Among sandbanks AT 1621 on Sunday March 31, 1985, a coastguard auxiliary from Brancaster reported to his Great Yarmouth coordination centre that he had a board sailor in sight who was in trouble. He was lying on his board, unable to reach the shore having been out for at least an hour and a half. At 1624 Hunstanton lifeboat crew were alerted by bleeper and within five minutes their Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat, Spirit of America, had put to sea.

She was manned by Helmsman Alan Clarke and Crew Members Gerald Wase, Victor Dade and Michael Wallace.

At first, still sheltered by outlying sandbanks, they only encountered a moderate sea running on to the beach despite a strong westerly breeze, force 6. Clear of the sandbanks and with the lifeboat making maximum speed towards the incident some eight miles away, speed had to be reduced at times to prevent excessive 'flying' by the lifeboat in the rough following seas.

The auxiliary coastguard, who had now driven to higher ground at Brancaster Golf Club, radioed to the lifeboat at 1640 that he had seen the board sailor close to the wreck off Brancaster. Five minutes later the lifeboat was at the fairway buoy and the surrounding sandbanks showed themselves as a mass of broken water. Conditions were at their worst around the wreck and also over the bank by the approach channel to Brancaster.

Helmsman Alan Clarke knew there was little or no depth of water in this area but he had his crew put the engineson tilt and brought the lifeboat in slowly. The echo sounder was of little use as the water in the troughs was too shallow to register. The lifeboat passed just south of the wreck where the seas were breaking heavily with almost nil visibility in the blown spray.

Another message from the coastguard reported that the casualty had now been seen seaward of the wreck so the lifeboat turned northwards and passed as close to the wreck as possible to avoid the shallower water towards Scott Head. However, just 20 feet to the north north east of the wreck, the lifeboat grounded heavily and stuck fast. At this point Helmsman Clarke asked for helicopter assistance; it would provide a better search platform and the shallow water was making his own efforts very difficult.

The message came back that a helicopter could not be on the scene for at least an hour and because Alan Clarke knew that the board sailor could not possibly survive for that time, he decided he must continue with the search.

The three crew members were stationed in the bow of the lifeboat and as each sea hit her she was driven ahead before grounding again. The lifeboat was being filled with every rolling sea. As she eventually cleared into deeper water the casualty was sighted close to starboard; he was clinging on as he lay face down on the board.

Although the weather was fine and clear, the wind was now a westerly near gale, force 7. The tide was running east at one knot and this was creating very rough short seas of eight feet which drove across the sand banks, breaking heavily, particularly in the way of the wreck. From the low level of the Atlantic 21 lifeboat continuous spray was reducing visibility almost to nil.

Alan Clarke positioned the lifeboat just down wind of the board sailor and as he was blown alongside, the crew lifted him and his sailboard into the lifeboat which then cleared to seaward.

An insulated survivor's suit was put on the board sailor and because he was weak and cold the helmsman decided to land him ashore as soon as possible and not to subject him to a slow and bumpy ride back to station against a head sea.

The lifeboat was therefore run in to the beach at Brancaster Golf Club where Crew Member Wase went over the side to help the survivor ashore.Helpers on the beach were waiting to take care of him.

At 1702 the lifeboat left the beach and returned at slow speed to station through the head sea. At 1730 she was back on her carriage and, after careful inspection of her hull and engines to make sure she was not damaged, she was re-housed, refuelled and ready again for service.

Following this service, the bronze medal was awarded to Helmsman Alan Clarke. Bronze medal service certificates were presented to Crew Members Gerald Wase, Victor Dade and Michael Wallace..