Trawler taking water A FRENCH TRAWLER, Enfant de Bretagne, broadcast a Mayday call on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 2, 1975, saying that she was taking water in heavy weather in position 320°M 18 miles from St Ives Head. This information was given to the deputy launching authority of St Ives at 1502, and at 1520 the 37' Oakley lifeboat Jane Hay, on temporary duty at St Ives, was launched.

The tide was in the last hour of flood and the wind was north north west force 7 gusting to force 9. The lifeboat therefore encountered heavy seas on her starboard bow from the moment of leaving harbour as Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Senior, set course for the casualty.

After only about half an hour on course the lifeboat received information that Enfant de Bretagne had cancelled her Mayday because the leak had been stopped and she was now under the tow of another French trawler. Jane Hay was consequently recalled to station.

She had almost reached St Ives Head on the return passage when, at 1625, Enfant de Bretagne sent a further message reporting that her engine room was now flooding in very heavy seas. HM Coastguard suggested the lifeboat should return to the casualty and Coxswain Cocking immediately turned seawards again, this time setting course almost due west to allow for what he estimated must have been the progress of Enfant de Bretagne since her original Mayday.

From the description of the seas which her master had given, and from his own estimate of her probable speed madegood southwards of about 5£ knots, Coxswain Cocking surmised, correctly as it subsequently proved, that the trawler was probably now approaching Cape Cornwall Bank.

Communications with Enfant de Bretagne were very poor because of her radio, and the Coastguard repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to obtain an updated position from the master. It appeared that such communication as could be established had to be via Land's End Radio.

At about 1700 Coxswain Cocking made another calculation of his own and altered course to 250°M to intercept the trawler. Twenty-five minutes later the Coastguard suggested this same course and the coxswain replied that he was already steering that course and that his ETA at the casualty was 1805. At 1740 Jane Hay's crew saw lights on the starboard bow and asked Land's End Radio to request Enfant de Bretagne to fire a flare to identify herself. The casualty never did comply with this request but, about five minutes later, the lifeboat saw the lights of a towing vessel and so realised that Enfant de Bretagne was the next vessel astern of her.

By 1820 Jane Hay had closed to within a few yards of the trawler's starboard side where she took up station and remained in very close escort in case the trawler should founder.

There was still no communication with the casualty but, despite the appalling weather conditions, the passage continued without further incident until the lee of Land's End was reached south of Runnel Stone Buoy. The Longships area had to be given a very wide berth to westward, as did Cam Base two miles southwards, because of the enormous seas.

The honorary secretary St Ives then asked Penlee lifeboat to launch and take over the escort back to Newlyn.

This was done and the rendezvous was made at about 1945 when four miles east south east of the Runnel Stone. St Ives lifeboat then handed over the escort to Penlee and set course for home.

The Inspector HM Coastguard South West Division had by this time gone to the Coastguard lookout at St Ives and reported that spray was in fact being blown across the lookout, which is some 70' above sea level. He became concernedfor the safety of the lifeboat on her return passage and asked HMS Tartar, which was in the vicinity, to remain in the area until St Ives lifeboat had returned to her station.

The return passage found the lifeboat bucking headwinds of a steady force 9 from due north as she passed Longships. Conditions gradually worsened and, by the time she was abreast of the Brisons, the seas were reaching 35 feet and breaking and, for the first time in his experience of this lifeboat, Coxswain Cocking found himself obliged to reduce speed. In spite of this, the seas off Cape Cornwall were sufficient to tear the bow fender from its fixing. St Ives Harbour was eventually regained by 2310 and, with some difficulty, the boat was recovered on to her carriage.

This had been a most arduous service, and Motor Mechanic John Hosking sitting at the radio had found himself on more than one occasion in water up to his waist after exceptional seas had broken over the quarter and filled the cockpit. They were the worst conditions Coxswain Cocking and his crew had ever experienced in the lifeboat, and for the coxswain this spans a period of 25 years. Of the eight hours at sea, the last six had been in darkness and heavy rain.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Senior. Vellum service certificates were presented to Motor Mechanic John D.

Hosking, Assistant Mechanic William Benney and Crew Members David L.

Smith, John T. Lander and William H. Jenkyn..