Salvor rescued ON THE MORNING of Friday March 22, 1985, St David's 47ft Watson class lifeboat, Joseph Soar (Civil Service No 34), launched at 1022 following a report that a 40ft fishing vessel, Miss AH Jane, had lost power and was close to the rocks on the west side of Ramsey Sound.

Coxswain Frederick John, at the helm, could see the fishing vessel across the sound close to the small harbour on Ramsey Island. He set a south-westerly course making allowance for the strong ebb tide which was running south at the time. When the lifeboat cleared the lee from the headland to the north of the station, she began to feel the full force of a north-westerly gale force 8. The tide was running at six to seven knots and the sea was moderate to rough but with no swell.

By 1031 the lifeboat was on scene and the coxswain discovered that the fishing vessel was at anchor, pointing in a north-westerly direction with her stern only about 20 feet away from the rocks.

She seemed to be dragging and a 16ft semi-rigid inflatable boat was seen to be secured astern. (This was, in fact, a Ramsey Island vessel which the fishing boat had been salvaging from a nearby cove.) With the fishing boat so close to the rocks, Coxswain John realised that he would have to act fast. The gale wasblowing northerly in this position as it funnelled down the sound and there was a moderate sea with strong tidal eddies as the lifeboat approached Miss All Jane, bow first. At the first attempt a tow line was passed. With the line secured Coxswain John manoeuvred carefully astern pulling the fishing boat and her tow into deeper water away from the rocks.

The lifeboat then stopped to allow the fishing vessel to recover her anchor and at the same time the tow line was transferred to the lifeboat's stern for the return passage. A few minutes later, when the lifeboat and tow were stemming the full force of the ebb tide about two cables north of the rocks known as The Bitches, the line between the fishing boat and the small inflatable parted.

Immediately, Coxswain John brought the lifeboat and her tow round to try to intercept the inflatable which was drifting rapidly toward The Bitches. Unfortunately, the difficult manoeuvre failed because of the weather conditions and, having made the turn, the lifeboat and tow ended up stemming the tide again about a cable north of The Bitches.

Then, without consulting the lifeboat, one of the fishing boat's crew launched a small dinghy which had been stowed on deck and attempted to veer down on to the runaway inflatable which was now aground on The Bitches.

This ill-advised attempt failed and the crew member was soon forced to let go of the line from the fishing vessel because the strength of the tide was threatening to swamp the dinghy. When he tried to row into clear water, one of the oars broke and the dinghy was carried on to The Bitches by the strong tidal stream. As the dinghy struck the rocks its occupant was virtually catapulted on to them where he fortunately managed to find a grip clear of the water.

Coxswain John brought the lifeboat close to the rocks to check that the man was safe for the time being. He decided to head back to the lifeboat station with the fishing boat and then to return to the rocks to pick the man up.At 1105 the fishing boat was secured to a buoy off the lifeboat slipway and the lifeboat's clinker built boarding boat was taken in tow so that it could be used to get the man off the rocks~. Back at The Bitches Coxswain John brought the lifeboat round to the lee side of the rocks and the boarding boat was rowed in to pick the man up.

When he was safely aboard the lifeboat, Coxswain John steered toward the inflatable which had by now washed over the rocks and recovered it about a mile and a half south of Ramsey Island.

A sharp lookout was also kept for the dinghy which had been launched from the fishing vessel but there was no trace of it.

At 1300 the lifeboat returned to station and by 1315 she was rehoused, refuelled and ready for service.

The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were awarded to Coxswain/Mechanic Frederick John following this service. Framed letters to thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, the Institution's chairman, were sent to Crew Members David Chant and Jeffrey Thompson for the part they played in the boarding boat when the man was taken off the rocks. Vellum service certificates were presented to Acting Second Coxswain John Phillips, Assistant Mechanic Edward Bateman, Second Assistant Mechanic David Bateman and Crew Members Norman Rowley, Michael Morris and Alan Evans..