Courtmacsherry Harbour, Co. Cork - At 5.30 p.m. on 8th April, 1970, the life-boat coxswain, who was fishing in the trawler Mary Bernadette, picked up a member of the life-boat crew in a punt from the lobster boat Carraig Gonair which had lost her propeller near the Barrel rocks. Two members of the lobster boat's crew had remained on board. The coxswain considered that the Mary Bernadette was unsuitable for towing the 40-foot lobster boat and returned to Courtmacsherry harbour. The crew were assembled and the lifeboat Helen Wycherley slipped her moorings at 6 o'clock in a strong northerly wind with a moderate sea.

It was one and a half hours before high water. The life-boat came up with the lobster boat at 7.30 as she was being carried towards the rocks round the Old Head of Kinsale. The life-boat took her in tow across the bay towards the trawler Julia Christian of Kinsale, as the owner had requested a tow to Kinsale and it was expected that the tow could be transferred to the trawler. On closing with the trawler at 8.25 the Julia Christian became enveloped in a heavy pall of smoke from her disabled engine and she, too, asked for help. The life-boat took both vessels in tow to Courtmacsherry, and returned to her station at 9.45..