Washed off pier THE DUTY WATCHKEEPER On RanlSgate East Pier was told at 0305 on Saturday November 29, 1980, that an angler had been washed off the pier by a heavy sea. The Trinity House 40ft pilot launch Versatile was at that time off duty in Ramsgate Harbour because of the very rough weather, but her crew, Trinity House Coxswain Malcolm Llewellyn and Launch Seaman Bryan Morgan, were on board checking her moorings. The duty watchkeeper alerted them and they immediately cast off to go to the help of the angler.

The night was cloudy, but fine and clear with fair visibility in driven spray.

There was a strong north to northeasterly gale, force 9, gusting to storm force 10, with a heavy north-easterly swell and short, steep, rough and confused seas. It was one hour before high water.

On clearing the pierheads Coxswain Llewellyn could see the angler in the water illuminated by a searchlight from the pier lookout; he was about 50 metres south of East Pier in the rough, confused sea and swell. The coxswaincircled by West Pier and approached the man in the water head to wind; it could be seen that he was wearing a lifebelt thrown to him from the pier, but that the blown spray and seas were frequently washing right over him. Versatile was stopped and Launch Seaman Morgan threw the man a line from the forecastle head intending to drag him to the stern where there was a boarding ladder. The casualty, however, pulled in all the slack line leaving only the bare end on board. Coxswain Llewellyn left the wheelhouse to help Launch Seaman Morgan, and Versatile immediately paid off, beam to seas.

The two crew were unable to lift the angler with all his heavy clothing aboard amidships where the seas were now holding him, so it was decided to try and tow him back into harbour.

Launch Seaman Morgan went forward to the bows and jammed the rope under a tyre fender and then Coxswain Llewellyn started working the boat stern first towards the harbour. As the tow started, the angler was being pulled under the water. It was obvious that in his weakened state he would soon let go, so Launch Seaman Morgan wrapped his legs around a stanchion, leaned right over the bow and grabbed the loop of the lifebuoy, holding on to it firmly although he was continuously being washed by the seas.

Versatile re-entered Ramsgate Harbour stern first at 0332 and was alongside the landing stage a minute or two later. Ramsgate lifeboatmen, policemen and ambulancemen were there to help the angler from the water and he was taken to hospital.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Trinity House Coxswain Malcolm H. R. Llewellyn and Launch Seaman Bryan L. E. Morgan..