Jump to content

Enchanter Northland


Recommended Posts

Quote

"I believe Maritime New Zealand have failed their duty to follow up previous complaints against Lance. In my opinion, Lance is the most incompetent, worse-behaved skipper I have come across. Five people have lost their lives, in my opinion he should be in jail."

Harsh

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/deadly-wave-the-storm-over-the-enchanter-skippers-new-venture/WW3GW54Q6GE2ZN5U4KH7YCQIB4/

yet heres a customer

Quote

Jack said Goodhew was environmentally conscious, took care of his vessel and runs a "tight ship'."

"He gave us good safety briefings before we left and a good rundown of the weather conditions - that's what you expect from a skipper and he delivered, he was totally responsible."

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I know a few that have been with him and know someone that was on the next trip, plus reading the comments about him, if you got good weather it was a great trip but if the weather was crap you either went or forfeited your money 

Not a great sense of responsibility towards safety, all about the money.

I passed him coming home from the Kings as he headed out on that trip, we were coming home because we knew the weather was about to pack up in a few days, all the other charter boats came back at least a day ahead of him or the commercial boats stayed out (cray boats)

He got it wrong and people that trusted him died. Manslaughter plain and simple to me

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, waikiore said:

Many of the commercial skippers (non charter) up there have a low opinion of him.

low? They'd have to aim Dame Whina the tunneling machine vertically downwards and set it on auto dig for 2 weeks before they found the first one

Link to post
Share on other sites

As you and I know there will not be one of us who hasn't at some stage made a call or a choice that has turned to custard. When you are on the water something that you have done many times successfully, can lead us to think that "this" time will be no different. My experience sailing says a 30 second time difference or a 50 metre difference in position may well have had them saying "hell" that was close. Bad call? maybe, but once you are out there and the conditions are far worse than you expected them to be, you would try to make your best effort to get your charterers safely to a safe bay / harbour. I'm sure he could not have foreseen the cabin being torn off and boat capsized and destroyed and doubt that anyone else would have. It was his livelihood after all.  Innocent until ?? Hearsay doesn't carry any weight. I will await the official findings.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've done a fishing trip with Lance out of Westport hunting giant Bluefin Tuna... We had to wait 3 days for the weather to settle enough for the bar to open. Even then it was touch and go... but we got out and fished for 3 days in some pretty rugged conditions.... and there was talk about if the bar would be open for our return or would we need to stay out.

It was rugged but I always felt safe enough.

I was surprised when I heard of the tragedy and the weather reports. First thought was that Lance and the Enchanter have been out and fished in worse than that! (and I still believe this to be the case).

I'm very interested in hearing the findings of the investigation as I have fished with Lance (on his other boat Cova Rose) and I have fished the Kings and North Cape numerous times. My suspicion is that if he had stayed well out from the coast the incident wouldn't have happened. The issue was coming in to close to North Cape and going over the shallow patch / reef which caused the seas to amplify and sharpen... Most trips it's not a problem, but on this day a wider course would have been a safer option.

As in many previous cases with other boats, it's when close to shorelines danger increases exponentially.... head out to deep water and although it might be uncomfortable, generally you survive!

Anyway I await the report to see if my suspicions are confirmed...

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Some you may remember Bill Hohepa (Wayne Wills) tragedy off Cape Kari Kari in the early 2000's when one of his clients drowned.

Have a read of this BSA complaint for an overview of the event then get googling. The way its written, the language of authorities, the dissection of various points illustrate that this could get very complicated if the MSA are involved. 

https://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/all-decisions/new-zealand-maritime-safety-authority-and-tv3-network-services-ltd-2004-116/

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Watching the "Newshub Investigation" on 3 last night, the survivors said the conditions had improved, wind was only 10 knots, and they got hit by a rogue wave.  However the helicopter crews said the conditions were challenging. 

Sounds like fuel was an issue, and they may have been able to pick up the others in the water if they had more fuel.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/newshub-investigates-the-enchanter-tragedy-.html

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The weather at the time was such that the large Whangarei helicopter had to consider how to manage the mission -certainly not 10 knots till well into the next day. There are a lot of 'rogue' waves straight off the Surville cliffs in a wild Nor easter or in fact off a shoreline when the swells feel the ground close in... 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just had coffee with a friend who is a qualified professional skipper, he worked as a deckie in the early 2000's fishing off North Cape, at that time there was a cray boat that they met up with in Tom Bowling that was sheltering from a big blow, he was in a big steel long liner and managed to get in ahead of the weather but the two young guys on the cray boat said they missed the window so they were going to wait. They departed TB 2 days after the wind settled thinking the sea state was ok and they came around the corner too close (in his opinion) and they were lost in very similar circumstances. He was part of the rescue, they found the hull floating with the whole superstructure gone- his comment was that there are no "rogue waves" but there are dangerous waters where reflected wave energy big currents, underwater topography etc make a place very dangerous even days after wind has subsided. also said that professionals know to give that corner a good offing like about 2 miles at least unless the weather is settled.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

From watching half the doco.I formed an opinion that they felt a need to protect the skipper rather than through him under the bus. I do not believe the 10knt discussion.I am picking the skipper was battling with enchanter and wasn't looking around at sea conditions.Just wait for MNZ findings 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was 50nm south that night and we had over 50 and over 200mm of rain from Saturday afternoon until early hours Monday 

‘Monday we headed further south in a good 3m swell some bigger

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...