Barge aground THE STATION HONORARY SECRETARY Of Mablethorpe lifeboat station was informed by Humber Coastguard at 1030 on Tuesday October 12, 1982, that the barge Almeco had grounded overnight.

An attempt was to be made to refloat her, so it was agreed that the lifeboat crew should be alerted. At 1350 the Coastguard telephoned a stand down but five minutes later came a request for an immediate launch because two of the three men aboard the barge had been injured. Mablethorpe's D class inflatable lifeboat was launched from the beach into the surf at 1400 manned by Helmsman William Tuplin and Crew Members John Mayfield and Wayne Docking.

It was a cloudy afternoon, but clear, with a moderate breeze, force 4, blowing from south south west and a heavy onshore swell. It was three quarters of an hour before high water.

Once clear of the surf full speed was made towards the barge, l'/2 miles to the north, and the lifeboat reached her at 1410. Almeco was aground about a quarter of a mile off the beach in surf on the outer side of a bank; her head was lying to the south east but being knocked back towards the south. Apparently she had grounded during the night on a falling tide. At low water her crew hadcarried out a kedge anchor to seaward; then, as the barge started to lift about an hour before high water, the crew had started to heave on the hand windlass.

The rise and fall of the bows in the surf had been too great for the windlass and it had sheered, injuring the skipper and one of his crew.

The inflatable lifeboat was taken round the barge's stern, through the surf and alongside her starboard side, forward, as she lay beam on to the six-foot breaking surf, rolling heavily.

The lifeboat's painter was thrown up to her uninjured crew member, but he did not manage to make it fast and the inflatable lifeboat was thrown off.

A second approach was made and Crew Member Docking, a tall and very strong young man, held the lifeboat alongside against a tyre fender while Crew Member Mayfield climbed aboard the barge taking the painter with him; he made the line fast to the barge and it was then taken back and made fast to the inflatable lifeboat's forward portside grab handle. The outboard engine was stopped and Crew Member Mayfield started to check the two injured men.

The barge's rise and fall was causing the lifeboat to pitch and toss and the grab handle parted. The painter was let go, the engine restarted and the lifeboat was held alongside by her engine and the strength of Crew Member Docking.

Crew Member Mayfield was tending the injured men when the barge rolled heavily in a large swell throwing him overboard clear of the lifeboat's stern.

He climbed back on to the inflatable and then back on to the barge to carry on with his task. The barge's skipper was unconscious and appeared to have a broken arm; the second injured man also appeared to have a broken and badly injured arm.

While Helmsman Tuplin held the lifeboat alongside Crew Member Mayfield handed the two injured men down to Crew Member Docking. Crew Member Mayfield stayed aboard the barge with the remaining member of her crew. The inflatable lifeboat was beached and the two injured men taken ashore to an ambulance. It was 1440.

Meanwhile Humber's 54ft Arun lifeboat City of Bradford IV had slipped her moorings at 1425 under the command of Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan; it was decided that she should continue to Almeco to try to refloat her. Mablethorpe's inflatable lifeboat headed back to the barge, picked up Crew Member Mayfield and stood by outside the surfline. Humber lifeboat arrived at 1506 just after high water and a tow was connected. By this time, however, the barge was hard aground again and could not be moved.

By 1550 the attempt to haul her clear was abandoned. Mablethorpe inflatable lifeboat made another run in close to the barge's starboard side so that the third bargeman could jump aboard, to be landed on the beach. Mablethorpelifeboat then returned to station. She was beached at 1615 and was rehoused at 1645. Humber lifeboat was back on her moorings at 1655.

Both Humber and Mablethorpe lifeboats launched again when, on the following day, October 13, it was learnt that an attempt was to be made to refloat Almeco. The barge was refloated safely, however, without further assistance. She got under way south while the two lifeboats returned to station.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution, were presented to Helmsman William Tuplin and Crew Members John Mayfield and Wayne Docking..