Sailor Knocked Out

[Gad]

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/darwin-sailor-paul-hubicka-rescued-after-attempting-to-sail-to-madagascar/news-story/e6e9d2dae18311bae4e6c054268efd50

A SELF-styled Captain Cook who set sail from Darwin to Madagascar for “logical” reasons had his high seas adventure cut short after knocking himself out just 65km off the coast of Darwin.

Darwin man Paul Hubicka, 73, had to be flown from his boat on Friday afternoon after his EPIRB device alerted rescue co-ordinators that he was in distress.

NT Police said the salty sea dog had encountered inclement weather shortly after embarking on the grand voyage to Africa and was hit on the head by the boom of the vessel.

“He was knocked unconscious and crashed against the vessel hull,” said Duty Supt Rob Burgoyne.

After a coast watch plane could not contact Mr Hubicka, “a complex rescue operation ensued”, Mr Burgoyne said.

A paramedic was eventually lowered by a helicopter in strong winds to rescue the wayward sailor.

Mr Hubicka was taken to RDH for treatment and discharged yesterday with minor injuries.

The Darwin adventurer could not be contacted yesterday but told the NT News last July about his planned 8800km journey to Madagascar, years in the making.

“I used to live there and have friends there and it’s the logical place to go from Darwin,” he said at the time.

Mr Hubicka spent more than two years building the 4.5m metal vessel based on a life raft design, named Dardie.

He was testing the vessel to see if it even floated last July with hopes of leaving then but the voyage was postponed until he started on Friday.

Police said Dardie was still adrift.

 

I can only imagine he remembered the canned chicken but not the duck.

[kmcrosby78]

4.5m?????????????????

[josha293]

6 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

4.5m?????????????????

Wow that a very small boat to be doing that sort of trip

[Gad]

9 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

4.5m?????????????????

would he have survived in anything bigger with no duck