Tow across the bar THE HARBOUR MASTER at Soilthwold, Roger Trigg, who is also senior helmsman of the town's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat, The Quiver, was contacted by the fishing vessel Blyth Spirit on the evening of Thursday January 24, 1985. She was at anchor one mile north east of Southwold harbour having suffered engine failure caused by contaminated fuel. A strong breeze, force 6, from the south south west was blowing and the sea outside the harbour was moderate to rough with broken water over the harbour bar. Visibilitywas fair and the tide was running south, three and a half hours before high water.

At 2022 Southwold lifeboat, manned by Helmsman Roger Trigg and Crew Members Jonathon Adnams, Timothy Helmer and Stephen Borrett, launched and headed for the fishing boat at maximum possible speed. Clear of the harbour bar the helmsman set a course to the north east and, despite the darkness, located Blyth Spirit without difficulty.

She was lying to her anchor, head to the north as Helmsman Trigg laid the Atlantic 21 alongside so that two of his crew could board her to assess the situation. The lifeboat then stood off.

Soon the two lifeboat crew members reported that there was no chance of re-starting the fishing boat's engine and that she needed to be taken in tow.

Running back alongside the casualty to take his two crewmen off, Roger Trigg then headed back to the mouth of Southwold harbour to see if it would be possible to tow the fishing boat in. At the harbour entrance the lifeboat crew fired parachute flares to light up the area which revealed heavy breaking seas on the bar. They decided, nonetheless, that it would be possible to tow Blyth Spirit into harbour and so returned to where she lay at anchor.

Reaching her at 2059, the lifeboat crew passed a tow line without difficulty.

Then, while the fishing boat recovered her anchor, Helmsman Trigg manoeuvred the lifeboat in such a way that both boats were held head to tide and the weight was taken off Blyth Spirit's anchor warp.

The tow headed for the harbour with the lifeboat helmsman steering clear of the broken water over the shoals close to the entrance. The light on the south pier of the harbour had gone out and therefore, so that he could see the entrance and also avoid the badly broken water over the bar, Helmsman Trigg fired more parachute flares.

The southern end of the pier wascleared and the lifeboat then made up into the tide towards the north pier head so that the tow would not foul the south pier. By 2137 the two boats were safely back inside Southwold harbour and the lifeboat was rehoused and ready again for service at 2205.

Following this service a letter of appreciation, signed by the chief of operations, Cdr Bruce Cairns, was sent to Helmsman Roger Trigg and Crew Members Jonathon Adnams, Timothy Helmer and Stephen Borrett..