Thick fog THE WATCHMAN at St Aldhelm's Head Coastguard heard sounds of a vessel striking the rocks below his lookout in thick fog at 2145 on Thursday July 13.

Without delay he alerted the Coastguard Cliff Rescue Company and, at 2157, requested, through the duty deputy launching authority, the launch of Swanage lifeboat. Twelve minutes later the 37ft 6in Rother J. Reginald Corah launched into the fog with Second Coxswain/Mechanic Victor Marsh in command. It was low water and the wind was variable force 0 to 1.

Course was set to take the lifeboat about a mile south of Durlston Head to clear the numerous trots of lobster pot buoys inshore and by 2225 the lifeboat, using radar for blind pilotage in visibility that was at best 50 feet, was abeam of Anvil Point making best possible speed. Half an hour later she reached the position where the casualty was thought to be, approaching from almost due south, and began to search.

Meanwhile, by 2245, three coastguards of the cliff rescue team had been lowered to the base of the sheer cliff.

They found the yacht, Carillion of Wight, with a damaged rudder. Her crew of six were all uninjured.

Visibility had closed to a maximum of 15 feet and the young flood tide now running at over 3 knots towards the east was bringing up a moderate ground swell making probes in between the rocks at the cliff foot very difficult; they had to be made athwart the tide which carried the stern away to starboard.

There were also many single lines of lobster pot buoys laid in the area. Visibility was practically nil and at such short distance from the shore radar was no help, so Acting Coxswain Marsh asked the casualty to sound her fog horn to help him in his search.

After six attempts to find the yacht among the rocks, during which the lifeboat had grounded several times and had once been brushed against a rock on the starboard quarter by a long, heavy swell, Acting Coxswain Marsh prudently manoeuvred some 20 to 30 feet to seaward, clear of the rocks, and, at 0012, anchored in about 5 feet of water. He then ordered the inflatable dinghy to be made ready.

It was estimated that the lifeboat was 60 feet off the casualty. The dinghy, secured to the breeches buoy veering line, was launched. Second Assistant Mechanic George Bishop, acting motor mechanic, and Crew Member ChristopherChristopher Haw then rowed between the rocks to the yacht; a difficult task in the ground swell and thick fog. They reached the yacht by 0020, however, and while Acting Motor Mechanic Bishop remained in the dinghy Crew Member Haw climbed aboard Carillion of Wight. Two of the crew were helped into survivors' lifejackets and then helped into the dinghy. With a second veering line made fast to the dinghy and tended by Crew Member Haw aboard the yacht, the dinghy was hauled back to the lifeboat. By 0045 all six people had been taken off in this way and were safely aboard the lifeboat.

The cliff rescue team also asked to be taken aboard the lifeboat, as the climb back up the cliffs would have been dangerous i,n the persisting fog. So, at 0050, the inflatable dinghy secured to veering lines was rowed ashore by Acting Motor Mechanic Bishop and Emergency Mechanic Ian Marsh and the three coastguards were taken off the rocks and out to the lifeboat.

The dinghy was then rowed back again so that Acting Motor Mechanic Bishop could join Crew Member Haw to see if it would be possible to refloat the yacht and tow her off. An attempt was made to bail her out but, when it was found that she was making water too fast for the pump to keep pace with the leak, two anchors were run out to secure her and she was abandoned.

The dinghy was hauled back to J.

Reginald Corah for the last time and at 0255 the lifeboat recovered her anchor and course was set for station. She was alongside her slipway at 0410. The yacht's crew and the cliff rescue team were landed and given hot tea. While the coastguards were picked up by their own transport, the yacht's crew spent the remainder of the night in the crew room and were given breakfast next morning by Mrs Gloria Marsh, the second coxswain's wife.

The lifeboat was rehoused and ready for service by 0455.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by Major-General Ralph Farrant, chairman of the Institution, were presented to Second Coxswain/ Mechanic Victor A. C. Marsh, Second Assistant Mechanic George W. Bishop and Crew Member T. Christopher Haw. Letters of thanks signed by Captain Nigel Dixon, director of the Institution, were sent to Assistant Mechanic Phillip J. Dorey, Emergency Mechanic Ian P. Marsh and Crew Members Walter E. Bishop and John E. Corben.from Whitehaven to Kilkeel with a crew of six aboard, had gone ashore south of Port Erin and needed help.

The weather was fine with good visibility, a moderate to fresh breeze, force 4 to 5, was blowing from the north east and the sea was rough when, at 0635, Port Erin's 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat Osman Gabriel launched and set out at full speed. Half an hour later she came up with the casualty ashore on the rocks at the foot of a 250ft sheer cliff on Calf Island, some two-and-a-half to three miles west south west of Port Erin.

Incentive's port side and bilges were damaged and she was taking in water.

A line was passed and secured and with the fishing boat's engines going astern the lifeboat made three attempts, all unsuccessful, to haul her clear. With Incentive starting to flood badly, the wind freshening and backing to the north and the tide now ebbing, Coxswain Peter Woodworth decided to take off the crew from the fishing boat's stern. As the big swell running made this a hazardous task, the six men embarked on a liferaft which was pulled to the lifeboat. By 0800 they were all safely aboard. The six men were disembarked at Port Erin and the lifeboat then returned to her station and was rehoused at 0855.

For this service a letter of thanks signed by Captain Nigel Dixon, director of the Institution, was sent to Coxswain Peter Woodworth and his crew..