My nightmare swim for survival...by Colchester fisherman
8:00am Wednesday 7th September 2011
A FISHERMAN who narrowly escaped death after his boat sank has spoken of his frantic two-hour swim for survival.
Kevin Hughes, 31, who owns Hughes’ Fish, in Head Street, Colchester, was found on the shore at East Mersea by a dog walker.
He had been forced to abandon his fishing boat a mile-and-a-half out to sea after three massive waves caused it to tip over and it became partially submerged.
He said: “About half-way I thought I am not getting anywhere. I was about a mile from the shore, which is quite a long way.
“But I could see the beach was getting closer and, having had a goal, it just kept me going.”
Mr Hughes was wearing a lifejacket but was fully clothed and, despite being a good swimmer, he struggled as time wore on and he became colder and more exhausted.
It was thanks to the dog walker being in the right place at the right time he was spotted and the emergency services were called.
He added: “By the time I reached the shore, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t clench my hands or move them or anything.Everything happened so fast I didn’t really have time to think about it.”
Mr Hughes was taken to Colchester General Hospital suffering hypothermia.
His wife Natasha, who is six months’ pregnant, said his face was blue when she dashed to his bedside.
He was kept in overnight but allowed home the next day and returned to work at the fishmongers at the start of last week.
Mr Hughes, who has a daughter, Eve, five, said he had not been fishing since, but wouldn’t be put off.
He added he had been overwhelmed with the public’s support since the sea drama last month.
“I don’t know about the financial impact yet, but we have been quite a bit busier because of it.
“We have been overwhelmed by people trying to offer us money – but we haven’t taken any – and cards and flowers.
“We have said to people ‘your custom is more than enough”.
The business has been buying fish from other local boats as it would normally come from Mr Hughes’s vessel.
The boat was rescued hours after the drama and Mr Hughes said the damage was repairable, so he intends to have it back in action within three months.
Meanwhile, it is on the driveway of his West Mersea home.
He added: “It hasn’t put me off – maybe it has slowed me up a bit and I wouldn’t take as many risks now. It could have been so much worse.”