Peterhead: Very strong winds and heavy seas were experienced in the Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, area during January this year. On Sunday January 22 the 48ft 6in Solent class lifeboat James and Mariska Joicey launched at 0248 to stand by an oil rig which had broken her moorings in a blizzard and was drifting across Peterhead Bay; eventually she ran aground. A storm, force 10, gusting to violent storm, force 11, was blowing from the south south east. The lifeboat stood by while 29 men were lifted from the rig by two helicopters, eventually returning to station at 0605 bringing with her an injured crew member from a tug.

Twenty-two men remained on board the rig which was subsequently refloated. At 1430 the same day James and Mariska Joicey was launched in the continuing storm force winds and very high seas to escort five fishing vessels into the bay and harbour; the swell was up to 40 foot high. This photograph was taken at the entrance to the bay, between two breakwaters, soon after the lifeboat, scarcely visible, had launched. Coxswain/Mechanic John Buchan was in command for both services; his comment: 'It's all in a day's work'.

photograph by courtesy of Aberdeen Journals.