and hid
until the police had gone. He came out and apologised to the nun. "I am so
sorry sister but I had to run, I really don't want to be sent to
Afganistan......but sister while I was hiding I could not help notice your
lovely white thighs."

The nun smiled at him, "and if you looked up a bit further you would have
seen a pair of bollocks and I don't want to go to Afganistan either!"

George got some laughs, including himself. Jan decided to treat them.


"A group of lads took their mate who had no arms or legs to the seaside and
left him at the waters edge while they buggered off for a few beers.


An American girl came a long.

"Oh honey! You look so cuuute, have you ever had a hug?"

"Well actually no I haven't." She knelt down and gave him a long, long hug,
then went on her way.


The next girl was Italian.

"Oh mya bambino! Have you evera hada kiss?"

"Well actually no I haven't." She got on her knees and French kissed him
for a very long time, then went on her way.


He then noticed a girl coming along who turned out to be Australian.

"Ello sport have you ever bin fucked?"

"Oh my word, um actually, oh gosh, no never!"

She looked at him shaking her head.

"Well you will be when the tide comes in!"


Mild reaction.


The Bjorgvin moored up and the young lad and the rest of the crew worked at
double speed to get the catch ready to be off loaded. After it was done he
ran all the way home, had a shower and changed, he wanted to get to
Akureyri.


Jon Fredericksson was an 18 year old trawlerman who had actually began to
sail at the age of 10 when his father would take him on board his own
coastal fishing boat. Jon was born to be at sea and was taken on as soon as
he left school at 16. Despite his slim build he was very fit and strong
given his occupation, a popular lad who was liked by the rest of the crew
who took the piss out of him mercilessly just to prove it!


He got into his ancient Ford and prayed it would start. Thirty minuets
later he was standing with a few hundred others looking at the MV Lady Jean
Peterson.

______________________________________________________________


winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk