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The Pink Lady crew arrived at Southampton airport today to
be met by an eager world media and to be reunited with their
families and friends.
Looking remarkable composed after their terrifying ordeal,
the four Pink Lady crew members told of the storm that put
paid to their dream of becoming the fastest crew to row the
Atlantic Ocean.
Just 300 miles from their goal, the crew described the storm
they 'couldn't escape' and how after 39 days of unseasonably
bad weather, mother nature finally caught up with them.
Although confident that the Pink Lady could withstand whatever
the weather decided to throw at them and fully prepared for
the worst storm of the trip, predicted by their onshore weather
tactician, they could not know that Hurricane Alex had followed
them across the Atlantic and was about to strike.
The cocktail of Hurricane Alex and the low pressure area
they were already in created a storm of massive power, the
noise of the storm being so loud the crew were unable to talk
to each other. When the 60 ft rougue wave smashed down on
them they were turned violently and one of the cabins, with
two crew members inside, was crushed.
Once the crew had fought their way out of what remained of
a smashed and sinking Pink Lady they realised that the liferaft
and emergency 'grab bag' with their lifejackets, communications
and navigation equipment, essential for their survival, was
still onboard the Pink Lady. Peter Bray returned to the crippled
boat, diving into the wreak twice to recover both the liferaft
and the 'grab bag'.
Once the liferaft was inflated and all were onboard it was
imperitive, if they were to stand any chance of survival,
that they keep awake. They talked, told jokes and laughed.
The sound of the RAF Nimrod aircraft was music to the crews
ears and gave them hope as the Scandinavian Reefer steamed
toward them and plucked them to safety.
Will they do it again? Only time will tell.
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