July 9 , 2001
Nova Esperenza

Having successfully negotiated a number of smaller rapids KM3 reached the difficult Ribeirao cataract on the Rio Madiera (which forms a border between Bolivia and Brazil) at 4 pm on 7 July. Although buoyed with confidence by probably being the first manned craft to shoot the infamous Esperenza Cataract two days ago, the team was under no illusions of the problem posed at Ribeirao. All our skills would be tested in navigating this 3 km stretch of treacherous rapids. Conventional crafts do not attempt this cataract.

As he approached the final chute of the cataract, Skipper Capt Matt Wilkinson RE steered the trimaran towards a narrow tongue that led down between the foaming waves. As the great reed craft entered the fast waters it was swung to the left and her portside outrigger hull dropped into a huge hole in the river. With an enormous crash the hydraulic wave behind the hole struck the 12-ton boat stopping her dead, snapping the inch thick ropes that secured the port hull to the central hull and hurling this outrigger vertically upwards tossing its 6-man crew into the turbulent mess. The central hull then capsized sending its 3-man crew into the water but amazingly it righted itself. Now only 3 crewmen doggedly remained on board, Cpl Paul Cawkwell RE, Cpl Darren Smith and Dr. Michelle Phillips, all on the starboard hull that had remained upright.

The crippled craft was then flung out of the hole, some 5m deep, into another hole of a similar size, which swallowed the complete boat. However, due to its natural buoyancy, the reed-built craft bobbed up again with its three crewmen clinging to it. At this point, Mike How, the bowman of the port hull managed to climb back aboard. The vessel then broke free of the wave towers and drifted into an eddy.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the river, seven crewmen who were thrown out earlier swam like mad, to reach a large eddy, meeting the Avon Inflatable Safety Boat. Capt Ivan Wood (RCAF) and Eric Niemi, who skippered the Avon boat, had been directed to pick up survivors still in the white water, which they did. Amongst those rescued was Lt Andrew Craig RE who was caught in a whirlpool. KM3 was now drifting downstream towards another rapid and L/Cpl Eric Hay RE and L/Cpl Ray Gargan RE launched their partly repaired Avon and sped off into the river to help, although their boat that was being patched after an earlier incident soon let in water. However, the two Avons picked up the remaining crew in the river. Just as KM3 was about to plunge down the next chute, they took off those still aboard. All 15 crewmembers were reunited on an island in the centre of the river. The injured personnel were then moved to the support group where the medical team went to work. Cpl Paul Cawkwell suffered an ankle injury after being trapped between the two hulls.

Capt. Matt Wilkinson RE said, "I could not believe my eyes as we crashed down into this enormous foaming abyss. As we emerged from the hole I saw to my horror that the central hull was pointing straight up into the sky and then it fell back pushing me under the water. When I came up I was gasping for air and felt terribly responsible as I saw my crew in the water around me. We all started counting heads and looking for our friends. It was with a very greatest sense of relief that I found we were all safe."

Luckily there were no serious injuries but of the boat there was no sign.

Col. JBS alerted the Bolivian and Brazilian Navy posts along the river and at dawn on 8 July hired a light plane for an air search. Alas, as day broke a thick mist enveloped the river and the surrounding jungle but as the tropical sun burned it off, the little plane skimmed over the Rio Madeira and to everyone's joy found KM3 floating upright at a Bolivian Navy post 21 km downriver.

A sentry watching for drug smugglers had seen the dark shape of the boat drifting past in the moonlight close to midnight the previous night. Confronted by the triple jaguar figureheads the sentry said, "I thought they were gods coming out of the tunnel" (a reference to local folklore). The post commander, Sgt Angel, managed to get a line on the vessel and towed her in just before she went down another rapid.

It was here at the village of Nova Esperanza (New Hope) that JBS and Matt Wilkinson found her. Landing nearby they inspected the boat and were surprised by the lack of damage although the central and port hulls were twisted. Even the Red Ensign had been saved by Matt who found it in the river. Now repairs are underway and the builders Erik and Maximo Catari are flying from Lake Titicaca with a bundle of reeds. While this work is in progress, archaeological, community aid and medical teams will continue to work in Bolivia. "We shall have KM3 ready for action again in about a week" said Col. JBS. "Although having come through these huge cataracts I believe it has been shown that there is a real chance that the ancient people of South America could navigate the challenging waters with such craft - their performance is quite extraordinary and most impressive. They seem to be almost unsinkable."