(continued from page 12) accorded to Coxswain Ronald J. Hardy and Emergency Mechanic Phillip J.

Dorey. Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain/Motor Mechanic Victor A. C. Marsh, Assistant Mechanic Eric S. Dorey, Emergency Mechanic Walter E. Bishop and Crew Members George W. Bishop and Ian P.

Marsh.

South Eastern Division Single-handed sloop A RED FLARE was observed about three miles west of Needles Coastguard lookout at 1240 on Tuesday, October 5,1976.

A helicopter from HMS Daedalus, Leeon- Solent, took off to investigate and at 1300 found the casualty to be the 35' sloop Snowgoose with a single, exhausted occupant.

Following a request from HM Coastguard to the deputy launching authority of Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, lifeboat station, the assembly signal was made at 1255 and eight minutes later the 46' Watson* Canadian Pacific, on temporary duty at Yarmouth, slipped her moorings. Second coxswain John Cook was in command as the coxswain was on leave.

In the comparative lee of the Isle of Wight, the wind was southerly gale force 8 with moderate seas. The tide was ebbing, it was raining heavily and visibility was only fair.

The helicopter directed the lifeboat to the casualty, which was sighted at 1340.

By 1346 Canadian Pacific was lying close to Snowgoose. Several attempts to secure a line aboard failed; the singlehanded skipper was exhausted and the weather was deteriorating rapidly. The wind was now south south west severe gale force 9 with heavy rain, producing very rough seas and poor visibility. A wave recorder close to the position of the casualty recorded maximum wave height at this time to be 36 feet.

In view of the violent motion and the reluctance of the skipper to abandon ship, Acting Coxswain Cook decided to escort the yacht eastwards in the hope of finding calmer water in which to effect a tow or take off the man if he decided to leave his boat.

Snowgoose continued to drift east north east towards the shore escorted by the lifeboat. At 1535 when some six cables off Hordle Cliffs, with the weather continuing to worsen, the skipper agreed to abandon ship. With considerable difficulty in the rough, confused seas, Acting Coxswain Cook manoeuvred Canadian Pacific alongside Snowgoose and the skipper was snatched aboard by the crew.

Leaving the abandoned yacht, which later ran ashore, Acting Coxswain Cook set course back to Yarmouth by way of North Channel, close to Hurst Point.

At 1615 the lifeboat arrived back at Yarmouth where the survivor was landed into the care of a waiting doctor.

Half an hour later Canadian Pacific was re-fuelled, back on her moorings and ready for service.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Acting Coxswain John C. Cook and vellum service certificates have been presented to Acting Second Coxswain Christopher R.

West, Assistant Motor Mechanic Alan Howard, Emergency Motor Mechanic Keith Hopkins and Crew Members Richard H. Pierrepont, Stuart L. Pimm and David J. Richards.

"Canadian Pacific, which has now been withdrawn from the reserve fleet, was one of three lifeboats which represented the RNLl in the Silver Jubilee River Pageant on Thursday, June 9. During June and early July she also spent some weeks on the Thames, between Teddington and Oxford, helping fund raising.

Scotland South Division 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, the ILB 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..