Breeches buoy HOLYHEAD COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Moelfre lifeboat station at 0945 on Sunday August 29, 1982, that a distress call had been received from a small boat aground on rocks at Dulas Island, two miles north north west of the station. Maroons were fired and at 0958 the 37ft Oakley relief lifeboat The Vincent Nesfield, on temporary duty at Moelfre, was launched on service under the command of Coxswain William Roberts.

The morning was overcast and heavy rain driven by a south-south-westerly gale, force 8, was reducing visibility. It was 2'/2 hours after high water.

The sea in the lee of the land was moderate and Coxswain Roberts set a north-westerly course towards Dulas Island at full speed. No radio communications were possible with Holyhead Coastguard, so Ramsey Coastguard acted as co-ordinating authority for this service. With the wind on the quarter, a moderate quartering sea and a favourable tide, good progress was made.

Arriving off Dulas Island at 1015, Coxswain Roberts took the lifeboat to the west of its southern end where he could see the casualty, the 42ft trimaran Triple Jack., with two people on board. The boat was hard aground on the Garnog, a reef of rocks that extends to the south of the island.

Triple Jack had been at anchor sheltering from the weather in the entrance to Traeth Dulas, on Anglesey, but with the strong ebb tide that sweeps out of the estuary and the gale, she had dragged her anchor to the north east; she had grounded, heading south south west, on a rock which dries out. She already had a slight list to starboard developing and was in danger of capsizing as the tide fell.

The wind, now from south west, had freshened and was gusting to strong gale, force 9. In the more open waters of the bay the sea was moderate to rough. A strong ebb tide was running and on the shoal ground near the trimaran the sea was confused. The wind was taking the tops off the waves and the almost continuous spray, coupled with the heavy rain, was reducing visibility considerably.

Coxswain Roberts realised that therewas no possibility of taking the lifeboat alongside the trimaran, so he told the Coastguard that he would try to take off her people by breeches buoy. He took the lifeboat to the south south east of Triple Jack and anchored, but, as he veered down, it was soon clear that the wind and tide were taking him in too close to the trimaran and the dangerous rocks. He weighed anchor and made a second attempt further east, but had to move still further to the east and anchor a third time before the lifeboat was successfully veered down to a position about 20 yards south of the trimaran.

The breeches buoy equipment was prepared on deck and, on the second attempt, a line was passed by rocket.

Block and veering lines were then hauled across and made fast by the trimaran's crew. It was now 1045. The two people on board, father and son, were successfully pulled to, and taken aboard, the lifeboat, where they were made warm and comfortable by the crew. This operation, carried out in driving spray and rain, was completed at 1102.

While pulling the survivors through the water, the additional strain on the lines tended to pull the lifeboat towards the dangers, but although the boat touched submerged rocks three times she was not damaged.

On recovery of the breeches buoy and veering lines, Coxswain Roberts weighed anchor and set course for Moelfre. For the return passage wind and sea were on the bow, with heavy spray driving overall. The lifeboat came alongside her slip at Moelfre and landed the two men at 1125. Both were cold and wet but after warm drinks, a warm bath and a change of clothing they showed no ill effects from their ordeal.

The lifeboat was rehoused and once again ready for service at 1200.For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain William J.

Roberts and vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain John M. Thomas, Motor Mechanic Evan O. Jones and Crew Members Hefin Rowlands, Rodney Pace and Roy Thomas..