Dinghy adrift off Inchcolm AT 1644 on the afternoon of December 8, 1974, Queensferry honorary treasurer, who was deputising for the honorary secretary, was informed by the Coastguard that a man was in difficulty in a small dinghy off Inchcolm. The crew was assembled and Atlantic 21 6505 launched at 1700.

The wind was south west force 6 to 7 with a short, steep, breaking sea. The tide was one hour flood and against thewind. It was after dark, overcast and very cold.

The ILB headed towards Inchcolm and despite continued nursing of the throttles buried her head into the sea; at times she was completely swamped.

Near Inchcolm a particularly heavy sea hit her, carrying away the mast and shorting out the navigation lights and radio.

At about 1720 the ILB arrived off Inchcolm and, on hailing someone on shore, the crew were advised to close Swallow Craig rock. They fired a parachute flare and saw a man on the rock with the dinghy washed up at the base.

Despite the lee of the rock, Helmsman Ranald Mackay had some difficulty in closing. As he put the bow in, the two crew members, Gordon McAlpine and James Smith, jumped ashore with the painter, which was secured round a rock.

While Ranald Mackay fended off they helped the man into the ILB and then pulled the dinghy up above high water mark.

The survivor, the Inchcolm boatman who had put out in the dinghy to tend his boat and then lost an oar, was put ashore at the landing on Inchcolm at about 1740. Luckily he was suffering nothing more than minor exposure and lacerations of the hands.

By now it had started to hail, and on her way back to Queensferry the ILB was continually awash and swept byspray until some lee was obtained off St David's. She returned to station at 1845.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by Major-General Ralph H. Farrant, CB, chairman of the Institution, were accorded to Helmsman Ranald Durness Mackay and Crew Members James Crichton Smith and Gordon Joseph McAlpine.

South Western Division.