Man treated for shock after dinghy capsizes
Comments |
by Lewis Dyson
A man has been treated for shock and
cold after his dinghy capsized off the coast of Kent.
It happened close to Queenborough
Harbour at around 1pm yesterday afternoon.
The Sheerness lifeboat, Sheppey
Coastguard and an ambulance were all called.
Symeon Christodoulou was helped out of
the water by a nearby sailor and emerged cold and wet, but
unharmed.
The 62-year-old, from Headcorn, was in
the dinghy as he was trying to reach his bigger motor boat, named
Pisces.
He said: "The idea was I was going out
there to put a new petrol tank on the boat because I was trying out
a new outboard motor.
"I have actually had it for a few
months now but I have not managed to get it out yet."
"I got out a little bit and I was
trying to turn around and I stood on the centre board and then the
rear corner went under the water and the boat flipped over.
"A guy came along in a much bigger
boat and gave me a rope and helped me to get out of the water."
He was taken into the Old House At
Home pub, which overlooks the quay, where he was given a warm bath
and a change of clothes.
However he had to endure jokes from
those who had witnessed his misadventure.
"I was never in much danger, but my
pride was hurt more than anything. I made myself look stupid and I
had to listen to a lot of jokes at my expense from everybody at the
pub."
The retired father of two was trying
out boating after his wife told him he should find a hobby. "My
wife will find out. When I tell her she will probably laugh her
head off and tell me what a fool I am just to pile on insult on top
of embarrassment."
Kent Ambulance, Kent Coastguard and
Sheerness Lifeboat were all called to the scene and he was checked
by paramedics.
Tuesday, February 21 2012
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.