Escort THE DEPUTY LAUNCHING AUTHORITY of Southwold lifeboat station received a request at 1335 on Monday January 31, 1983, for the lifeboat to escort MFV Ecstasy and MFV Broadside to Lowestoft; the weather was too bad for the fishing vessels to enter Southwold and one of them, MFV Broadside, had a small leak. Maroons were fired and at 1355 Southwold's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat Sole Bay launched on service manned by Helmsman Roger Trigg and Crew Members Jonathan Adnams and Nicholas Westwood.

The day was heavily overcast with occasional showers of rain and hail so that visibility was poor. The southsouth- westerly wind was gusting to strong gale, force 9, and it was two hours after high water at very high springs.

The Atlantic 21 approached the harbour entrance where with wind against ebb tide, the seas were breaking. After a brief pause to find a suitable lull in the waves, she left harbour at 1358 by going close to the north pier, inside the Hale and then across the Inner Shoal. A north-north-easterly course was then set to rendezvous with the two fishing vessels which were l'/2 miles south east of Covehithe Church heading for Lowestoft. As the Atlantic came up astern of the two boats she found that Broadside was further out to sea than Ecstasy and some three-quarters of a mile ahead. Both fishing vessels were making steady progress down sea.

Then, at 1415 when she was half a mile east of Benacre Ness, Ecstasy's engine failed. It would have been unsafe for Broadside to try to turn in the heavy following seas, so she continued to run towards Lowestoft via East Barnard Buoy and Pakefield Channel.

The wind, still south south west, had by now reached strong gale, force 9.

The ebb was flowing north at three knots. Because of the shallow water around Benacre Ness the seas in that area were particularly steep, up to 15 to 20 feet high, and breaking. With waves often approaching at varying angles to the swell, the waters were confused.

The afternoon was still heavily overcast with rain and hail squalls.

Southwold Atlantic 21 approached Ecstasy from the south; she went round her bow and circled to port intending to drive along the fishing vessel's port side to pass a tow and pull her clear of the very bad seas close to Benacre Ness. As the lifeboat was making her approach, however, Ecstasy radioed that she had restarted her engine. The Atlantic 21 then led Ecstasy out to sea, clear of Benacre Ness and towards East Barnard Buoy.After passing 100 yards to the west of East Barnard Buoy, the Atlantic led Ecstasy into Pakefield Channel. Broadside, now in sight of Lowestoft Harbour entrance, asked the Atlantic to stand by when she entered harbour; on the lifeboat's suggestion, her skipper agreed to wait for the other two boats to catch up with her. At 1435, however, when the lifeboat and Ecstasy were still half a mile south of the harbour, Broadside radioed to say that she was only a quarter of a mile from the entrance and, if she delayed any longer, she would be swept past.

Southwold Atlantic 21 left MFV Ecstasy and headed for Lowestoft, but MFV Broadside entered Lowestoft Harbour at 1438, before the lifeboat could reach her. The Atlantic was returning to Ecstasy, now east of Claremont Pier, when the fishing vessel radioed to say that she had not entered Lowestoft before. The lifeboat passed to her information on tidal directions at the entrance and the best course to steer in the prevailing conditions, and then escorted the fishing vessel into harbour.

Ecstasy was moored with Broadside in Waveney Dock before, at 1455, the Atlantic herself was secured alongside Lowestoft lifeboat.

As the wind was now gusting to storm force 10, the tide was at full ebb and darkness was approaching, it was decided that Southwold Atlantic 21 should remain at Lowestoft overnight. She made the passage back to station on Tuesday morning, February 1, arriving at 1150. During this passage, the wind was still force 9, but it had by now gone round to the west so that, under the lee of the land, the seas were moderate.

For this service a framed letter of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution was presented to Helmsman Roger Trigg..