Council staff battle through storms to rescue 80 ton houseboat in River Exe

Published: 3 November 2023

Harbour patrollers from Exeter took part in the daring rescue of an 80 ton houseboat that had sheared off its moorings at the peak of Storm Ciarán.

Staff from the City Council took to the stormy waters of the River Exe to board the vessel and help tow it into the safety of the Exeter Ship Canal at Turf Lock.

Harbourmaster Grahame Forshaw said: “Eighty tons of steel blowing around the river is never a good thing, particularly during a storm, as you never know what it will be blown into!”

The daring operation took place at high tide on the Exe at 9.30am on Thursday morning, just as the highest winds were hitting the region.

Grahame and two harbour patrollers set off in their boat from Exmouth marina to make the houseboat safe. They were accompanied by the owner of the houseboat in another vessel.

Leaving the boat to drift would have represented a danger to other vessels on the water as well as property and people on nearby land.

One of the harbour patrollers, along with the houseboat’s owner, managed to board the stricken vessel and attach ropes so that it could be towed over to Turf Lock.

Members of the Council’s Canal team rushed down to Turf Lock to open the gate and allow the vessels in.

Grahame said: “It was pretty hairy getting it into lock, with strong side winds buffeting the boat.”

Once into the canal, the boat was secured. On returning to their offices, the Canal Team had to contend with a fallen tree which had blocked the path of their vehicle.

The harbour patrol team also had to deal with a smaller boat – a former ferry – which had also broken free after winds sheared through its moorings. Luckily the boat’s moorings had become tangled on rocks making the vessel secure in the conditions.

Chief Executive Bindu Arjoon praised the team for their efforts in challenging conditions as well as all the frontline staff throughout the Council who maintained services throughout the storm.

Bindu said: “Storm Ciarán made conditions very difficult for our teams at the Council who provide important services for residents, and I am very proud of their efforts.

“Crews are out in all weathers emptying bins, keeping the city clean and tidy and making sure that people are safe. The response of the harbour team to the incident in the River Exe is a great example.

“The way our frontline staff responded to the storm and were able to keep services running as normal was fantastic, and I want to thank them all for everything they do.”