Western Division MFV aground A RED FLARE fired over Barmouth Bar was seen by the honorary secretary of Barmouth lifeboat station at 2140 on Wednesday November 22, 1978. Just after he had alerted Coxswain Evan Jones, the honorary secretary heard by telephone from Porthdinllaen Coastguard that there was a casualty on the bar. Coxswain Jones, who is also the harbourmaster, had been informed that MFV Boy Nick was on passage to Barmouth from Beaumaris. At 2105 he had seen a green light to seaward of the bar and assumed that the fishing boat was standing off until the weather abated and it was safe to enter harbour.

The maroons were fired at 2143 and the relief 35ft 6in Liverpool lifeboat BHMH, on temporary duty at Barmouth, launched at 2150. A westerly strong breeze, force 6, gusting to near gale, force 7, was blowing and it was raining; very rough seas were breaking over the bar. It was nearly two hours after low water neaps.

Coxswain Jones could see the green light on board the fishing boat and headed down channel to a position south of Boy Nick, aground on North Bank. The light went out, but Coxswain Jones could see hand flares being fired to the east (to leeward) of the casualty. The lifeboat's searchlight picked upBoy Nick lying with her bows facing south east and her liferaft made fast to the bows, but these sightings were only occasional because of the seas breaking over the lifeboat and the fishing boat.

Coxswain Jones decided to go in towards the casualty, but at the first attempt grounded firmly. Going full astern he regained the main channel and then, putting his engines full ahead, drove the lifeboat at the bar using the breaking seas to close the liferaft. The lifeboat grounded many times and was continuously being flooded to the top of her lockers. Nevertheless, the liferaft, now cast adrift from the fishing boat, was reached successfully and the crew of the lifeboat pulled the two fishermen on board.

Although Coxswain Jones then went full astern, the lifeboat was picked up and thrown firmly on to North Bank.

Her bows were heading north west and the seas were breaking over her port side. Close to starboard, as Coxswain Jones was very aware, was a bank of rocks, but the seas made it impossible to try to come round to port. As the lifeboat was lifted by the seas, therefore, Coxswain Jones used his engines to turn tightly to starboard and he managed to regain the main channel after about 25 minutes.

The lifeboat, which had sustained no damage, returned to station with the two survivors; she was rehoused and ready for service at 2345.

It was later learned that the crown of Boy Nick's rudder had sheered as she was crossing the bar. She had been carried on to North Bank and had been flooded within five minutes. In a letter of thanks written on behalf of Boy Nick's skipper and himself, the fishing boat's crew, Keith Allday, spoke of the lifeboat approaching: '... Through this notoriously dangerous stretch of sand bars and shoaling water ... The rescue was an extremelydifficult operation and conditions were some of the worst I have ever encountered.

I cannot praise the tenacity and bravery of Coxswain Jones and his crew too highly. Without their prompt action we should almost certainly have lost our lives.' For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Evan D. Jones. Medal service certificates were presented to Acting Second Coxswain John H. Stockford, Motor Mechanic Dewi Wyn Davies, Assistant Mechanic Evan E. K. Griffith, Honorary Medical Adviser and Crew Member Dr Robert A. Haworth and Crew Members John Hopcroft and Peter H.

Phillips.

Western Division Trapped at cliff foot THE HONORARY SECRETARY of Borth ILB station was in the boathouse when, at 2025 on Friday August 18, 1978, he was told that two people were trapped by the tide half a mile south west of the station. The informant had sighted them while walking along the cliff top.

Maroons were fired immediately.

Most of the crew and shore helpers were close by the boathouse and the crew were dressed ready for launching at 2029.

The wind was westerly, force 3, with a very heavy ground swell running and breaking on the beach. It was high water springs.

Berth's drive-off trolley being away for repairs, the three crew members with two launchers pushed the D class ILB on her relief trolley into the heavy breaking swell; launching was a very difficult operation in those conditions.

At one stage, with all five men holding the boat, they were lifted and thrown back over the trolley. Once the boat was clear of the trolley, Crew Members Dilwyn Owen and Richard Jeremy, holding her bow into the sea, were constantly under water.

The crew embarked and then as Helmsman Ronald Davies took the boat clear of the breaking seas he realised that her engine was not developing full power. He found that the propeller was fouled by a mass of 'sea lace' seaweed that had been in the water close to the beach. It was soon cleared and the ILB headed at full speed for the scene of the incident.

The heavy ground swell was beating against the cliff face, driving spray 20 to 25 feet into the air, and two people were sighted sitting on a ledge just above the breaking sea. Helmsman Davies manoeuvred through a rocky outcrop and signalled by hand for the man and woman to move further along the cliff face into a partial lee formed by a large rock jutting out from the cliff.

On the first run in the ILB was pushed broadside to the swell, just clear of the cliff face. Helmsman Davies put the engine astern, turned quickly and headed out clear of the cliffs while remaining inside the rocky outcrop.

The second run in was made at full revolutions and Helmsman Davies brought the ILB bow-on to the cliff face and held her there while Crew Members Owen and Jeremy, one either side in the bows, held on to the cliff helping to keep the boat from turning broadside to the sea.

The ILB was being lifted and dropped about five to six feet by the swell and the two stranded people were about four feet above her on the top of the swell. The girl jumped into the boat but just as the man was about to jump the sea took the ILB hard against the cliff and then sucked her away.

Helmsman Davies used full throttle but could not break the grip of the sea until the boat was about ten to twelve feet off the cliff face. Once clear of the suction, he brought her back against the cliff and the man jumped aboard.

The ILB was then taken clear out to sea and returned to station, making a beach landing. The man and woman left after making a donation to the station, and the ILB was once again ready for service at 2105.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to the Helmsman Ronald J.

Davies. Crew Members Dilwyn J.

Owen and Richard W. Jeremy were presented with vellum service certificates.

South Western Division Boy rescued TWO PEOPLE IN THE SEA at Rocky Valley, Bossiney, near Tintagel, 6.7 miles from Port Isaac, were reported to the deputy launching authority of Port Isaac lifeboat station by HM Coastguard at 1326 on Monday August 14, 1978.

Maroons were fired at 1328 and three minutes later Port Isaac D class ILB launched and set out at full speed.

Helmsman Mark Provis was in command and Edward Fletcher and Andrew Walton were his crew.

It was one hour before high water on a neap tide, the wind was south west, moderate force 4, and a swell of ten feet and more was coming from the west; the weather was fine with good visibility.

After an uncomfortable passage of 24 minutes, the ILB arrived at 1355 to find that a boy had been hauled out of the water by visitors on the cliff above, using a line and Kapok dumbell float.

He was now on a narrow, sloping ledge underneath an overhang of rock, just above the level of the highest swells. A helicopter from RAF Chivenor was standing by to seaward, unable to effect a rescue because of the overhanging rock.

Helmsman Provis decided to anchor and veer down under oars. However, the backwash was so strong that it was not possible to row against it and the ILB had to be taken astern on her engine to within two feet of the cliff.

Crew Member Fletcher jumped for the rock but was unable to hold on and fell back into the sea, dropping into a falling swell. The next wave carried him up to the ledge ten feet above and he was able to land just below the boy.

The ILB was thrown broadside on to the rocks but Crew Member Walton, who was manning the radio, was able to pull her clear on her anchor cable.

Meanwhile, Crew Member Fletcher climbed to the boy who was in a state of severe shock and who had lacerations to his hands and feet. He said his father was in the water and drowning.

Edward Fletcher shouted this information to the ILB and Andrew Walton relayed it to the helicopter and Coastguard mobile, but there was no sight of the man.

Edward Fletcher now tried to coax the boy down the sloping ledge to where he could more easily get him into the ILB, but the boy appeared unable to move on his own. Helmsman Provis brought the ILB close to the cliff again and Crew Member Walton threw the painter. Crew Member Fletcher had to reject this, however, as the boy was still being held fast by the line to the visitors on the cliff top. Edward Fletcher shouted to them to pay out the whole rope, but only about ten feet was veered. This bight was eventually taken by Helmsman Provis who decided to cut it and hold on to the end attached to the boy.

Two large swells in succession then nearly swept Edward Fletcher and the boy into the sea and, as the ILB was carried away at the same time, Helmsman Provis had to let go the rope to avoid dragging them off the rock.

Once again Helmsman Provis brought the ILB close to the rocks and this time Edward Fletcher pushed the boy into the ILB as she rose with the swell. He was safely caught by Andrew Walton and Crew Member Fletcher followed, just managing to land on the ILB's sponson and being pulled inboard by Helmsman Provis.

Andrew Walton wrapped the boy in the polythene exposure sheet and the ILB headed seawards at 1405 to make rendezvous with the helicopter. The boy was winched into the helicopter and the ILB then searched for his father until 1515 when the search was called off. On the return passage to Port Isaac the ILB was diverted to Delabole Point to help in the recovery of a dead man. She stood by while the Cliff Rescue Team recovered the body and then returned to station, arriving at 1750. She had been at sea for more than four hours.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Mark J. Provis and Crew Member Edward J. Fletcher.

A vellum service certificate was presented to Crew Member Andrew D.

Walton.

Western Division Trapped in cave TWO BOYS TRAPPED in a cave on the north side of Brean Down were reported to the honorary secretary of Weston-super-Mare ILB station at 1625 on Sunday November 12, 1978, by Barry Coastguard. Maroons were fired at 1632 and the crew assembled. The honorary secretary decided to launch both the RFD D class ILB, D170, which would be the best boat to enter a cave should this be necessary, and also the 18ft 6in McLachlan ILB, A507R, to act as a safety boat for the smaller ILB.

Helmsman Julian Morris was in command of the McLachlan with Michael Hawkings and Richard Spindler as his crew; Helmsman Nicholas White and Crew Member Anthony Blizzard manned the D class ILB. Both boats launched at 1637.

A near gale force 7 gusting to gale force 8 was blowing from the south.

The sky was overcast and five minutes after launch it started raining heavily.

The sea was rough with breaking surf.

High water springs was at 1715; sunset at 1610.

While on their way towards Brean Down, the Coastguard told the ILBs that the cave where the boys were trapped was on the south side of the down, not the north. Both boats altered course to pass close to Howe Point, the westerly tip of Brean Down. Westonsuper- Mare Bay was reasonably sheltered from the south so that both boats were able to drive at full speed most of the time. Once round Howe Point, however, the full force of the gale was felt and in this area both boats had to keep close in to the cliffs to avoid fishing nets.

On scene, the Coastguard mobile's blue light flashing on top of the cliff marked the position of the cave. Both boats laid off and D170 went alongside A507R to confer on the best method of taking the casualties off. They had been told by radio that two coastguards were with the boys in the cave. It was decided that a swimmer would be needed, so Richard Spindler transferred to D170. A507R laid off and illuminated the scene with her Aldis lamp.

By now, the wind, still from the south, was gale force 8. It was raining heavily and large seas were breaking against the cliff face.

D170 approached the cave and, when 20 yards off, Richard Spindler entered the water to check whether the boat could approach without being obstructed by rocks. The swim was difficult because of the backwash from the cliff face, but Richard Spindler signalled for D170 to make her approach and prepared to help as the ILB entered the mouth of the cave. Helmsman White drove D170 into the starboard hand side of the cave entrance and Richard Spindler pushed the bow to port, so turning D170 into the sea. Crew Member Blizzard also entered the water to keep the bows pointing out to sea. The floor of the cave was covered with boulders and loose stones, and, with a depth of water between four and seven feet, the two men were constantly under water.

The ILB crew found that there were three boys trapped in the cave. They were taken on board, Anthony Blizzard jumped into the boat and Helmsman White took D170 out alongside A507R.

Once the boys were transferred to the McLachlan, D170 went back into the cave to pick up Crew Member Spindler and the two coastguards. The ILB had been constantly buffeted against the side of the cave and was full of water from the confused breaking seas.

After being landed on Brean Beach by Helmsman White, the coastguards helped the crew get the ILB off the beach again, through heavy surf. D170 then went alongside the McLachlan, took on board the three boys and landed them on the beach also. The ILB was hauled clear of the sea and baled out before relaunching, but was once more full of water by the time she had cleared the surf.

Both boats started the return passage to station at 1756 and were rehoused and ready for service at 1830.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Nicholas J.

White and Crew Members Richard A.

Spindler and Anthony C. Blizzard. Vellum service certificates were presented to Helmsman Julian Morris and Crew Member Michael E. Hawkings.

Eastern Division Three calls A CANOE with two children aboard, overdue on passage from Colne Point to West Mersea, was reported to the deputy launching authority of West Mersea ILB station by Thames Coastguard at 2006 on Monday July 31, 1978.

Maroons were fired, the crew assembled by 2010 and West Mersea's Atlantic 21 launched at 2017 to search.

There was a strong east-southeasterly breeze blowing, force 6, with heavy rain and poor visibility; the launching position was in the lee and the sea was moderate. It was three hours before high water.

A search was started on the track from West Mersea to Colne Point and as soon as Mersea Island was cleared the ILB was heading directly into the by now north-easterly near gale, force 7. The seas were rough and, with continuous heavy rain, visibility was poor.

To give Helmsman Graham Knott better visibility in the driving spray and rain one crew member stood forward of him and gave a lee. Best speed in the prevailing conditions was made throughout.

At 2028 Bradwell Coastguard mobile, searching Sales Point, sighted a red flare and at the same time a report was received that the two children were safe. The ILB at this time was approaching Colne Point. On hearing of the new incident she changed course and made for the new search position at full speed.

Arriving off Sales Point at 2035 the ILB asked Bradwell mobile for a better fix in the poor visibility and the shore was closed so that the ILB could search down the mobile's bearing of the flare. At 2037 a second flare fired by the casualty was sighted by the ILB, which then headed straight for her. She found a sloop, Blackbird, with anchor down but driven stern on to the sands and shipping spray overall. At 2043 the ILB went alongside Blackbird's port side and took off her crew of four, two men and two women.

As a further incident had been reported of two people in the water off West Mersea, the ILB was asked to land the yacht's crew near Bradwell mobile and set off on the new search. A local fishing vessel in the area, Diana, agreed to try to tow off the casualty so at 2049 Blackbird's owner was put aboard Diana and at 2058 the other three people were landed on the beach near Bradwell mobile. The incident off West Mersea turned out to be a false alarm, so the ILB returned to stand by Blackbird.

The yacht was towed clear by Diana at 2115 and the tow started to West Mersea. The ILB picked up the three people from Bradwell Marina and put them back on board Blackbird when, at 2200, she was safe in West Mersea. The ILB was back on station and ready for service at 2210.

The whole series of incidents had taken place in near gale force winds, rough seas and continuous heavy rain and fog which reduced visibility to a quarter of a mile.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Graham M.

Knott. Vellum service certificates were presented to Crew Members Brian M.

Jay and Jonathan P. French.

Ireland Division Injured seaman THE MARINE RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE, Shannon, told Arranmore honorary secretary at 1810 on Saturday December 30, 1978, that a sailor on board the Finnish cargo vessel Puhos had lost three fingers in an accident.

Puhos was 120 miles south west of Arranmore. There was no helicopter or ship available to help and Puhos was too big to enter either Sligo or Killybegs harbour.

The honorary secretary asked MRCC Shannon to instruct the captain of Puhos to head for Arranmore and then, with Dr K. Flannery aboard, the 52ft Barnett lifeboat Claude Cecil Staniforth slipped her moorings at 2300.

It was a fine night with good visibility.

A strong breeze, force 6, was blowing from the north east and the sea was choppy.

Claude Cecil Staniforth met Puhos at 0100, took off the injured man and landed him at 0300 at Burtonport where an ambulance was waiting to take him to hospital.

North Eastern Division Engine failure A FISHING VESSEL, Falke, on delivery passage from the continent to Whitby on Monday December 18, 1978, put out a 'pan' message saying that she was broken down 60 miles east by north of Flamborough Head with no power or steering and her batteries were starting to fail.

HM Coastguard telephoned Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan of Humber lifeboat station at 0723, and, as there were no other ships in the area and Humber Radio was already having communication problems due to Falke's failing batteries, it was decided to launch. The wind was westerly force 2, the sea slight and, on a clear morning, visibility very good. The tide was ebbing.

Humber's 54ft Arun City of Bradford IV slipped her moorings at 0813 and set course for the last known position. The fishery protection minesweeper HMS Stubbington was also on her way from north of Whitby to help find the casualty.

HMS Stubbington sighted Falke at 1227 and sent an engineer across in a Gemini to see if he could help. He was unable to get the engine started, however, and so the lifeboat, which had arrived at 1245, agreed to tow the boat to Bridlington. A tow was passed at 1302. Course was set for Flamborough Head and, although the casualty had no steering, Bridlington Harbour was reached safely at 2056.

After refuelling, and a meal for the crew, City of Bradford IV returned to station, arriving at 0102. At 0126 she was back on moorings and ready for service.

Following this service a letter of thanks was received from Falke's owner together with two cheques: one a token of thanks to the coxswain and crew of Humber lifeboat and the other a donation to the Institution.

Eastern Division Help for Jolie Brise THE GAFF CUTTER Jolie Brine, on her way back from Oslo to Harwich on the second leg of the 1978 Tall Ships Race, made to put in to Lowestoft for repairs after two days of gales during which, due to rigging failure, she had lost her topmast. At 0930 on Wednesday August 30 Lowestoft Coastguard informed the honorary secretary of the lifeboat station that the yacht was at anchor about half a mile east of Lowestoft Ness Point, the most easterly point in the British Isles, and appeared to be in difficulty. Her engine had failed and MFV Dolly Bird was standing by.

Visibility was good, a moderate to fresh breeze, force 4 to 5, was blowing from the north and there was a moderate sea when, at 0945 Lowestoft's 47ft Watson lifeboat, Frederick Edward Crick, slipped her moorings and set out at full speed. She arrived alongside Jolie Brise and took her in tow back to Lowestoft where her crew of 14 were landed.

The lifeboat returned to her moorings at 1030. It had been Thomas Knott's last service as coxswain.

Jolie Brise, one of this century's most famous, almost legendary, yachts, was the winner of the first Fastnet Race, in 1925, a race she was to win again in both 1929 and 1930. In the Tall Ships Race from Yarmouth to Oslo earlier in August, 1978, sailed by three school masters with a young crew, she had taken second place in her class.

Eastern Division MFV sinking SKEGNESS LIFEBOAT, the 37ft Oakley Charles Fred Crantham, launched at 1730 on Wednesday October 4, 1978, to go to the help of the fishing boat Fair Maid aground three miles north of the station in a dangerous position. It was a fine evening with good visibility. A gentle to moderate breeze was blowing from the south south west, the sea was slight and the tide had been flooding for three hours.

Fair Maid's owner had made repairs to her engine and refloated with the tide intending to return to King's Lynn, but the boat was damaged below water and began to sink. Three crew members were put aboard to bale while the lifeboat towed the fishing boat clear of the danger area and then to the mud flats south of Gibraltar Point, where she finally sank. Her owner was taken aboard the lifeboat and landed at Skegness at 2100. The lifeboat was rehoused and ready for service at 2215.

Scotland North Division Oil rig supply vessel SHETLAND COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Lerwick lifeboat station at 0305 on Friday October 27, 1978, that the oil rig supply vessel Anglia Shore was ashore on Score Point on the north east side of the Island of Bressay. The master requested the lifeboat to stand by.

A fresh westerly breeze was blowing when, at 0317, the 52ft Arun Soldian slipped her moorings. She arrived on scene at 0355 to find that the supply vessel was damaged forward. As an immediate precaution, six members of Anglia Shore's crew were taken off, the lifeboat's inflatable dinghy being used to ferry them across to Soldian.

After pumping out her cargo of drilling mud, Anglia Shore refloated on the flooding tide and came off the rocks unaided. She was making water fast, however, and the lifeboat escorted her to Lerwick arriving at 0548.

A letter of appreciation was later received by Lerwick honorary secretary from the supply vessel's owners enclosing a donation for the RNLI.

North Eastern Division Lost rudder A COBLE NEEDING HELP, with three men on board, was reported to the deputy launching authority of Seaham lifeboat station by Tees Coastguard at 0955 on Sunday November 26, 1978.

The message had been relayed from MV Plymouth which had seen the coble fire a flare.

It was an overcast morning with fair visibility. The wind was north north west near gale, force 7, the sea rough and the tide flooding.

Seaham lifeboat, the 37ft Oakley The Will and Fanny Kirby, launched at 1015 and set an easterly course at full speed to where Plymouth was standing by the coble Ambler.

Reaching the casualty at 1038, the lifeboat took off one of her crew. The other two men asked to stay aboard the coble, which was taken in tow stern first because she had lost her rudder.

By now the wind had increased to north north west, gale force 8, and there was a heavy northerly swell so that towing was at slow speed. At 1110 the tow line, which had slipped off the coble's towing bollard, was made fast again and a second man asked to come aboard the lifeboat.

Owing to the heavy swell, the lifeboat had to approach Seaham from the north. She entered harbour with her tow at 1133 and took the coble to North Dock where her crew were landed.

Because of the heavy surge on the slipway, the lifeboat had to moor in the North Dock until 1500 (three hours ebb). She was rehoused and ready for service at 1630.

Ireland Division Overdue THE RELIEF 46ft 9in WATSON LIFEBOAT Sarah Townsend Porritt, on temporary duty at Howth, slipped her moorings and put to sea at 2230 on Sunday October 15, 1978 following a report that a red flashing light and red flares had been sighted off Lambay Island and that a man who had gone fishing was overdue.

The night was fine with good visibility.

A moderate breeze was blowing from west south west and the sea was slight. Having sighted the casualty's navigation lights, the lifeboat was alongside the motor boat by 2315 and found that her outboard engine had failed. The fisherman was taken on board the lifeboat and the casualty towed back to Howth. The lifeboat returned to her station at 0020 and was remoored and ready for service ten minutes later.

Western Division Broken mast ABERDOVEY'S ATLANTIC 21 ILB launched at 1515 on Sunday November 12, 1978, after being informed by HM Coastguard that a sailing dinghy had capsized in the estuary; her mast was broken.

It was raining at the time and visibility was worsening. A strong breeze to near gale force wind, force 6 to 7.

was blowing from the south west and the sea was choppy; the tide was flooding.

The ILB approached the dinghy, Custard Torpedo, took off her crew of two, landed them ashore at 1525 and returned to her station at 1528.

Western Division Propeller fouled A SMALL YACHT reported to HM Coastguard by VHP radio on the evening of Saturday October 7, 1978, that a 28ft sloop on passage from Penarth to Porlock Weir was broken down and drifting in Porlock Bay; she required immediate assistance.

The honorary secretary of Minehead ILB station was informed, Watchet Coastguard mobile was alerted and the continued on page 141.