Mr. Editor:
How’s it going?
Wondered if you could publish an article. I got stuck in the mountains and Search and Rescue had to get me out so I wanted to write an article to thank them.
On a Tuesday morning in June (10th), having looked at my Ordinance Survey map of Montserrat, I decided to walk to Katy Hill from Hope. I set off at 9 in the morning and worked my way up to the ridge stretching to Lawyers Mountain. When I finally saw Katy Hill, I realised there was too much vegetation and it was not going to be possible to get there, so decided to go down to Lawyers Mountain. After spending 3 hours trying to negotiate a water course which went nowhere, I headed back, hoping to come down in Duck Pond or Hope, but missed the turn-offs. At around 5pm, I tried to come down the mountain again and realised I was stuck. So I phoned a friend and she initially contacted Mappie, who phoned and told me he thought I was on a mountain somewhere behind the MVO.
My friend phoned Search and Rescue and they came out with Scriber to try to find me. I saw searchlights and heard them shouting, but at 1am, they finally gave up for the night as it was too dangerous to try to reach me, so I slept on the mountain and waited till first light before heading down again. Fortunately, Search and Rescue managed to reach me shortly after. It turned out I was only 25 feet from a precipice and heading that way. They were able to take me to Duck Pond.
I would just like to say that I am very grateful to Search and Rescue, the firemen, police and Defense Force, plus Mappie for telling me where I was and Scriber, as well as the other people involved, especially my friend, Linda Green, who contacted Search and Rescue on my behalf.
My advice would be that if you intend to go hiking and do not know the area, go with other people or a guide. I am an experienced hiker and have walked in the mountains many times here, but did not know the route I took and Scriber informed me that I couldn’t get to Katy Hill the way I went.
Carolene Coleby
