High and dry on the Goodwins RAMSGATE HONORARY SECRETARY Was informed by Dover Straits Coastguard at 2025 on Thursday, September 11, 1975, that, following a number of reports of red flares sighted over the Goodwin Sands, Walmer lifeboat had been launched; as further reports were received it appeared that the casualty was further northward, and it was requested that Ramsgate lifeboat should launch.

Maroons were fired and at 2040 the 46' 9" Watson lifeboat Michael and LilyDavis, built in 1953, slipped her moorings in the outer harbour and set a south-easterly course towards the regularly sighted red and green flares.

The weather was fine with good visibility. The wind was south west force 4 in the lee of Ramsgate cliffs, increasing to force 6 as the lifeboat cleared the land.

High water Ramsgate was predicted at 1610.

Although both Walmer and Ramsgate lifeboats are fitted with radar, the exact position of the casualty was not seen due to excessive clutter on the screens in the vicinity of Goodwin Knoll shoal. Flares continued to be sighted and Walmer lifeboat was trying to close the casualty from the south of the shoal area when, at 2115, she ran hard aground. (Lifeboats are designed to take the ground and this is often necessary on a service in areas where there are widespread sandbanks.) Her coxswain immediately warned the Ramsgate coxswain, Herbert Goldfinch, and suggested an approach from the north west of the shoal would be safer.

Michael and Lily Davis closed the shoal area to the north east of North Goodwin Buoy and both lifeboats fired parachute flares to establish the casualty's position. At 2132 Coxswain Goldfinch requested the attendance of the Ramsgate McLachlan ILB, but, on closer sight of the heavy surf breaking across the bank, he cancelled his request at 2140.

The wind was now south south west force 6, gusting 7, with heavy broken water over the drying sandbanks of the North Sands area.

At 2145 Coxswain Herbert Goldfinch grounded the forward part of the lifeboat on the sands and, by the light of parachute flares, a yacht was sighted, high and dry, some 4| cables eastward. People were seen on the sands and two lifeboat crew members, Michael Pett and Timothy Hurst, immediately volunteered to go overside to escort them to safety.

Michael Pett and Tim Hurst are well acquainted with the irregular swatchways in the area but were at times waist high in water between the dry sandbanks.

They were attached by lifeline to the lifeboat for part of the journey, but the line was not long enough and they met the four survivors from the yacht, three men and a woman, escorting them back to the lifeboat at 2158. This was clearly seen on radar by the Walmer coxswain a mile to the south.

The casualty, Albas, was a Dutch built yacht, German owned and on passage from Ostend to Dover. Her owner, his wife and two friends neither spoke nor understood English well, but implied that they had been grounded earlier and were making water before drifting ashore about two hours previously. They had loaded an inflatable dinghy with a liferaft, flares and stores, abandoned the fully-rigged yacht and were walking towards the lights of the lifeboat, towing the dinghy behind them, when met by Michael Pett and Tim Hurst. They were all wearing lifejackets.

Coxswain Goldfinch rigged the scrambling net forward and the survivors were taken aboard and down to the cabin; blankets and hot drinks were provided and, once warm and dry, all appeared in good health.

Michael Pett and Tim Hurst, using a gun line as a guide, then returned to the yacht to ensure no one else was aboard and to run out an anchor since the owner had said that, as the yacht was on her maiden voyage, he would appreciate any effort to save her.

At 2215, with the two crew members safely back aboard, Michael and Lily Davis cleared the bank and steamed around the northern edge of North Sand Head to an anchorage position on the eastern side. The Coastguard were advised that the lifeboat would await the rising tide, but that she was available for service if required.

At 0100 Walmer lifeboat re-floated and, after receiving confirmation that her help was no longer needed, returned to station; she was beached and ready for service at 0150.

The yacht started to float shortly after 0130 and Coxswain Goldfinch weighed anchor and closed the bank eastward of the yacht. Michael Pett and Tim Hurst went on board to make fast a 10 fathom tow, which parted the main cleat from the deck. After re-securing around the mast they remained aboard, baling, as the tow started at 0230. The tide was now setting southward against the southsouth- west force 6 wind, causing steep, confused, and broken seas around North Sand Head.

At 0300, as the water in the yacht's cabin had risen to 3' 6" deep, the lifeboat closed her to put Assistant Mechanic William Davies aboard to try to start the motor pump and help with baling; both Michael Pett and Tim Hurst were by now getting very tired.

When about 1| miles east of Ramsgate, at 0330, the yacht lurched violently, taking on more water, and she settled by the stern heeling quickly to port. All three crew members were thrown into the water. Coxswain Goldfinch brought the lifeboat full astern, and by the light of the searchlight Crew Member Derek Pegdon threw a breeches buoy to Michael Pett while Tim Hurst and William Davies used the slack towline to climb aboard.

With all the crew safely aboard Coxswain Goldfinch told the Coastguard that he would attempt to continue the tow as far as possible to clear the shipping lane, and although the yacht was waterlogged and on her beam ends, the tow entered Ramsgate Harbour at 0445. The yacht was secured on the disused hovercraft slipway at 0515 and the survivors taken to a local hotel. The lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service at 0600.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum wereaccorded to Crew Members Michael Pett and Timothy Hurst. Vellum service certificates were presented to Coxswain Herbert Goldfinch, Acting Second Coxswain David Aves, Motor Mechanic Robert Cannon, Assistant Mechanic William Davies and Crew Member Derek Pegdon..