On the bar TWO RED FLARES sighted on the south side of Portmadoc Estuary, near and inside the bar, were reported to the honorary secretary of Pwllheli lifeboat station by Coastguard Porthdinllaen at 0035 on Thursday, September 1. The wind was near gale force from the south west and the sea rough, the weather fair with good visibility. The tide was on the ebb.

Maroons were fired and at 0054 Pwllheli's 35' 6" Liverpool lifeboat Anthony Robert Marshall launched and set course for Portmadoc.

By the time the lifeboat was off Portmadoc Bar (0300) it was unsafe to enter as breaking seas on the bar reduced depth in the troughs to inches only. The Coastguard therefore asked Criccieth ILB to launch and work with the lifeboat. While Anthony Robert Marshall lay off in support and illuminated the scene with her searchlight, Criccieth ILB made two trips to the 22' yacht Zircon, now high and dry, taking off two of her family crew of four eachtime and putting them ashore at Black Rock Sands. The yacht was secured as well as possible. Anthony Robert Marshall escorted the ILB back to Criccieth and then returned to station..