Man clinging to cliff A MAN CUT OFF by the tide at Saltwick Nab was reported to the honorary secretary of Whitby lifeboat station by the Coastguard at 1805 on Friday, July 25, 1975. It was high water and in normal circumstances, with a falling tide, anyone cut off at that time would be safe. As a precautionary measure, however, the honorary secretary fired the assembly signal at 1806 while the situation was clarified by the Coastguard.

On investigation it was clear that the man was in trouble on the cliff. The ILB launched at 1820. The wind was northerly, force 1 to 2, the sea smooth at launching with a moderate northerly swell.

On arrival at Saltwick Nab it was apparent that the swell was producing heavy breaking surf on the shoal ground off the point and the sea was right up to the cliffs. The man was sighted clinging to the cliff, some 12 feet up, slowly slipping down as the handholds crumbled.

He had apparently been there for some time and had slowly slipped from much higher up. At the foot of the cliff immediately below him was 4eep water confused by the breaking surf and rise and fall of the swell.

Helmsman Michael Coates took the ILB in a wide sweep over the bank and below the cliff continuing out over the bank to assess the situation. There was no hope of laying the ILB alongside the cliff long enough to persuade the man to drop down, so it was decided to anchor the boat and veer down to a position below him.

A second run in was made, the ILB anchored head to the breaking surf and the cable veered out until the boat was close to the cliff, abreast of the man.Leaving his crew, David Wharton, to tend the line, Michael Coates attached the inboard end of the anchor warp to his lifejacket and swam to the foot of the cliff, where he was able to cling to the rocks immediately below the man.

From this precarious position he was able to convince him that he would be safe to slide to the bottom of the cliff.

Although boat and rocks were being swept by surf, Michael Coates managed to hold the casualty until they were both pulled back aboard the ILB.

By 1843 the operation was completed and the ILB hauled clear on the anchor warp before recovering the anchor and heading back to Whitby. The survivor was landed at Scotch Head at 1855 and the ILB was rehoused and ready for service at 1910.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Michael Coates and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member David Wharton..