Skagen was declared a no-go at 10:15 am when pilot and Captain agreed that with winds of 45 knots directly out of the south and currents and high seas also too dangerous to land. At the same time a passenger was taken ill and required immediate treatment. The Danish Coast guard was called and arrived within 10 minutes. Meanwhile we watched on our room TV the crew trying to lower the 2 "masts" out on the bow. Radar and deck railing went down easily, but 2nd mast with flag blowing straight out would not lower. The helicopter hovered in high winds as the ship turned a full 360 degrees to try to come around with winds directly against the starboard. Meanwhile I tried to take photos outside, but it is grey and the land looks like a grey blob if we can see it at all. We watched the precarious maneuvering of the helicopter and ship as they tried to hover together in the wind and seas and hold still long enough to land 2 red uniformed rescue team and a stretcher on to the bow. With that mast up, it probably was very dangerous as a line might blow and snag. Even if the helicopter wanted to land, he couldn’t. The flag on the mast whipped straight out at 30 mph from starboard to port. The pilot boat hovered off the bow waiting for her pilot who stayed on board as we came close to the spit of land in Skagen that marks the joining of the North Sea to the Baltic. I had hoped to walk out and stand on that point of land, but will have to depend on a very grey photo for the experience. While we waited and the helicopter hovered, I thought back to two other rescues during this trip: In Norfolk, an ambulance picked up a stretcher and a person carrying two back packs (perhaps a father and son team going on an adventure), and in the Baltic we had another helicopter rescue by the Swedish Coast Guard, but not in such grave conditions. In 26 days at sea we have witnessed 3 rescues. I wonder what the statistics are. Our Big Pine Key renter works at the Lower Keys Medical Center, and she says they get ship mates for surgery sometime so I guess this is like a traveling small town with 3360 souls in total and 3 in a month need surgery. The rescue completed, the stretcher and a civilian hoisted up on to the helicopter, the Captain thanked the Danish Coast Guard for a professional job well done. It was a treacherous rescue, but all went well. God bless this crew, passengers, and God bless you! Onward to Harwich we go with a sea day tomorrow. Sipping a glass of wine, I salute you!
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