Captain Rick Welsford says training paid off after his schooner sank early Sunday morning.
The Lunenburg-based vessel, Sorca, was on its way to Bermuda but Welsford decided to turn around and head back to land.
He was notified by crew that the schooner was taking on water about 278 kilometres southeast of Halifax.
Welsford sent out an S.O.S to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and Canadian Coast Guard.
“We talked through the scenarios of if you had to launch the life rafts, how to do it and when to do it; where the flares were; where the life jackets were. It was more of a review until we got word back if anybody was coming to help.”
A Hercules aircraft, Cormorant helicopter and coast guard ship were dispatched.
It’s not known what caused water to get into the floorboards and eventually the engine room.
He says he was worried about the crew’s safety.
“We had all the current technology. We had brand new life rafts, all the flares, all the communications technology and I was never concerned about that. I was more concentrated on making sure nobody got hurt.”
Two flares were shot and signalled a cargo ship heading to New Orleans.
All four crew including a family member of Welsford’s and two other friends were rescued without injury.
The cormorant helicopter later transported them to Halifax.
Welsford says he’s glad everyone is safe and he’s itching to get back on the water.
