Distress at sea: Sailor stranded on Norderney following second incident

Amid stormy weather and extremely high tide, the eight-metre-long sailing yacht “Filou” ran aground on the northern beach of Norderney the Friday before last. The Dutch skipper, Piet J., had set off at midday from the neighbouring island of Juist, even though the high tide, at 3.40 metres, was already 40 centimetres higher than it had been the previous morning. Various media outlets had reported this consistently.

With wind speeds of up to 38 kilometres per hour, waves up to two metres high formed. The man lost control of his boat. It was driven far onto the beach and became stuck in the sand. As the “Filou” is a bilge-keel boat, it remained upright.

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As Piet J. had been unable to leave his boat unaided, emergency services arrived with an excavator and rescued him from on board. He was taken to hospital as a precaution. Meanwhile, for a week, the stranded “Filou” served as a photo opportunity for holidaymakers on Norderney, right in front of the beach chairs.

Second rescue operation in a week

Last Friday morning, as the tide was rising, Piet J. tried to free his boat so he could continue his trip. He managed to do so at first. However, it appears the steering system had been damaged. And the engine wasn’t working either. The “Filou” turned out to be unable to manoeuvre.

Lifeboat crews from the DGZRS station on Baltrum were called out to hook up the ageing yacht and tow it to Norderney harbour. It is currently unclear whether the fault with the steering system was the cause of the initial incident.

Dangerous sea currents between the islands

The waters between the German North Sea islands and also between some of the Dutch North Sea islands are regarded by sailors as challenging sailing grounds in their own right. The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service classifies these sea areas as particularly demanding. Strong tidal currents, varying water depths and sudden gusts of wind make navigation in the sea straits difficult.

Depending on the wind and tide, conditions there can deteriorate dramatically within a short space of time. Furthermore, sandbanks are constantly shifting, which requires a good knowledge of the area. Sailors should avoid this passage, particularly in stormy weather and when the seas are rough.

Accidents in the Seegatten:

• ​Distress at sea: Norwegian solo sailor rescued from the North Sea
• Another yacht has capsized in Seegatt
• Sailor rescued from mortal danger in the Seegatt – were outdated charts to blame?