MV Ross Revenge - Ross Revenge Runs Aground

Ross Revenge Runs Aground

On the 19th of November, 1991, storms built up across Europe. Consequently, very high seas with north easterly winds were experienced by the crew of the Ross Revenge. By the early hours of the next morning force ten storms were battering the Ross Revenge, and eventually the main anchoring system failed. Dover Coast Guard asked other sea traffic to confirm that the ship they were tracking was the Ross Revenge. At 03:50 the Ross Revenge grounded on the Goodwin Sands. The crew contacted Dover coast guard and a helicopter was sent from RAF Manston, and at 04:45 the Dover tug Dextrous was on her way. At 05:35 the crew of the Ross Revenge made contact with the Ramsgate lifeboat, which had also been sent by the Dover coast guard. At 06:58 the lifeboat became stuck on the Goodwin Sands, but her crew managed to free her. At 06:57 hours RAF Manston Sea King helicopter 166 took the crew of the Ross Revenge off the ship. On the 21st of November, the Dextrous managed to get lines on the Ross Revenge and successfully pulled the Ross Revenge off the Goodwin Sands. The Ross Revenge was then towed back to the Eastern Docks at Dover.

Following the near shipwrecking, the ship has been maintained by an association of enthusiasts called the Caroline Support Group (formerly, the Ross Revenge Support Group).

In October 1993 the Ross Revenge was anchored off Bradwell in the River Blackwater in Essex, within sight of the Bradwell nuclear power station (latitude 51° 44" North, Longitude 0° 52" East). In August 1995 the Ross Revenge was towed to Clacton on Sea. In September the vessel was moored near Southend on Sea and in the middle of that month it was moored at the end of Southend Pier. On the 25th of September the Ross Revenge was towed from Southend to the Thames Quay, West India Docks in Docklands, London by the tugs Horton and Warrior. In February 1996 the ship was towed from South quay, Docklands towards Ailsa Perth Marine's shipyard at Chatham, Kent and put into dry dock. In August 1997 the MV Ross Revenge was moved to Queenbourgh, Isle of Sheppey, by the tugs Lady Morag and Lady Brenda. On the 21st of June, 1999 the ship was towed to Southend-on-Sea Pier. The ship left Southend on September 28 under tow from the tug Horton and is now moored on the River Medway in Kent at ship berth No. 24.

On Christmas Eve 1999, the MV Ross Revenge, still anchored in the River Medway, broke its moorings during high winds and ran aground on a sandbank. Two tugs were radioed by another ship moored nearby and managed to pull the Ross Revenge off the bank and tow it into Sheerness harbour. The two people on board were both unhurt. Although the ship was not badly damaged, the salvage was extremely expensive. On January 8, 2000 the vessel was moved back onto the moorings at Queenbourgh. From July 2003 the Ross Revenge was moored on the River Medway at Strood/Rochester, just downstream from Rochester Bridge.