Boys on a Perch ON HEARING from the Coastguard that two boys were cut off by the tide and were clinging to the perch marking the sewer outfall between Rhyl and Prestatyn (Flintshire), the Rhyl honorary secretary immediately assembled his crew. It was 5.46 p.m. on August 7, 1973, half an hour before high water.

After discussion it was decided to use the ILB as the lifeboat would not be able to reach the perch at that state of the tide.

Visibility was good, but the wind waswest force 7 gusting 9, with broken cloud. There was heavy surf on the beach, estimated up to 5-6' in height, and a heavy swell clear of the beach.

Donald Jones and Paul Frost volunteered to attempt the rescue in the ILB; if they failed the offshore lifeboat would follow up.

Launching conditions were extremely bad. Immediately the ILB left the driveoff trolley at 5.58 she was filled with water and could not get up sufficient speed to clear the surf quickly. Fearing she would be set back on to the beach, the shore crew followed into the water, but the ILB was just able to make headway to seaward, cleared the surf and turned down wind. After that she had no difficulty in running down to the Rhyl-Prestatyn border, clearing herself of water through her self-bailer as she went.

Within five minutes of launching the ILB arrived in the vicinity of the perch.

This perch, a post with a cage on top, is at the end of a level concrete wall extending about 100 yards from shore.

The height of the concrete at the seaward end is at present about 5', but this varies considerably from time to time.

The two boys had climbed the post and were clinging to the cage. The concrete was covered but was showing in the trough of the surf; it would have been impossible to walk ashore for another hour and a half, by which time the boys would have been marooned for nearly three hours and Helmsman Jones did not think they could hold on that long.

By now it was high water. There was a large area of broken water around the perch and concrete over the sewer.

About 100 yards to leeward is a groyne. Clear of the broken water the wave height was 6-8' from trough to crest and estimated at about 40' from trough to trough.

The helmsman decided to put the bow of the ILB against the perch to pick the boys up; an approach which allowed the stern of the boat to remain in deep water clear of the concrete. One dummy approach was made from leeward and the ILB then turned for the first run. As the bow was brought up to the perch Crew Member Frost pulled the first boy into the boat. The ILB was blown back and when clear turned for another run. Again the run was perfectly timed and the second boy was dragged into the boat, just 11 minutes after launching.

By this time the ILB was again full of water which, with the weight of the crew and two survivors on board, proved impossible to clear; so the honorary secretary instructed the ILB to beach at Splash Point, about half a mile west of the perch, where there was some shelter.

The helmsman started back up wind with the crew and one boy right forward ; the other boy was brought further aft to get some protection, but he had to be moved forward again immediatelyas the wind was beginning to lift the bow.

Although the boat could not plane with so much weight aboard there was no difficulty in beaching at 6.17. Five minutes later the ILB arrived back at the boathouse by road. The two boys were none the worse for their experience and were returned to Robin Hood Camp, Rhyl, also by road.

For this service a bronze medal has been awarded to Helmsman Donald Jones and a medal service certificate to Crew Member Paul Frost..