Radio Caroline 1970s History 6

Radio Caroline 1970’s - History (6)

Meanwhile, in Holland on 7th October 1975 a fishing boat, Lovika, was stopped and boarded by officials as she entered the small harbour of Stellendam, twenty miles from Rotterdam. The vessel was found to be carrying programme tapes and items of equipment from the Mi Amigo. The father and son owners of the Lovika were later arrested and charged with offences under the Dutch Marine Offences Act.

On 8th November 1975 the Mi Amigo, which had been buffeted for nearly 24 hours by Force 6-7 winds, broke from her anchor and drifted. For nearly two hours the crew struggled to try and lower an emergency anchor and stop the ship drifting, but without success. At 6.20pm DJ Simon Barrett interrupted his programme asking listeners to contact the station's office to inform them that the anchor chain had broken. This message was broadcast repeatedly for about 50 minutes, together with messages to friends and relatives reassuring them that the radio ship was in no immediate danger. The Coastguard Service was then swamped with calls from listeners advising them of the Mi Amigo's distress.

At 7.06pm the Mi Amigo grounded on the southern end of Long Head Sands, although the crew, uncertain of the ship's position or direction of drift were convinced that they had grounded at the northern end of the sandbank. The Mi Amigo had dragged with her the remains of her anchor chain when she started to drift and it was decided this would have to be cut away before the engines could be started so the ship could safely manoeuvre off the sandbank.

With the chain cut and the engines eventually started the Captain set a northerly course, still thinking that his vessel was at the northern end of the Long Head Sands. However, because her true position was at the southern end this course meant that the Mi Amigo was actually sailing further on to the sandbank. It was half an hour before the crew realised their mistake and the Captain contacted the Coastguard Service who advised him of the Mi Amigo's exact location from information on their radar screens.

By 7.53pm the ship had re-floated herself, but began to drift while the crew once again made furious attempts to lower the emergency anchor and shortly after 10pm Radio Caroline's transmitters were turned off.

By early the following morning the crew managed to lower the emergency anchor which successfully held the ship until a second anchor was put down later that afternoon. However, the radio ship was now near the South Edinburgh No 3 Buoy marking one of the main shipping lanes and was advised by the authorities that she was a danger to other shipping in the area if she remained in that position.

On 10th November 1975 the Mi Amigo's Captain received instructions from the station's office in Spain that Radio Caroline and Radio Mi Amigo were to stay off the air until the ship could be moved back to her anchorage in Knock Deep. He was also told that a tender from Spain was heading towards the Mi Amigo carrying a new heavy duty anchor and chain.

In the early hours of 13th November the tender arrived and the new anchor was installed on the radio ship. After food and supplies had been loaded the tender then made a number of unsuccessful attempts to tow the Mi Amigo from her temporary anchorage position, during which extensive damage was caused to the radio ship's railing. This half-hearted effort only succeeded in eventually pulling the radio ship to a new position half a mile north of the South Edinburgh No 3 Buoy. Radio Caroline resumed its programmes at 6.00pm that evening.

That same afternoon a tug, Sauria, together with another small fishing vessel anchored near the Mi Amigo, ostensibly to check on her safety. The crew of the radio ship subsequently monitored a ship-to-shore conversation between the fishing vessel and North Foreland Radio instructing the latter not to accept any more calls from the Mi Amigo, the person issuing this instruction identified himself as being a representative from the Home Office.

The two ships stayed at anchor about 100 yards from the Mi Amigo until late that evening while the DJs on board decided to keep Radio Caroline's transmissions on the air all night, fearing a possible boarding by the Home Office after the station's normal closedown at 2.00am.

Shortly before 3.00pm on 14th November 1975 British police and Home Office officials arrived in a boat alongside the Mi Amigo. They informed the Captain that his vessel was anchored inside British territorial waters and requested permission to come aboard. Although he strongly disputed the claim the Captain had little choice but to grant permission for the police and government officials to board the radio ship.