Troutbridge - hopefully not lost

[venturing seagull]

Troutbridge and Peter have been found alive and well and headed to New Caledonia
.
Many thanks to NZ Marine Rescue Service

.... message reads:

Dear all,

The following email received from John Ashby New Zealand Government Maritime Rescue Service says it all.

From KIWI RESCUE 314.
COMMS ESTABLISHED WITH SV TROUTBRIDGE. VESSEL SUSTAINED SOME STORM
DAMAGE BUT IS MAKING WAY. DESTINATION NOUMEA. EST NEW CALEDONIA 4 DAYS.
PRESENT POSITION 19 13S 173 07E, 4-5 KTS. SOME LEAKS, PUMPS COPING. 1 X
SAIL LOST, 1 X DAMAGED, 1 X REMAINING. 1 X POB. SV TROUTBRIDGE REQUESTS
RCCNZ PASS INFO TO SV CALYPSO. SV TROUTBRIDGE ADVISED HE IS EQUIPPED
WITH EPIRB, LIFERAFT AND LIFEJACKETS AND OFF SHORE FLARE PACK.

All I can say is this type of result makes our day! I will now inform
all agencies of the fantastic result.

Bon Voyage

John Ashby
RCCNZ

We are a lot happier aboard SV Calypso, it's going to be more than Pineapple wine tonight.

Regards & love
Paul & Maureen

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by venturing seagull

Troutbridge and Peter have been found alive and well and headed to New Caledonia
......

That's fantastic news!
Just woken up here and logged in to check if anything had been reported. After following someone's blog for so long you feel you get to know them. Glad Pete is safe.

[NoTies]

And not a particularly expensive exercise as the plane was en route anyway
RNZAF Orion searching for missing Kiribati fishermen... | Stuff.co.nz

[CeesH]

Great news, lots of respect for all the work pete did to get flooting again.

[Bill4]

Fantastic news

I have followed Pete's blog updates intermittently for a few years and was deeply saddened to see this thread appear but the news this morning has lifted my spirits tremendously. I am so relieved that Pete is OK

Today is going to be a Good Day

[mbianka]

Good news indeed! I love happy endings!

[ess105]

It's not over for Pete but the essential thing he's still alive and still in command of his vessel. Hats off the the NZ Maritime Rescue Service who are often out there covering a vast area of the Pacific. How smart of them to carry out a search for Peter while they were heading out the Kiribati region. That's a tough piece of water out there and it's comforting to know some of the best are out there ready to help those in peril.

[downunder]

A New Zealand Air Force plane heading to the central Pacific to search for three missing Kiribati fisherman has found a damaged British yacht in a remote area of the ocean, officials said on Sunday.
Fears had been held for Peter Bernfeld, the sole sailor on the 38-foot British catamaran Troutbridge after he lost contact with an accompanying yacht in a storm on Thursday night after they set sail from Fiji.
The New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre (NZRCC) said the yacht was found by a New Zealand Air Force Orion which left Auckland early on Sunday to begin an unrelated search for three Kiribati fishermen.
The aircraft made radio contact with Bernfeld, who reported the catamaran had sustained hull and rig damage and was leaking.
However, the pumps were working effectively and he was proceeding to New Caledonia on a voyage that could take up to a week.
Bernfeld, who is sailing around the world, had been in Fiji for more than a year repairing Troutbridge after it was severely damaged on a reef.
A week ago he reported on his blog that his departure had been delayed while he fitted an electric bilge pump after his two manual pumps had failed.
The New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre said although no official search had been launched for Troutbridge there were serious concerns after its companion yacht Calypso reported it had lost contact.
"It's a great outcome to establish contact with the skipper of the Troutbridge," search coordinator Mike Roberts said.
"Now we're also hoping for a positive result in the search for the fishermen off Kiribati."
The three fishermen on board a six-metre vessel are three days overdue and the NZRCC said an initial radar search of the seas south of Kiribati's Tarawa Island had found no sign of them.
"The aircraft has now landed on Tarawa Island and the search will resume at first light tomorrow," it said.
In September, a 41-year-old Kiribati man was found alive after drifting for 15 weeks and surviving on fish and rainwater.

[conachair]

Great news indeed

Still 3 fishermen out there, let's hope they're OK as well.

[saltysam]

Petes a real good guy...one of the best , but he really needs a hand to find somewhere to haul 'Troutebridge' in Oz; somewhere cheap but with facilities or friends to help with proper repairs...if anyone knows where or whom please let him/me know.
I expect Pete to be arriving Bundy/Brisi any day now (wed 19-Fri 21) though studying the wx there isn't much wind about!
From the crew of 'Duende' rooted in NZ

[rebel heart]

Is this guy a sailor? I'm not trying to knock the guy but he seems like the poster child for "Just cut the dock lines and go!".

[Boracay]

We almost got to Tin Can Bay where we had booked Boracay in for hardstand during the cyclone season, but we ran late and Kawana Waters made us an offer we couldn't refuse.

Tin Can Bay had the best hardstand rate that I could find. If he has major work that requires the boat to be out of the water for quite a while then they could be worth considering. We rang the marina and they put us through the the hard stand manager. It's a long way from anywhere though. There's also a slipway there.

We ended up in the water at Kawana Waters Marina. Very protected, good rate and friendly. The hardstand next door has really good rates for short to medium term slipping. There are chandlers on site and Whitworths is within walking distance.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Boracay

......
We ended up in the water at Kawana Waters Marina. Very protected, good rate and friendly. The hardstand next door has really good rates for short to medium term slipping. There are chandlers on site and Whitworths is within walking distance.

Pete may not know, but Whitworths is a huge chandlery chain. Prices are good for Australia. They have online purchasing, but doing repairs within walking distance of a Whitworths store would be invaluable!

[saltysam]

Thanks to those that replied,
I had thought about Tin Can Bay...but as you say, long way from anywhere..I will keep researching from here (I have cruised Oz but cannot think of anywhere "affordable".
Anyone comes up with a wizzard idea please let me know..house sit with slipway perhaps..mmmmmm.
And to Eric of Rebel Hart..be very careful how you phrase your comments..take a good long look at thyself young man!