Yacht crew landed ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1976, at 1720 Eyemouth Coastguard informed the deputy launching authority of St Abbs ILB station that the yacht Glorfindel II, moored in St Abbs outer harbour, was in danger of being swamped. A northerly storm force 10 wind was blowing and a very heavy ground swell and rough seas were running inside the outer harbour. The harbour master and local fishermen reported that such conditions had not been experienced since the October gales of 1954. The tide was three hours after high water.

Glorfindel II could not be moved to calmer water in the lee of the outer wall because of heavy seas breaking over it, nor brought into the shelter of the inner harbour because of her draught. Coastguard officers, helped by ILB crew members and local fishermen, had already managed to run additional heavy mooring lines to the yacht using their self-propelled rocket apparatus, and, in securing them, had been exposed to considerable danger from the seas breaking over the piers.

At 1720 the ILB crew were assembled, but, while the situation was closely watched, the Coastguard thought it would be better not to take off the crew of Glorfindel H until the tide had ebbed for another hour.

At 1830 the owner of the yacht asked that he and his crew should be taken off as several of the moorings had parted and the anchor cable was in danger of parting. The D class ILB was launched at 1835 with Helmsman Alistair Crowe and Crew Member James Wilson aboard. Considerable skill and determination were needed by both crew members to launch the ILB and get her clear of the slipway, which was directly exposed to the rough seas running through the harbour entrance.

Alongside within two minutes, theILB immediately took aboard the yacht's three crew members, two men and a woman—not without difficulty.

Then, to prevent the ILB's propeller being fouled by lobster creels and nets washed off the piers and floating in the harbour, Alistair Crowe and James Wilson hauled her clear of the yacht by the mooring lines. Once clear of the yacht and floating debris, the ILB made for the inner harbour where Glorfindel IFs crew were landed at 1845.

Because of the exposed position of the lifeboat slipway the ILB was beached on the inner harbour slipway.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Major-General Ralph Farrant, have been presented to Helmsman Alistair Crowe and Crew Member James Wilson..