German tug, Dutch coaster ON THE AFTERNOON of Tuesday January 3, 1984, the West German tug Fairplay X fouled her propeller in St Ives Bay while trying to pass a towline to the Netherlands coaster Orca; the coaster, her engine disabled, had been dragging her anchors. When, however, lifeboat help for Fairplay X was requested at 1640 by the St Ives pilot, Orca's anchors appeared to have taken hold. The maroons were fired at 1644 and at 1700 the 37ft Oakley relief lifeboat The Vincent Nesfield, on temporary duty at St Ives, launched from her carriage and set out on service at full speed under the command of Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Snr.

The lifeboat was launched half an hourbefore high water on a spring tide, well within the protection of St Ives Harbour. Squalls of rain were being driven down by a north-north-westerly gale, but the tug could be seen easily as the lifeboat cleared the harbour entrance.

At 1710, as the lifeboat approached, Fairplay X's captain asked, by radio, for five men to be taken off. The tug was head to sea with her anchor out but she was dragging towards the shore; her propeller was fouled by her own tow wire. In the north-north-westerly force 8 gale, gusting to strong gale, force 9, and with 12 foot seas, she was pitching heavily and shipping seas over her bows.

After heavily fendering the lifeboat's starboard side Coxswain Cocking made a trial run in to the tug's port side, immediately aft of her bridge. He then took the lifeboat clear and approached again. On the coxswain's instructions, two men jumped aboard the lifeboat to be grabbed by the crew as the coxswain steamed clear. The third run alongside had to be abandoned but the fourth run was successful and two men leapt aboard while another was dragged into the well deck by two lifeboatmen. As a result of the severe motion alongside, when the lifeboat came clear the belting on her starboard quarter was hanging off and the VHP aerial had been broken at its base. Using the VHP emergency aerial, Coxswain Cocking informed FalmouthFalmouth Coastguard that five of the men had been taken off. It was 1730.

The spring tide began to ebb from the Hayle Estuary at about six knots, as the water held up in Hayle Basin started to run out; the tug took up a south-easterly heading and she started to touch bottom in each trough. Because of the possibility of a capsize in the high seas with the gale against the tide, Coxswain Cocking advised the tug's captain to abandon ship and, at 1750, after a link call to his owners, the captain agreed.

With Second Coxswain John Perkin detailed to keep him informed of any exceptionally large seas coming up from astern, Coxswain Cocking approached the port side of the tug. The two remaining men jumped aboard and the lifeboat came astern, cleared the casualty and set off for St Ives at 1755. The Coastguard were advised to cancel the helicopter which had been scrambled.

The passage back to St Ives was made without difficulty and the seven men were landed on East Pier into the care of the station honorary secretary. The lifeboat was placed on a mooring at 1825, awaiting enough uncovered beach to make possible recovery on to her carriage.

At 2222 Falmouth Coastguard informed the station honorary secretary that the Netherlands coaster Orca was again dragging her anchor. A police car was despatched to inform Coxswain Cocking, the message reaching him at 2224 just as the recovered lifeboat was being hauled up the slip on her carriage.

The spring tide was half an hour before low water when, at 2236, the lifeboat was launched 25 yards seawards of the pier. With the north-northwesterly strong gale, force 9, and sixfoot seas breaking over the lifeboat's bow, exact timing was essential if a safe launch from the carriage was to be made. Coxswain Cocking displayed a high standard of seamanship in executing the task successfully. Orca, well lit, could be seen clearly through the squalls and a direct course was set for her.

At 2247, Coxswain Thomas Cocking approached the port side of the coaster and asked the master what were his intentions. Falmouth Coastguard advised him to keep as few men on board as possible and the master told the lifeboat by radio that he wished five people to be taken off. With both anchors out, Orca lay head to sea, as the tide was slack, pitching heavily.

Seas estimated at 15 feet high were being shipped overall. The surf was breaking about 100 feet astern of the coaster.

At about 2300, Coxswain Cocking brought the lifeboat alongside Orca's port side, just forward of her superstructure, abreast of No 2 hatch. On the coxswain's instructions, one man leapt into the forward well to be received by the lifeboat crew. The jump had to be timed to coincide with the passage of one of the 12-foot crests. The lifeboatwas then driven clear before circling back to port. This manoeuvre was repeated four times more, one man being taken off each time. The fifth man missed the well but he landed safely on the foredeck.

The lifeboat then lay off the port side of the casualty, which was gradually approaching the surf line. Occasionally a larger crest, estimated at 18 feet, was carried down to the coaster and was shipped overall. Meanwhile Falmouth Coastguard advised the master to abandon his ship and take to the lifeboat because his rigging made a lift off by helicopter too dangerous.

Two further runs were made alongside at 2308 and the two remaining men were successfully taken off. In trying to steam ahead to clear the casualty, the lifeboat's starboard forward belting was damaged and then Coxswain Cocking was unable to make the bow pay off to port. A particularly high crest could be seen approaching. With great presence of mind, Coxswain Cocking put his engines astern, entering the surf line; he lined up with the stern of the coaster while the high crest passed through and then steamed up her starboard side and headed for St Ives.

After a very rough passage back to St Ives the lifeboat was grounded on the bank, in breaking seas, 50 yards off Smeaton (East) Pier. The tractor pennant was attached and with the lifeboat engines turning ahead she was towed up in line with the piers. At 2345 the seven seamen were helped ashore. The lifeboat was rehoused, refuelled and once again made ready for service at 0100 on Wednesday January 4.

Orca's anchors subsequently held, keeping her afloat at the edge of the surf line. During the following afternoon the pilot boat put three men aboard the coaster and the salvage tug Caribic towed her to Penzance. The tug Fairplay X was carried ashore, still upright, on the east side of Hayle Channel; she remained ashore until she was towed off on January 16.

For this service a bar to his silver medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Snr. Medal service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain John N. Perkin, Motor Mechanic Thomas Cocking, Jnr, Assistant Mechanic David L. Smith and Crew Members Eric T. Ward, Philip Allen and Andrew J. Perkin..