StornowSy, Outer Hebrides - At 12.40 p.m. on 28th September, 1969, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary'that a yacht, which was anchored in Loch Seaforth, had been driven ashore on the south west corner of Seaforth island. At 1.15 the life-boat Michael Stephens, on temporary duty at the station, slipped her moorings in a west south westerly storm force wind with a very rough sea. It was one hour before low water. Due to the severe weather conditions, the life-boat did not come up with the yacht Aeolian until 6.15. By that time the three people on board had managed to get ashore as the tide ebbed. Two of them were taken aboard the life-boat.

The third followed later having used the yacht's dinghy to salvage valuable equipment. At 12.45 a.m. on 29th September the life-boat succeeded in towing the yacht clear on the rising tide. The youngest member of the yacht's crew, 'a'boy of nine, was landed at Aline at the tip of Loch Seaforth. The yacht was taken in tow to Stornoway, and the life-boat returned to her station at 5 o'clock..