66 Launches, 7 lives rescued, 21 vessels savedSEPTEMBER WAS USHERED IN by a Week of very high winds rising to gale and storm force—a week when there were many calls on the lifeboat service all round our coasts. Reports of boats in trouble came thick and fast, particularly from noon on Sunday, September 1 to noon on Tuesday September 3. It was one of the busiest 48 hours the RNLI has ever experienced with no less than 66 lifeboat and ILB launches, the greatest concentration being in the east and south east.

Chronological details for this period are tabulated below, together with brief reports of some of the services.

But what was the weather pattern which created this situation at sea? We are indebted to the Meteorological Office for mid-day weather charts for September 1, 2, 3 and 4, and to Southampton Weather Centre for the following explanation of the position: The weather situation over the period from mid-day Sunday, September 1 to mid-day Tuesday, September 3, presented a pattern which for most of thetime was dominated by a deep depression near Iceland and other depressions running eastwards on its southern flank.

Sunday's depression (September 1) was a relatively minor one but was active enough to produce gale force 8 winds at times in the Channel and more generally in the Thames Estuary and southern North Sea in the afternoon and evening.

After a temporary lull overnight, the next system deepened rapidly as it approached Cornwall on Monday (September 2), resulting in storm force 10 winds extending progressively to most coastal areas of England and Wales during the day. The low itself moved to North-east Scotland by mid-day on Tuesday (September 3) with the winds dying down very slowly but the unsettled pattern continued with yet another disturbance crossing the country on Wednesday and others, less active, during the remainder of the week.

It is possible that the intensity of the disturbances, which were certainly abnormal for September, may have been influenced by the remnants of two tropical storms which moved eastwards across the Atlantic during this period.

One of these is shown to the north west of the Azores on the chart for September 2, the other was in the same area a week before.

September 1 Eastney: ILB launched at 1159 in a smooth sea, moderate westerly wind and fair visibility to a capsized dinghy one mile from shore. On reaching the dinghy at 1203 the crew of the ILB found that she had a broken rudder. They helped right the boat and then towed her to the ferry pontoon.

Blackpool: ILB launched at 1220 following a police report of a small boat drifting near South Pier which appeared to be in need of help. At 1230 the ILB came up with Sara, a 16' speedboat with a crew of three. She had engine trouble. The ILB towed her ashore.

Littlestone-on-Sea: ILB launched at 1246 following a report of a capsizeddinghy half a mile off shore at Greatstone which could not be righted by her helmsman. The sea was very rough with a south west by west gale force wind. On arrival, the ILB crew helped to right the boat, then towed her to Littlestone.

Lymington: ILB launched at 1304 to help two capsized dinghies north of Hurst Castle. One was found to be ashore on marshes and in no immediate danger.

At request of Yarmouth lifeboat, the ILB went to Hurst Narrows to escort a yacht in rough seas. ILB then set course for Hawkers Lake where the sailing club rescue boat was standing by a capsized dinghy and escorted them ashore.

Littlestone-on-Sea: ILB launched at 1313 following a report of a fishing vessel in difficulty half a mile east of the boathouse with one person on board.

The sea was rough with a south-west-bywest gale force wind; weather worsening.

When the ILB closed the casualty, at 1317, the fisherman reported that his outboard motor had failed. He was taken on board the ILB and his boat towed ashore.

Walmer: At 1335 the ILB was asked to go out to two capsized sailing dinghies half a mile off shore. The crews of the dinghies were unable to right them in the rough sea and south-south-west gale force wind. At 1339 the ILB picked up two people and handed them over to a club rescue boat. The ILB crew and one owner struggled for about an hour to right one of the boats as they were driven rapidly northwards by wind and tide. They eventually succeeded and were all landed at the sailing club.

Ramsgate: At 1420 the motorboat Sea Searcher with a fishing party of six on board called for help 3 miles east north east of Ramsgate and was located by a helicopter. She had engine trouble and was making water. The sea was very rough and a gale force southerly wind was Wowing. Ramsgate lifeboat got under way five minutes later and Sea Searcher was taken in tow at 1445, reaching the safety of Ramsgate harbour at 1530.

West Mersea: ILB launched at 1515 and made for West Strood Channel where two children were taken on board; they had been unable to sail back because of the strong west-south-westerly wind. They were landed at West Mersea with their dinghy. The ILB went to the Nass area and picked up three survivors from a dinghy Nan C. She then stood by a yacht in difficulty until MV Fifer Lass took the yacht in tow.

The Mumbles: At 1543 the Coastguard told the honorary secretary that a small two-masted open boat, High Drama, was being driven by a near gale force westerly wind from Maryland Bay towards Mumbles Head. The lifeboat was launched at 1550 in a rough sea and reached the casualty one mile west of the station at 1609. After four adults and three children had been taken off, High Drama was towed to a safe anchorage near the lifeboat house at 1700.

Weston-super-Mare: At 1545 the ILB was asked to go to a yacht dragging her anchor in a westerly gale and high seas.

Going alongside, the crew managed to pick up the anchor and tow the yacht to Old Pier. The survivors were given first aid treatment at the boathouse.

St Peter Port: Trinity House vessel Stella reported at 0516 that she had sighted flares in the direction of Sark.

The lifeboat got under way at 0550 in a rough sea and a gale force south-southeast wind. She reached the auxiliary yacht Alethea four miles to the east at 0620. Alethea, with a crew of five, was towed safely back to St Peter Port, which was reached at 0735.

continued on page 257Launches on service of lifeboats between 1200 on September 1 and 1200 September 3, 1974 Date and time of Launch 1.9.1974 1145 1200 1250 1348 1425 1548 1550 1555 1610 1622 1645 1740 1750 1921 2124 2202 2255 2.9.1974 0535 0550 0612 1015 1345 1418 1714 1730 1800 1830 1835 2005 2036 2303 2304 2310 2315 3.9.1974 0237 0656 0812 1109 STATION Troon Lowestoft Shoreham Harbour Dun Laoghaire Ramsgate Ramsgate The Mumbles Flamborough Barry Dock Harwich Bembridge Margate Clacton-on-Sea Walton and Frinton Walton and Frinton Walmer Yarmouth Isle of Wigh Buckie St Peter Port Falmouth Poole Plymouth Padstow Lowestoft Redcar Falmouth Tenby Tynemouth Poole St Helier Troon The Lizard — Cadgwith Wells Penlee St Peter Port Wells Shoreham Harbour St Helier CASUALTY Motorboat Leonora HI Swimmers in difficulty Auxiliary yacht Dumeklemmer Survivors from capsized/ sunken dinghy Motorboat Sea Searcher Motor yacht Contessa Open boat High Drama Skin diver Four yachts Motor launch Teal Survivors from dismasted yacht Seawind on board cargo vessel Medistar Yacht Fijit (1) Yacht Portia (2) Yacht Ketch Motor cruiser Giovanni Distress flares Motor cruiser Martinet II MFV Artemis Yacht Alethea Sloop Hitch Hiker Auxiliary sloop Rose Catamaran Snow Goose MFV Twilight Catamaran Gay Fandango Auxiliary yacht Little Demon (1) Man overboard from pilot vesse (2) Pilot vessel Kernow Flares MV Aliki (1) Yacht Sapphire (2) Yacht Balleena Cabin cruiser Dinghy Flares Fishing boat Snow Goose MFV Daniel Annie Flare MV Norderstedt (1) Auxiliary yacht Morning Cloud (2) Auxiliary yacht Sea Wind of Chichester Trawler hour at Sea 1 1 3 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 2 5 1 4 1 11 3 2 3 2 3 2 4 5 7 3 3 3 2 3 3 8 4 1 2 3 13 9 3 132 lives rescued 2 6 3 6 1 2 5 1 2 3 4 2 37 persons lande 3 2 2 7 vessels savec 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 vessels helpe 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 Services Rendered Gave help None Escorted boat Rescued 2 Saved boat & rescued 6 Saved boat & rescued 3 Saved boat & rescued 6 Rescued 1 Escorted boat Gave help Landed three Saved boat & rescued 2 None None Gave help Escorted boat None None None Saved boat & rescued 5 Saved boat & rescued 1 Saved boat & rescued 2 Saved boat & rescued 3 Took out doctor Saved boat & rescued 4 Saved boat & rescued 2 None Gave help None Stood by vessel Landed two Landed two None Gave help None None None None Escorted vessel None one VoneLaunches on service of inshore lifeboats between 1200 on September 1 and 1200 on September 3, 1974 Date and time of launch 1.9.1974 1120 1122 1159 1220 1246 1246 1304 1305 1313 1335 1359 1515 1523 1545 1700 1714 1817 184J 2048 2.9.1974 0600 1122 1140 1345 1620 1656 1855 1910 1955 STATION Southend-on-sea Mudeford Eastney Blackpool Littlestone-on-Sea Eastney Lymington Eastney Littlestone-on-Sea Walmer Southend-on-Sea West Mersea Southend-on-Sea Weston-super-Mare Broughty Ferry West Mersea Margate Aberdovey Southend-on-Sea Oban Morecambe Poole Eastney Tenby Clacton-on-Sea Tynemouth Lymington Oban CASUALTY Motor cruiser Dinghy Fireball Dinghy Speedboat Sara Dinghy (1 ) Yacht Serenade (2) Yacht Serenade (3) Dinghy (4) Sailing dinghy Sailing dinghies and yachts Various small craft Pleasure boat Sailing dinghies Yacht Circe (1) Dinghy (2) Swimmers from dinghy (3) Yacht Dinghy Yacht Breda Sailing dinghy Sloop Portia Motor yacht/schooner Success Fishing vessel Ex-lifeboat Tersa Missing boy from capsized dinghy Catamaran Flares Person stranded Yacht Boat Motor vessel Auk I Dinghy Dinghy hours at sea 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 ) 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 10 1 1 2 1 1 I 1 6 52 lives' rescued 2 1 1 2 2 3 2 3 2 2 20 persons landed 4 4 vessels saved 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 vessels helped 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 Services Rendered None Rescued 2 Saved boat Gave help Saved boat & rescued 1 Gave help Stood by yacht None Gave help Escorted boat Saved boat Saved boat & rescued I Saved boat & rescued 2 Gave help Saved boat & rescued 2 Saved boat & rescued 3 Stood by yacht None Saved boat & rescued 2 Saved boat & rescued 3 Saved boat None None Rescued 2 None None None None Landed four Recovered wreckage Stood by vessel Saved boat & rescued 2 None.