Seven rescued THE OIL SUPPLY VESSEL Smit Lloyd47, dragging her anchor and grounded in a severe easterly gale and heavy swell on the west shore of Peterhead Harbour of Refuge, about five cables from the lifeboat slipway, was reported to the deputy launching authority of Peterhead lifeboat station by Moray Coastguard at 1950 on Friday January 19. The vessel was fully laden and had anchored awaiting an improvement in the weather before making the passage to the Argyll field.The wind was east, gale force 8 gusting to strong gale, force 9, with very rough seas and a heavy swell in Peterhead Bay. Visibility was only moderate and the spring tide was at four hours ebb.

Smit Lloyd 47, heading about north north west, was lying four cables west by north of the South Breakwater Light. She had grounded astern and then been driven on to the bank broadside to wind and sea. It was thought that she was in danger of breaking up.

Peterhead lifeboat, the 48ft 6in Solent James and Mariska Joicey, launched at 2000 and on the short passage to the casualty experienced exceptionally heavy breaking seas, the severity of which increased as she made her approached through shallowing water.

Coxswain Mechanic John Buchan found his visibility badly restricted by heavy spray from seas breaking over the deck and the motion of the lifeboat was extremely violent with angles of heel almost continually greater than 45 degrees on either side.

However, with superb seamanship and boat handling, Coxswain Buchan came up on the port quarter of the casualty, where the crew were mustered to disembark, and brought his starboard bow alongside just long enough for three crew members to be taken on board. With expert judgement he repeated this manoeuvre to take off the remaining four men and all Smit Lloyd 47's crew were safely on board James and Mariska Joicey by 2012.

As the lifeboat was working in shallow water on a lee shore with no room to turn, Coxswain Buchan decided to clear ahead and round the bow of the casualty where he judged there would be just enough water. The lifeboat pas-sed clear of the bow of Smit Lloyd 47 at 2015 and made the short but difficult passage across Peterhead Bay to enter South Harbour at 2020. The seven survivors were landed into the care of the Police and the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. As it was not possible to rehouse the lifeboat in the prevailing conditions, she was made ready for service from South Harbour where she remained until January 21.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain/Mechanic John Buchan. Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Alec Auld, Emergency Mechanic Graham Bruce and Crew Members Ian Smith, Thomas Buchan, Ian Buchan and James Buchan..