Capsized tender ON THE AFTERNOON of Tuesday December 22, 1981, Derek Scott, coxswain of The Mumbles lifeboat, was at his home overlooking the seafront when, at 1555, he heard cries for help. Scanning thebay with his binoculars he saw two men clinging to an upturned tender about 350 metres offshore; they had been returning from their yacht in the tender when they had lost an oar and capsized trying to retrieve it.

Coxswain Scott immediately telephoned Swansea Coastguard to tell them he was going to the aid of the two men. With the help of Second Coxswain/ Mechanic Alan Jones, who just happened to be at hand. Coxswain Scott launched his own 10ft clinker built dinghy from the promenade of Southend Beach. Because of the small size of the boat he thought it best to row out alone and began with powerful strokes to cover the 350 metre distance.

The afternoon was freezing with a gentle breeze, force 3, blowing from the east. The slight to moderate sea was short and choppy and it was just after high water.

Coxswain Scott reached the capsized tender at 1606. The two men, weighed down by heavy clothing and suffering from the severe cold, were unable to help themselves. By great physical effort and skilful rocking of his boat.

Coxswain Scott managed to haul the more seriously distressed of the survivors aboard. Despite several exhausting efforts it proved impossible, however, to pull the other man into the boat, so Coxswain Scott told him to cling on to the stern while, as a precaution, he first passed a rope round him and secured it and then rowed for the shore as quickly as possible. With the ebb tide pushing against him, the extreme cold, and the toll of his previous efforts, it was a very arduous row. but the shore was reached at 1621. The two survivors were landed and taken by a waiting ambulance tohospital where they were treated for hypothermia and later discharged.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain L. Derek Scott, BEM..