That sinking feeling strikes a second time

Published on Saturday 2 February 2008 10:03

HIGH winds have been causing chaos at Newhaven, with two boats overcome by choppy seas – inside the harbour walls.

The country has been battered by gusts of up to 70mph and severe weather warnings have been in force in the Lothians throughout much of the week.

Peter Tuck, of Summerside Street, Newhaven, witnessed the second boat succumbing to the swell at around 2pm yesterday afternoon.

He said: "I was cycling along the harbour and I saw this boat being overcome by the waves. I walked out to the end of the pier to take some photos but it was so windy that I could barely stand up.

"I don't think there's much chance of retrieving the boat in one piece."

Newhaven Harbour is tended on behalf of Forth Ports by Gary Welch, of Starbank Road. He said: "It's not the best part of the harbour to moor your boats in. People are losing boats there all the time. There's very little you can do about it in bad weather, and all I can suggest is that owners keep their boats bailed out."

"The fishing boat is actually the second vessel to go down there in the last few days. You can see a mast sticking out the water next to it belonging to a yacht that went down. It was full of rainwater."