Gale drama forces ship to Yarmouth

Published: 4:02 PM September 17, 2009 Updated: 8:26 PM October 10, 2020

HEAVY storms forced a historic ship to make safe harbour in Great Yarmouth on Monday morning.The Spider T was heading from Rotterdam to Grimsby when she was caught in a force nine gale around 30 miles off the Norfolk coast.

HEAVY storms forced a historic ship to make safe harbour in Great Yarmouth on Monday morning.

The Spider T was heading from Rotterdam to Grimsby when she was caught in a force nine gale around 30 miles off the Norfolk coast. Conditions became so severe in the early hours of Sunday morning that the crew decided to divert course and head to Yarmouth.

The Humber Super Sloop had been taking part in a maritime festival in Holland and was sailing to Grimsby for celebrations marking the start of a round the world yacht race.

Owner and skipper Mal Nicholson said: “We are extremely relieved to be here; it was some of the worst conditions I have ever sailed in and exceptional for this time of year.

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“There were huge waves and we were out of radio contact for a time, the storm just came out of nowhere. The ship was really getting thrown around, but stood up to it very well - at times half the vessel was out of the water.”

The Spider T was expected to leave Yarmouth before the end of this week for her home port on the River Trent near Scunthorpe.