Adrift OBAN COASTGUARD picked up a distress call in the early hours of Tuesday June 14 from the 20ft yacht Wigeon with an elderly couple on board. Wigeon had broken adrift from a mooring in Craignure Bay, Isle of Mull, her outboard engine had failed and she was being driven towards the steep-to shores of the Isle of Bernera and the nearby reef of Liath Sgeir. The honorary secretary of Oban lifeboat station was informed at 0103, maroons were fired and the 33ft Brede lifeboat Ann Ritchie slipped her mooring at 0115 under the command of Second Coxswain Douglas Craig.

Course was set for the estimated position of the casualty and full speed maintained.

The night was overcast with a westnorth- west near gale, force 7, gusting to gale force 8. The sea was moderate but rough in the tidal race and overfalls off Lismore Point.

Assistant Mechanic Malcolm Robertson and Oban Coastguard tried to maintain radio contact with the yacht to reassure her crew and so that the lifeboat, with her VHP direction finding equipment, could establish Wigeon's bearing. By 0135 Ann Ritchie had Lismore Point abeam and sighted a light which her VHF/DF confirmed was likely to be Wigeon. Course was altered towards her. Radio messages from the yacht indicated that she was rolling heavily. The wind, by now, had backed more to the west and was against the new flood tide.

At 0140 Acting Coxswain Craig approached the yacht on a parallel course as closely as the conditions would allow and checked by searchlight that the sea-anchor and warp which itwas understood had earlier been streamed had been taken back on board. The yacht was making an estimated 3 knots under bare poles and she was rolling and yawing violently. A second approach was made and the two people on board asked to be taken off, declining the lifeboat's offer to try to secure a tow.

Crew Members Sydney Thomson and Willie Melville, their lifelines securely attached, therefore took up position six feet apart on the port side deck and instructed the woman aboard Wigeon to come to the outside of the yacht's guardrails and jump when told. At the second attempt she was pulled aboard and the lifeboat lay off while she was taken aft into the wheelhouse. The lifeboat then repeated the run in and the husband was pulled to safety. Before he could be helped aft, however, the lifeboat, in turning away from the casualty, rolled heavily for a short time during which the three men had to cling tightly to the guardrail.

By this time the lifeboat and Wigeon were about a third of a mile from Bernera Island and the lifeboat stood by while MFV Lilacina secured a tow on the abandoned yacht. When Acting Coxswain Craig was satisfied that lives were no longer at risk he set course for Oban.

On arrival, at 0405, the husband and wife were landed at North Pier into the care of the station honorary secretary.

The Brede was refuelled and was back on her moorings once again ready for service at 0430.For this service a letter of appreciation signed by Rear Admiral W. J.

Graham, director of the Institution, was sent to Second Coxswain Douglas Craig, acting coxswain, and his crew: Assistant Mechanic Malcolm K.

Robertson and Crew Members William Melville and Sydney J. Thomson..