Making water WICK COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Thurso lifeboat station at 1355 on Tuesday September 7,1982, that the fishing vessel Coronella was making water off Duncansby Head andthe lifeboat was asked to launch with pumps. At 1410 Thurso's 48ft 6in Solent lifeboat The Three Sisters launched on service under the command of Second Coxswain John Manson and headed into harbour to embark pumps held in the harbour oil depot. Kenneth Mac- Kenzie of the oil depot, who is also the engineer of the RNAF tender Loyal Proctor which is based in Scrabster, joined the crew to supervise the pumps.

HMS Stubbington, a minesweeper seconded to fishery protection duties which was in Scrabster Harbour, sailed at 1429 to help the casualty.

Coronella was 12 miles east north east of the lifeboat station and The Three Sisters maintained full speed to her position. During the passage HMS Stubbington established that there were 11 men on board the fishing vessel.

It was an overcast day with frequent rain squalls passing through, reducing visibility. There was a strong breeze, force 6, blowing from the west and the sea was rough. High water springs had been at 1153.

HMS Stubbington arrived on scene at about 1512; she lowered a boat to take a pump across to Coronella, but unfortunately the pump's handle was lost overboard so that it could not be used. The fishing vessel was anchored slightly to the west of the rocks known as the Men of Mey and the minesweeper could not approach close enough to pass a tow line. The strong westerly breeze was blowing across the overfalls in the area giving a very confused sea and the broken water disguised the exact position of the rocks.

By this time Coronella was well down by the stern and had only three foot clearance left in her engine room above the waterline. There was concern that the bulkhead might give and she had lost all power. Her own lifeboat was turned out ready for her crew to abandon ship.

Thurso lifeboat arrived at 1550 and went alongside the casualty to transfer the pumps. Two lifeboatmen together with Kenneth MacKenzie were also put on board to help. Acting Coxswain John Manson is a Stroma man and, having fished the area since a young boy, knew exactly where the rocks were in relation to the casualty.

There was some difficulty in getting the pumps started and The Three Sisters lay off ready to take off all the men on board Coronella if necessary; unless the pumps had contained the inflow of water the fishing vessel would without doubt have sunk. However, the two pumps were eventually started and the water level held.

At about 1700 Coronella cut her anchor line and she was immediately swept into the overfalls and carried west north west. As she drifted along the overfalls Acting Coxswain Manson took the lifeboat alongside and re-embarked his two crew members and Kenneth MacKenzie. HMS Stubbington fired two lines across and a tow was connected; itparted but another tow was successfully passed.

HMS Stubbington took Coronella in tow to Thurso Bay where the lifeboat took over and, at 2145, berthed the disabled fishing vessel alongside, with the help of the pilot cutter and Loyal Proctor. Thurso lifeboat was rehoused and ready for service at 2200.

Coronella had grounded on rocks to the west of Duncansby Head and drifted to St John's Point, a notorious area of the Pentland Firth. In grounding her transducer was torn out, leaving a hole in her bottom. She remained in Scrabster Harbour for two days where the Fire Brigade kept her afloat until a diver could make temporary repairs.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Second Coxswain John D.

Manson, acting coxswain. Vellum service certificates were presented to Motor Mechanic Angus M. Reid, Emergency Mechanic Brian Williams, acting assistant mechanic, and Crew Members Ian McMillan and Jay Scott MacKay and also to Kenneth Ross MacKenzie..