South West Division French yachtsmen saved SECOND COXSWAIN Peter Bisson was in command when St Peter Port's 52ft Arun class lifeboat, Sir William Arnold, slipped her moorings at 0950 on the morning of Sunday August 11, 1985. A report had been received from a cliff top observer that a yacht anchored below the cliffs at Corbiere was in difficulties.

A strong gale, force 9, was blowing from the south and as the lifeboat cleared the harbour speed had to be reduced as she met high seas and swell.

The tide was ebbing to the south at two knots and heavy rain squalls reduced visibility to a quarter of a mile.

The lifeboat was shipping heavy seas overall as she steamed south from the harbour. When she was three cables clear of St Martins Point the acting coxswain altered course to 260°M and increased speed to full ahead. As she passed four cables to the south of Icart Point the crew saw a red parachute flare. Then a red hand flare was sighted just to the east of La Corbiere; Peter Bisson altered course to pass clear of the many breaking rocks in the area and at 1015 began to approach the yacht in distress.

She was a 20ft French yacht, Matam H, with three people on board. She had tried to sail clear of the land using her 7 HP outboard motor but had become embayed so had used her Danforth anchor with 15 metres of chain and 25 metres of nylon rope to avoid being cast ashore. The force 8-9 southerly gale and a tidal flow of IVi knots to the east was creating a heavy breaking sea and a swell of 20 to 25 feet. A heavy backwash from the cliffs caused the yacht to lie beam on to the shore, first one way then the other as she was snubbed around on her anchor, plunging heavily.

Where the yacht lay, the bottom shelves steeply, so the lifeboat approached bow first, stern to sea (keeping the propellers in deep water) and, avoiding the many rockheads in the area, manoeuvred to within 15ft of the yacht's 8ft bowsprit. The heaving line was thrown and one of the yachtsmen, despite instructions to the contrary, secured the heaving line itself to the mast and then returned at once to the cockpit.

Immediately the line parted and it soon became clear to the lifeboat crew that the yachtsmen were going to stay in the cockpit, unable to help themselves any further. Acting Coxswain Bisson realised, with a rising tide, that the yacht's anchor was becoming less and less effective and that he needed to get a lifeboatman aboard her without delay.As seas washed over the lifeboat's stern, the Y class inflatable, carried aboard, was launched with Assistant Mechanic Alan Martel at the helm and Crew Members Richard Hamon and Michael Guille on board. The Y boat was taken alongside the yacht with some difficulty in the broken water and Crew Member Guille boarded over her port side. He crawled forward on the yacht and caught the heaving line thrown from the lifeboat which Peter Bisson had again manoeuvred, stern to sea, to within 15 feet of the yacht.

Guille pulled in the tow line, secured it round the base of the mast and snatched it off at the forward fairlead.

The lifeboat, with towline secured on her foredeck, moved clear and held position while the Y boat was recovered.

Then, as the lifeboat took the strain, Michael Guille cut the yacht's anchor rope. Slowly she was towed clear until some two cables from the shore. The towline was then transferred to the stern of the lifeboat and the tow began at four knots on a course of 100°M to clear the land. The time was now 1046.

The lifeboat cleared St Martins Point at three cables, altered course to 005°M and increased speed to six knots. By 1141 she and the yacht were back in St Peter Port harbour where the yacht was moored in Victoria Marina. St John's Ambulance officers took care of those on board and the lifeboat was refuelled and returned to her mooring, ready again for service at 1200.

Following this service a bar to his bronze medal was awarded to Second Coxswain Peter Bisson. Assistant Mechanic Alan Martel and Crew Member Michael Guille were presented with the thanks of the Institution on vellum and bronze medal service certificates were presented to Motor Mechanic Robert Vowles, and Crew Members John Webster, John Bougourd, Keith Martel, Richard Hamon, Anthony White and John Le Page.

South East Division Motor cruiser stranded ON THE AFTERNOON OF Sunday August 11, 1985, Mr Anthony Wylie, the watchman of the east pierhead at Ramsgate, was following the progress of a 16ft motor cruiser. She was approaching the harbour from the south, having left the River Stour. The weather was fine but the wind was blowing southerly gale force 8, gusting 10, and there were heavy seas breaking throughout the harbour approaches. The tide was running southerly with high water predicted some six hours later.

Just before the motor cruiser had reached the new breakwater her main outboard engine appeared to fail and one of her occupants began trying to start a smaller outboard engine that was alongside the main engine. Years of experience told the watchman thatthere was every chance that the second engine would fail and he immediately contacted the lifeboat station.

Ten minutes later, at 1355, Ramsgate's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat, Ramsgate Enterprise, had been launched by davit into the harbour and was heading for the harbour entrance with Helmsman Timothy Hurst and Crew Members John Cheeseman, Raymond Noble and Steven Mitchell aboard.

Meanwhile, the motor cruiser could be seen from the pierhead lookout to have been driven down on to the unfinished inner end of the new stone breakwater. Her two occupants had started firing red flares as the boat struck the exposed and jagged stonework. Helmsman Timothy Hurst steered the lifeboat between the shore and the breakwater and then turned down wind as soon as he was on the weather side of the motor cruiser.

It became immediately apparent to the lifeboat crew how dangerous a predicament the motor boat was in; every sea was driving her broadside on to the upper level of stonework and as the waves subsided, the boat dropped back into the water in a series of heavy crashing steps over the stones. They could also see that both of the boat's occupants were wearing buoyancy NOON, SUNDAY AUGUST 11, 1985 The London Weather Centre reports that gusts of 60 knots were reported at Blackpool, The Mumbles and Brixham on this tempestuous summer's day. The storms forced many yachts to retire from the Fastnet race which was in progress and three of the lifeboat services reported on these pages also took place on this day. Poole lifeboat station was called upon no fewer than five times and within the 24 hour period there were 63 services by 39 lifeboat stations during which 71 lives were saved.aids and that one of them was a small boy who had been moved into the forward cabin.

The helmsman had first intended to drop anchor and veer down to the motor boat (something practised regularly at the station for just such an occasion) but he very quickly realised that there was no time for such a drill.

He also realised that the construction of the new breakwater meant that there was heavy stonework just below the surface, some feet from where the structure showed above the waterline.

He doubted therefore whether he could get close enough to reach the two occupants.

As the lifeboat approached the motor boat, bow first, her engines were being continually submerged by heavy seas. A crew member kept stern lookout, telling the helmsman every time a sea was about to overtake the lifeboat. Sea and swell were regularly reaching a height of six feet.

It was now 1358 and just at this moment one of the lifeboat's engines stopped as the helmsman was engaging astern gear. Fortunately, it started again at the first attempt and the approach continued until the third and fourth crew members, in the bow, were able to cast a line to the casualty. The adult on board the motor cruiser managed to hold the line and to secure it to the main outboard engine aft.

Helmsman Hurst waited for a large sea to refloat the motor boat and then put both engines astern and drew the casualty against the seas into deeper water. While this was going on, the entire hull of the lifeboat was submerged so that the crew found themselves up to their knees in water.

With the tow in deeper and slightly calmer water the lifeboat crew had hoped to be able to re-fasten the towline to the forward end of the motor boat. But the man aboard her was reluctant to climb over the cabin top or leave his son alone, so the line was kept on the stern. The lifeboat crew transferred their end of the line to the lifeboat's stern towing position and slowly the motor boat was taken into Ramsgate Harbour.

It had first been thought that the motor cruiser was still sound but, as she was being secured alongside, it became clear that she was rapidly taking water.

The survivors were landed and she was then lifted from the water by shore crane; there was a split in her hullrunning from the forward chine to the transom.

The lifeboat was back alongside her berth at 1420 and was rehoused and ready for service at 1539.

Following this service, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were presented to Helmsman Timothy Hurst and vellum service certificates were presented to Crew Members John Cheeseman, Steven Mitchell and Raymond Noble.

South West Division Speedboat sinks ON THE MORNING of Easter Sunday April 7, 1985, Brixham coastguard received a report from a member of the public that a speedboat had sunk on Pole Sands and that there were some people in the water. Fifteen minutes later, at 1120, Exmouth lifeboat the 33ft Brede class, Caroline Finch, slipped her mooring and headed out to sea with Coxswain Keith Graham at the helm.

A southerly near gale, force 7, was blowing, it was raining but visibility was clear. Two hours had passed since high water and, even at the mooring, wind against tide was giving rise to three footwaves. Crossing the bar. Coxswain Graham eased back from full speed and then steered the lifeboat towards the waters around Warren Sands at the north end of Pole Sands.

When nothing was found the lifeboat headed along a course of 130°M down the deep water channel where she crossed the foot of the bar and began to search the southern expanse of Pole Sands. By now, with the force 7 southerly wind over an ebbing tide and moderate swell, the lifeboat was meeting eight foot breaking waves.

At 1140 three people were spotted in the water; as the coxswain manoeuvred the lifeboat to within ten feet of them the crew could see that one man was supporting two teenage girls, one of whom seemed unconscious. None of them was wearing a lifejacket.

The height of the waves meant that to take the lifeboat any closer would endanger the people in the water.Instead, Crew Member Geoffrey Ingram volunteered to enter the water; with his life jacket fully inflated he was able to give immediate support to the two teenage girls. The man, relieved of his burden, swam to the scrambling net at the starboard side of the lifeboat which was heading south west and providing a lee. The man found that he was too exhausted to climb the scrambling net so Crew Member Bertram Thomas also entered the water at the foot of the net to help him on board.

Meanwhile, Crew Member Ingram continued to hold the two girls up and at the same time brought them towards the lifeboat's side. Within seconds they were hoisted aboard by Coxswain Graham and Mechanic Timothy Mock while the two crew members in the water helped from the foot of the scrambling net. They, too, then reboarded the lifeboat.

At 1152 a Royal Air Force helicopter arrived at the lifeboat's position; because of the poor condition of the unconscious girl it was decided that she should be lifted into the helicopter in a stretcher so that she could be taken to Torbay Hospital without delay. The tricky manoeuvre in the high seas was completed and the lifeboat then turned for home at full speed with the remaining two conscious survivors aboard.

The crew kept them warm and comfortable, but they were in a state of shock, thought to be hypothermic and both were vomiting violently during the return passage. The ferry steps below Exmouth lifeboathouse were reached at 1225 where the survivors were immediately transferred to a waiting ambulance.

The accident had happened when their 17ft speedboat planed up vertically on striking a large wave and then sank, transom-first, on re-entering the water, plunging the three occupants, without lifejackets, into the 47°F sea.

For this service Coxswain Keith Graham was presented with the Institution's thanks on vellum while vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain/Mechanic Timothy Mock, and Crew Members Geoffrey Ingram and Bertram Thomas.

South East Division Trawler sinking LATE ON THE NIGHT of Thursday June 6, 1985, the 53ft Dutch trawler Lindfar radioed Thames coastguard to say that she was aground, holed and taking water on the northern Gunfleet Sands.

The honorary secretary of Walton and Frinton lifeboat station was alerted and 17 minutes later, at 2301, the relief 47ft Watson class lifeboat, T.G.B., on temporary duty at Walton and Frinton, cleared her moorings off Walton pier and set a course south south east at full speed.The weather was poor; there was heavy rain and a strong north-northeasterly breeze, force 6. A helicopter from RAF Mansion, which had also been alerted by the coastguard, was grounded because of the wind and rain.

At 2318 Coxswain Dennis Finch, in command of the lifeboat, asked the trawler to fire a flare to show her position. Although the outward passage was in moderate sea, he knew that once he was near the shoal areas the sea would be worse and he wanted to head for the correct position on the Sands at the first attempt.

Eight minutes later the lifeboat received a message that the sand dredger Bow Knight was standing by one mile to the south of the trawler but, being in the East Swin channel, could not close because of her draft. Soon the lifeboatwas close to the shoaling area and, in the confused four to six foot seas, began to bottom on the sands. The trawler came into sight, hard aground, heading southward and already awash to the gunwales. Coxswain Finch realised how little time he had and drove the lifeboat on to the sands against the trawler's starboard side, actually riding on to her gunwale and deck ahead of the wheelhouse.

There were six people on board (two of them women) and they were lifted, one by one, over the lifeboat's port bow; they were all wearing lifejackets.

All the time quartering seas were washing over the lifeboat and she was bottoming heavily. As soon as Second Coxswain Robert Kemp signalled from the foredeck that all survivors were safely aboard, Coxswain Finch waited for a large sea and then drove the lifeboat full astern into deeper water.

By 2339 the lifeboat was clear and set a course for Walton, just as the trawler sank from sight. All the survivors were very cold and shocked; they were all attended by the crew and wrapped in blankets. One of the women said that she was pregnant and that she feared she had suffered abdominal injury as she had been lifted aboard. The honorary medical adviser and an ambulance were summoned by radio to meet the lifeboat on her return.Coxswain Finch knew that it would be too rough to land survivors at the pier and so he set course for Walton Backwaters.

Although uneventful, the return trip was uncomfortable with short steep seas and limited visibility in the rain. By 0115 the survivors had been landed at Titchmarsh Marina in the Backwaters and the injured woman, accompanied by one of the men, was taken to hospital in Colchester, the rest going to local accommodation for the night.

At the turn of the tide at 0350 the lifeboat left the marina to return to her mooring off the pier. She arrived at 0445, was refuelled and ready for service by 0515. The only damage she had suffered was slight abrasions on her paintwork where she had landed on the casualty.

Following this service the thanks of the Institution, inscribed on vellum were presented to Coxswain Dennis Finch and vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Robert Kemp, Assistant Mechanic Keith Richardson and Crew Members Owen Bloom, Bryan Ward, Brian Oxley, Gary Edwards and Stephen Moore.

South West Division Yacht swept out to sea AN UNMANNED YACHT, Xephd, had broken adrift in Braye Harbour, Alderney, on the evening of Sunday May 5, 1985, and Coxswain Stephen Shaw of Alderney lifeboat, who is also the deputy harbour master, was aboard the harbour launch towing the yacht back to her mooring. As he passed the breakwater head he saw that another yacht was being carried seawards; someone on board was flashing a hand torch at him.

The first yacht was secured to a mooring and the harbour launch then returned to the breakwater head. By this time the second yacht was no longer in sight. A few minutes later Coxswain Shaw caught sight of a red parachute flare about three miles north from the breakwater. The deputy launching authority for Alderney lifeboat was contacted and at 2152 maroons were fired.

While Stephen Shaw was preparing to launch the lifeboat, a bedraggled yachtsman approached him and told him that he had been swept from the deck of the yacht Sea Keveral, the one that had been seen earlier being carried out to sea. The man believed that it must be his yacht which was now in distress and firing flares. She had put out originally to assist the yacht Xepha but had developed a fire in her electrical circuit. On board were still an instructor and eight trainee yacht masters and she was being swept out to sea by a strong south westerly wind and spring tide with neither power nor electricity.

At 2200 Alderney lifeboat, the 33ft Brede class, Foresters Future, was under way at full speed and heading for theharbour entrance. High water springs' had occurred at 2036 and a north-going tide was now flowing at about 2'/4 knots.

Heavy rain squalls raised the wind from south-westerly force 5 to near gale force 7 and this helped to create a steep breaking sea. Visibility between the squalls was about four miles.

The lifeboat headed due north from the breakwater head and to the north of the Swinge channel Coxswain Shaw had to reduce his engine speed in some particularly heavy overfalls. The radar could not pick any targets in the steep seas but at 2210 a red flare was seen on a bearing of 350°M and the lifeboat altered course accordingly.

The lifeboat was some three miles north of Alderney and still without a target on the radar when the coxswain ordered a hand-held maroon to be fired. There was no response from the run-away yacht. (It was later learned that she had seen the maroon but had, by then, used up all her flares). Four miles out from Alderney and the lifeboat's radar began to show a target two miles away.

The lifeboat closed the target to within a quarter of a mile and fired a white parachute flare. Lit up before them was the brand new 40ft masthead sloop lying across wind and tide, her headsail backed across her stays and an anchor hanging loose from her stemhead and swinging from one side of the bow to the other, banging on each swing. In the heavy seas, about 15 to 20 feet high, she sheered around and rolled heavily every time the near gale force wind caught the headsail. People could be seen in the cockpit.

The lifeboat approached the weather side of the yacht while Motor Mechanic Nigel Rose used the loudhailer to ask the yachtsmen to lower the sail and stow the anchor; but they could not respond.

A second approach was made, this time with the intention of putting a lifeboatman aboard the yacht, but the yacht swung suddenly 90 degrees to starboard and made slight contact with the lifeboat before the coxswain was able to manoeuvre clear.

On the third approach the yacht's anchor narrowly missed Second Coxphotograph swain Martin Harwood on the side-deck of the lifeboat, but the coxswain succeeded in dropping close alongside the yacht's port quarter while Crew Member Craig Osborne jumped aboard with a portable VHP radio.

On board Sea Keveral, he found her to be full of acrid fumes and her crew seasick and frightened. He calmed them down and with the help of the lifeboat's searchlight beam managed to secure the headsail and anchor and prepare the yacht for towing. A 2'/2-inch nylon line was passed via the heaving line and secured and at 2245 the lifeboat began to tow at about four knots into a rough head sea.

Crossing the north of the Swinge, where the tide had now turned to give wind over tide, the lifeboat and tow encountered very heavy seas. Although the yachtsmen were severely seasick with the heavy pounding. Crew Member Craig Osborne was able to report that they were in no danger. As soon as the lee was found under Alderney, Coxswain Shaw brought the lifeboat alongside so that her occupants could be examined.

He then radioed the harbour to ask for the honorary medical adviser, ambulance and Red Cross to meet the lifeboat.

At 0018 the lifeboat secured to the quay. Three of the survivors who were suffering from mild hypothermia, shock, sickness from the noxious fumes and seasickness were taken by ambulance to hospital. Later the yacht's master was also admitted to hospital.

The lifeboat was refuelled and ready again for service at 0054.

Following this service the thanks of the RNLI inscribed on vellum were presented to Coxswain Stephen Shaw and vellum service certificates presented to Second Coxswain Martin Harwood, Motor Mechanic Nigel Rose, and Crew Members Craig Osborne and Peter Gamblin.

South East Division Father and son stranded FOUR MINUTES from the time the honorary secretary was alerted, Hastings' 16ftD class inflatable lifeboat was launched, manned by Helmsman Chris Cooper and Crew Members Graham Furness and Steven Martin. It was 1604 on the afternoon of Saturday June 29, 1985, and reports had been received of some people cut off by the tide on Castle Rocks which lie just off Hastings beach, about half a mile to the west of the lifeboat station.

Beyond the harbour arm the lifeboat encountered four foot seas and in the area of the rocks there was a strong flood tide flowing with irregular breaking seas. Although the weather was fine, there was a fresh south-westerly breeze, force 5, blowing.

A man could be seen on the rocks, some 60 yards from the beach and, on another rock, there was a small child about 20 yards further out to sea. A coastguard mobile was already on the scene and suggested by radio that the lifeboat's best approach might be from inshore. Helmsman Chris Cooper decided, however, with only an hour of flood tide, that it would be too shallow to approach from inshore and that the child, to seaward, was in greater need of attention.

The lifeboat was steered to the outer edge of the rocks near to where the child, an 11-year-old boy, was crouching; she was then veered back on the anchor. The strength of the tide swept the lifeboat too far east on the first attempt so the anchor was recovered and the operation repeated further west. As the lifeboat was driven astern, the oars were shipped and, with only a few yards to go to the breaking rocks, the lifeboat was suddenly lifted and dropped by a large sea. The skeg of the engine took the full weight of the boat on an underlying rock and the motor stopped immediately.

Veering more cable, the crew positioned the lifeboat close to the visible rocks; but she could not now be manoeuvred, as her crew presumed that the engine was severely damaged. CrewMember Steven Martin, in overalls and lifejacket, being the tallest and strongest of the three men, immediately decided to enter the water. With the tide rising higher, the boy was calling for help as waves broke heavily over the rock.

Martin first thought he might be able to heave the lifeboat in closer, but soon found this impossible so he walked along the rocks, sometimes up to his chest in water, to get to the child.

Finally, after falling into some deep crevices between the outcrops, he reached the boy who was very frightened, cold (being dressed only in bathing trunks), and with lacerated hands and knees from trying to keep a hold on the rock's rough surface.

Almost immediately a sea washed Steven Martin from the rock, but he managed to regain a hold. Then a second wave swept him off again and although this time he could not get back, he managed to find a hold on the next outcrop a few feet away and indicated to his crew that he was safe.

The time was 1615 when Helmsman Chris Cooper decided that he, being the better swimmer, should enter the water to try to reach the child, leaving Crew Member Graham Furness in charge of the lifeboat. Taking with him a quoit and line for recovery, he swam across the rocks and first helped Steven Martin on to the same rock as the boy. Then he lashed the line around the child, grasped him to his own body and re-entered the sea. Martin shouted to Furness to haul the two back to the lifeboat.

Furness lifted the boy inboard and placed him close up under the canopy while Cooper prepared to swim towards the boy's father who was still on the rock nearer the shore. Before he set off, Furness threw the quoit to Martin, hitting him at the first attempt and with no length of line to spare. Secured to the line, Martin was helped back to the lifeboat while Cooper set off for the second stranded swimmer.

When he reached the man he managed to persuade him he should swim to the beach and so both men set off together, helped by the set of the seas and the wind. By the time he had reached the beach, Cooper had become exhausted and he had to be attended to briefly by waiting ambulancemen.

At 1620, Furness and Martin examined the propeller aboard the lifeboat and decided to try to start the engine. To their surprise it fired at the first attempt; Martin hove up the cable while Furness tended the child who had now become very quiet and was obviously hypothermic. He cradled the boy to his body throughout the return to Hastings beach whilst Martin took the helm. Three minutes later the child was on dry land and in an ambulance on his way to Hastings hospital.

Both crewmen now found they were suffering from delayed shock and were physically tired but, having partly recoveredrecovered the lifeboat, returned to sea within 15 minutes with a third crew member to attend to a windsurfer in difficulties a few hundred yards from the harbour arm. The lifeboat was finally recovered at 1730.

Following this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were presented to Helmsman Christopher Cooper and Crew Members Graham Furness and Steven Martin.

South East Division January storm ON SUNDAY JANUARY 6, 1985, northnorth- easterly winds of force 9 to storm force 10 hit the east coast and at 1812 that evening a message was received from the Sealink roll-on roll-off ferry, Speedlink Vanguard, that she had suffered engine and steering failure.

Her position was three miles west of the Galloper lightvessel and although no suitable tug was available, her master decided he did not require a lifeboat.

At 1844 he agreed, however, that a passing vessel should stand by and at 1906 one main engine was re-started enabling the ferry to make five knots. A new position was also given of eight miles west of the Galloper. All this time the drift pattern was being plotted by Thames Coastguard and, on their own initiative, aware of the ferry's unreliable engines, requested the launch of Harwich lifeboat. The honorary secretary agreed and at 1905 pagers alerted the crew.

At about the same time, a crew member from Walton and Frinton lifeboat station who had been monitoring the incident privately, telephoned his honorary secretary who also decided it was necessary to launch.As well as the force 9 to 10 winds and very heavy seas with 10 to 15 foot swells, intermittent snow showers were restricting visibility and by 1930 Speedlink Vanguard reported a worsening situation as she drifted towards the Kentish Knock bank. The incident was now upgraded to MAYDAY.

All this time Harwich's 44ft Waveney class lifeboat, John Fison, was having great difficulty clearing her moorings; the heavy weather had caused a small Trinity House launch to sink at her moorings and to get clear of her, lines had to be run from the lifeboat to the adjacent pier. Finally, at 1945, the lifeboat was clear and she headed down the harbour at full speed. Off Landguard Point, the full force of the northnorth- easterly storm was felt and Coxswain Peter Burwood, at the helm, had to reduce speed to ease the violent pitching and slamming.

Meanwhile, at 1925, the crew of the Walton and Frinton lifeboat, the 48ft 6in Solent class, City of Birmingham, had begun to board from the pier where swells were lifting the boarding boat over five feet. This made the work of the launching party who operate the outhaul—a supplement to the oars of the boarding boat—extremely difficult.

Six minutes later the lifeboat slipped her mooring under the command of Coxswain Dennis Finch and set out at reduced speed on course for Long Sand Head. She was rolling and pitching violently, taking heavy water continuously overall.

Harwich lifeboat closed Long Sand Head buoy at 2115 and although the ferry had re-started both engines some 45 minutes earlier, her master requested the lifeboat to escort her until she had reached sheltered water. At 2215 Harwich lifeboat rendezvoused with the ferry.

Walton and Frinton lifeboat had still been heading for Speedlink Vanguard in violent seas when, at 2136, the coastguard informed them that a pirate radio ship, Ross Revenge, was dragging anchor in the Knock Deep. After consultation with the lifeboat station's launching authorities, it was agreed that Walton and Frinton lifeboat should divert towards the new casualty. Thanks to his VHP direction finder, the coxswain was able to obtain an immediate bearing on her, some 14 miles to the south south east.

Twenty-five minutes later Walton and Frinton lifeboat rounded the Long Sand Head and headed south south east with a very heavy following sea. Coxswain Finch considered streaming the drogue but the risk of having men working on deck persuaded him to continue without it. Under full power the lifeboat was handling well with no signs of broaching. The wind remained as strong as ever.

Harwich lifeboat, meanwhile, at 2250 was released from escort duties as Speedlink Vanguard, now north north east of Long Sand Head, was satisfiedthat her engines were running reliably.

The lifeboat, just as she was setting course north west for the Shipwash, fell off a particularly heavy and short 15 foot sea which threw the coxswain across the main cabin. Fortunately, his injuries were not severe. Both radar and Decca Navigator were being affected by snow and any position fixing was erratic. However, the lifeboat safely reached Harwich and was refuelled, ready for service by 0130.

Walton and Frinton lifeboat was within sight of Ross Revenge by 2330 and she remained in company with her while the vessel steamed to her anchorage position. At 0040 she was able to report that she had re-anchored and was holding well. The lifeboat now had a 30-mile passage back to station and as she headed north north east between the Kentish Knock and Long Sand banks, she was regularly burying her bows in the seas. Severe pounding made the radar stop working at 0150.

Half an hour later, at the North East Gunfleet buoy, the crew could finally have their first hot drink since sailing.

At the same time Coxswain Finch advised Thames coastguard that the lifeboat's moorings were untenable and that he would therefore proceed to Harwich. She reached a lay-by berth at 0333 and at 0744, when the wind had abated slightly to north north east force 8, the lifeboat set out from the harbour again and made for the Walton Backwater mooring where radar repairs could be carried out. The buoy mooring was reached at 0845 and by 0945 the lifeboat was secured again to her outer mooring off the pier.

Following this service framed letters of appreciation, signed by the chairman of the RNLI, The Duke of Atholl, were sent to Coxswain/Mechanic Peter Burwood, Second Coxswain Leslie Smith and Crew Members Kenneth Brand, David Gilders and Edward Clifton of Harwich lifeboat station. Coxswain Dennis Finch, Second Coxswain Robert Kemp, Motor Mechanic James Berry, Assistant Mechanic Michael Richardson and Crew Members Brian Oxley, Trevor Halls, Bryan Ward, Stephen Moore and Garry Edwards of Walton and Frinton lifeboat station also received a framed letter from the chairman.

The efforts of the shore helpers at Walton and Frinton, J. Fletcher, R.

Bettany, J. Oxley, J. Hatcher, R.

Peters, K. Coleman, R. Lacey, S. Oxley and S. Berry were also acknowledged in the chairman's letter.

South West Division Yacht sinks in gale THE 30ft yacht. Fidget, of stout construction, was on passage from Gosport to Plymouth on the morning of Sunday August 11, 1985, when she hit a huge crest south of Gara Rock, near Salcombe.

Within one and a half minutes she had sunk; her three man crew, two of them Royal Navy officers, managed to scramble into their liferaft and fire off a distress flare. Fortunately for them two ladies had seen their plight and informed the coastguard.

At 1050 Salcombe lifeboat, a 47ft Watson class. The Baltic Exchange, headed out on service at full speed.

Coxswain Brian Cater at the helm. The wind had recently veered from southeasterly force 6 to a westerly gale force 8 and even inside Salcombe Harbour the sea was choppy. Visibility was good, low water had occurred at 0746 and now, at half tide flood, the bar was breaking heavily.

The lifeboat received confirmation from Salcombe Harbour Radio that the flares had come from a yacht about three miles east of Bolt Head. She steamed on at full speed and by 1103 had cleared the bar and was steering south east in rough seas. The crew were positioned on deck to search among waves of 25 to 30 feet in height. A further message from one of the ladies who had raised the alarm that she had just seen the lifeboat steam past a liferaft was relayed by the coastguard at 1115. At almost the same moment CrewMember Roger Evans caught sight of the liferaft two cables astern. (It later transpired from the survivors aboard the liferaft that they had earlier seen the tips of the lifeboat's aerials but, having run out of flares, could not attract her attention.) The liferaft was lying with its drogue streamed westward about a mile south of Gara Rock. Her motion was severe in the 25 to 30 ft swell and very rough seas created by the force 9 strong gale which was now blowing from the west.

Visibility was still good and the tide had reached half flood and was slack in the vicinity of the lifeboat.

First briefing his crew. Coxswain Cater approached the liferaft from the east; Crew Member Stan Turns threw a heaving line into the liferaft just as the coxswain put his helm to starboard to place the liferaft under the starboard side of the lifeboat's foredeck. With engines engaged slow ahead, the three survivors were helped on board, one at a time, while the raft passed towards the lifeboat's stern.

Coxswain Cater made sure that the survivors were in no physical distress and that there was no one else missing and then turned the lifeboat down wind to retrieve the liferaft. The drogue was recovered first and then the liferaft was dragged on to the foredeck. This was carried out just as a particularly large sea broke overall.

At 1125 a course was set for Salcombe.

Conditions were poor at the bar and the coxswain had to ease his speed while waiting for suitable sea on which to make the crossing. This delayed the return for about three minutes until finally, rolling heavily and shipping heavy seas the lifeboat crossed the bar.

By 1135 she was in relatively quiet waters and the coxswain arranged over the radio for the survivors to be taken by harbour launch to the Island Cruising Club for hot showers and dry clothing. After refuelling, the lifeboatwas placed on her mooring, ready again for service at 1215.

Following this service a letter of appreciation, signed by the RNLFs director, Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, was sent to Coxswain Brian Cater and his crew.

South East Division Canoeists stranded THE WEATHER was cloudy, there was a fresh south-westerly breeze, force 5, and slight seas when Dover coastguard contacted the honorary secretary of Walmer lifeboat station on the afternoon of Sunday June 9, 1985. Two people were reported cut off by the tide near St Margaret's Bay, the coastguard mobile had set off over land to investigate and lifeboat help was also required.

By 1734 the relief 16ft D class inflatable lifeboat on temporary duty at Walmer was launched without difficulty from the beach. Manned by Helmsman Anthony Evans and Crew Members John Collins and David Chidwick, she headed south at full speed. The four mile passage was easy until the lifeboat passed the Dover Memorial; then she met the full force of the wind and sea as all lee from nearby cliffs was lost. The coastguard mobile was now in position on the promenade and was directing the lifeboat as she crossed St Margaret's Bay. The lifeboat crew caught sight of two people silhouetted against a large cliff fall to the south of the main bay.

They were out of sight from the cliff top and would scarcely have been visible from the main bay seafront.

The height of the seas had now increased to six feet and, with a long swell, considerable skill was required to drive the lifeboat across the seas towards the stranded people. Helmsman Evans thought about veering down on to a narrow area of beach next to the casualties, but although he was aware of a rocky outcrop to the north of the beach, he could not tell what underwater obstructions, caused by the recent cliff fall, might lie to the south.

Instead, with one crew member detailed to watch the seas astern, he drove the lifeboat into the short shingle beach.

Immediately his two crew members jumped ashore to drag the lifeboat clear of the breaking surf.

The two men they found were canoeists who had capsized some four hours earlier and had drifted on to the beach. They had no lifejackets and were only dressed in jeans and tee shirts and were extremely cold. Their canoe was also on the beach but Helmsman Evans pointed out firmly that it would have to be abandoned.

There was no safe way out around the beach, even at low water, so the lifeboat was hauled southward to the edge of the cliff fall. This was done to give the lifeboat as much space and shelter as possible for her launch under power to clear the obstructed area.

At 1745 the first of three unsuccessful attempts to launch was made; each time the engine started but because the engine had to be held on tilt in the shallow water and with the added weight of the two survivors who also restricted space on board, the lifeboat could not clear the first few lines of surf and was thrown back on the shore. On the third attempt the two crew members were washed from the lifeboat as they tried to board and the lifeboat was deposited on to a large rock, damaging her lower hull.

Anthony Evans told Dover coastguard of his difficulties but, before calling out Dover lifeboat to help him by running a line ashore, he decided to have one final attempt. Time was short; although now wearing RNLI lifejackets, the two canoeists were extremely cold and the lifeboat crew were also beginning to tire from their physical efforts.

Nevertheless, the lifeboat was hauled once more on to the edge of the cliff fall and launched. One crew member manned the oars and the other stayed in the water to steady the boat while the engine was re-started. Helmsman Evans drove the boat ahead, starboard bow to the seas and holding the engine at half tilt. When the lifeboat was clear of the first three seas, the crew member was hauled aboard and she was driven clear of the foul area.

The lifeboat continued on safely to St Margaret's Bay where she was again driven ashore so that the two men could be landed into the care of the coastguard mobile which drove them to Buckland Hospital in Dover.

After a ten minute rest the lifeboat crew launched once more in the lee of a groyne without difficulty and headed for Walmer. The lifeboat beached at 1840.

Following this service a framed letter of thanks, signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the RNLI, was sent to Helmsman Anthony Evans. Letters of thanks signed by Rear Admiral W. J.

Graham were also sent to Crew Members David Chidwick and John Collins.

East Division Search in fog THICK FOG had descended on Scarborough when, on the night of Saturday July 27, 1985, the lifeboat station's honorary secretary received a report that red flares had been sighted some 2'/2 to 3 miles south of the castle.

There was a light south-south-easterly breeze and visibility was about 120 feet when, at 2255, Scarborough's 37ft Oakley class lifeboat, Amelia, launchedfrom her carriage with Coxswain Ian Firman at the helm. He set a course for the promontory Yons Nab and began a search down the coast, taking the lifeboat between the shore and some of the outlying rocks.

Visibility was down to 20 feet when the lifeboat, about two thirds of the way to Yons Nab, received a message from the oil tanker Matco Clyde saying she had a target on her radar, inshore from where the lifeboat was searching. The lifeboat's own radar had developed a fault with the picture growing steadily weaker and her echo sounder had stopped working.

Slowly the lifeboat crept towards the shore; passing inside one group of rocks she finally reached the given position where the water was breaking both fore and aft of the lifeboat. The radar reading turned out to be a disused gun battery on the shore. The coxswain then inched the lifeboat back out to sea while his crew shouted to him everytime they saw a rock. The lifeboat then continued slowly along the coast to the point where the flares had first been sighted.

When nothing was found the lifeboat eventually returned to her station which she reached at 0105.

Following this service, carried out in darkness as well as thick fog, a letter of appreciation, signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, was sent to Coxswain Ian Firman.

West Division Man unconscious A STRONG south-westerly breeze, force 6, was blowing on the afternoon of Wednesday July 17, 1985, when New Quay's (Dyfed) 37ft Oakley class lifeboat, Birds Eye, launched after the coastguard had reported a fishing vessel with engine failure off Llangranog.

The time was 1425 as Coxswain David Evans, at the helm, steered a course for the casualty in a moderate sea with four foot swell. When the lifeboat finally reached the casualty, she drew alongside and it became clear to the crew that her owner, the only occupant, had passed out. Three lifeboat crew members boarded the fishing boat while the coastguard were asked by radio to organise an ambulance.

Crew Member Gregory Boyle began continued on page 285.