Due to the loss of a liferaft during the knockdown that resulted in one of Spirit of Mystery‘s crew breaking his leg, Pete Goss has announced that the planned helicopter rescue will not go ahead.

Mark Maidment broke his leg as a huge wall of water knocked the Mounts Bay Lugger onto her side a few days ago. The usual procedure in a medical evacuation is to transfer a casualty to the vessel’s liferaft which is then towed behind, and from which the injured person can be winched up. However, Spirit of Mystery lost both her liferaft and her clinker dinghy in the knockdown, and, as Mark is stable and comfortable, the decision has been taken for Spirit of Mystery to proceed to Portland, on Australia’s south coast, where Mark will be taken off.

It is the crew’s intention – and Mark’s wish – for Spirit of Mystery to continue towards Melbourne where they hope to arrive on Tuesday 10 March.

Goss and his crew are re-creating the journey of seven Cornishmen who sailed from Cornwall to Williamstown, Victoria in 1854 to join in the Australian Gold Rush.

Photo credit AeroRescue Essendon