Keep the land on your right ...

"A lost sailor has had to be rescued after running out of fuel circling a small island when he thought he was sailing around the UK coast"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/8648011.stm

"With only a road map for directions, he set off on the river Medway, from Gillingham, and headed for Southampton. He didn't have the usual maritime charts or navigation equipment."

"The man told the rescue team he had been keeping the coast to his right and had ended up sailing in circles around Sheppey.

"He was absolutely aghast that he had used three tanks of fuel to get from Gillingham to Elmley, which was only the very first part of his journey to Southampton... when he could do the whole journey by car in less than one tank.

"He had no idea of the magnitude of the journey he was undertaking."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...e-UK-circles-the-Isle-of-Sheppey-instead.html

Coastguard Ian Goodwin said: "We passed on relevant safety advice and advised him that the best way to Southampton would be by train. However, he said he would get some fuel and get underway but asked us if he went left or right when he came out of the Swale."

It is unknown whether the man made it to Southampton.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...oad-map-circling-Isle-Sheppey-Kent-coast.html

 

How far is it around Bruny Island again? Maybe I should get one of those big bladder tanks. I think I could manage to find the local fuel dock on a clear day.

Time to get back to welding down the fuel fill standoff plates....

PDW

 

Has this person never heard of a compass?

 

A compass is of no use without a map to apply it to. He didnt head in any wrong directions, just the right direction at the wrong time.

 

This story has made my day.
Thanks.

 

Reminds me of when I was a kid,dad and I came across a guy from Iowa-or some such state- in a small runabout-after a brief chit chat he mentioned he was heading to Alaska.

Problem was he was going south,when he should have been going north-and he wouldn't believe us.

Always kinda wondered if he ever made it.

 

He's lucky that he didn't run into any pirates.

http://www.sheppeypirates.co.uk/HomePort.htm

 

Sign of changing times - modern pirates have their web page too.
Have to check it, perhaps there'll be a toll-free number too.