Eyemouth Scotland South Division Hurricane-force winds as two lifeboats search for missing divers The rescue of two skin divers in appalling weather conditions has won Acting Coxswain James Dougal a Silver Medal for Gallantry. Weather and sea conditions during the service were extremely hazardous, demanding absolute concentration to maintain control of the lifeboat.

The divisional inspector of lifeboats for Scotland South, Tony Course, said: 'The courage displayed in his willingness to undertake the dangerous passage is exemplary, and the skill and determination of all crew members during this arduous service in a lifeboat with a partially exposed wheelhouse are worthy of the highest praise.' Soon after 1600 on Sunday 6 October 1990 a dramatic change in weather conditions led to hurricane-force northerly winds along the east coast of Scotland, and it soon became clear to Coastguards that a number of divers had been caught at sea. Three lifeboats were alerted, Dunbar, St Abbs and Eyemouth. The winds were far in excess of the launching limitations for St Abbs' rigid inflatable, but the 48ft 6in Solent class lifeboat Hugh William Viscount Cough at Dunbar was launched at 1644 and Eyemouth at 1649.

Failure A telephone failure at Eyemouth as a result of the severe conditions meant that neither the coxswain nor second coxswain could be alerted, so the un-named 44ft Waveney class lifeboat 44-001 on relief duty at the station set out with the assistant mechanic, James Dougal, at the helm.

Taking the lifeboat out of the narrow harbour entrance into the face of 100-knot winds was only the first hazard. It was shortly after high water, spring tides and the River Eye was in spate. 20ft seas were running into the entrance and crashing over the sea walls and visibility was virtually nonexistent in the rain, spume and spray.

The lifeboat was scarcely controllable as she took heavy head seas overall but once clear of the dangerous rocks James Dougal headed for St Abbs where one group of divers had been caught in the storm. The lifeboat met seas of 35ft head-on, the acting coxswain reducing power each time as he negotiated them.

The 44ft boat rolled violently as she drove on, her side decks awash.

By 1715 the lifeboat was off St Abbs Harbour.

Visibility was about 50 yards, wind 90 knots and 35ft seas were breaking over the rocky outcrops. An Auxiliary Coastguard at St Abbs had spotted two of the divers from the harbour wall, but lost sight of them in the spray. All he could see of the lifeboat was her searchlight beam, and with that as his only reference he guided her to the scene. Less than 200ft from the lifeboat ' s starboard side lay the Cathedral Rock, the same distance to port jutted the Ebb Carr Rocks. Neither were visible and the heavy spray made them undetectable by radar. The acting coxswain persevered, his crew, lifelines secured, out on deck scouring the sea for the divers until they spotted them, close to a creel buoy.

Heaving line On the third attempt James Dougal brought the lifeboat close enough for a heaving line to be thrown to the divers. They were hauled alongside and manoeuvred one at a time to a position where they could be hauled aboard, encumbered by their diving equipment.

While the survivors were treated for shock and hypothermia the acting coxswain used all his skill to keep the lifeboat in position and to minimise the violent motion caused by the sea conditions.

Two divers were still missing south of St Abbs, and the lifeboat began a search for them. However, there was concern for the two survivors aboard aboard the lifeboat, who were severely seasick, and an attempt was made to land them at St Abbs. This had to be abandoned as conditions at the harbour entrance were too dangerous for the lifeboat to enter. The Waveney continued her search until 1900, when an attempt was made to winch the two survivors into a helicopter, but this too had to be abandoned because of the extreme conditions.

Suspended The search was suspended by the coastguard at 1945 and the lifeboat headed south for Eyemouth. On reaching the entrance it was obvious that there was no safe way into the harbour so the coxswain was forced to continue along the coast to Burnmouth.

Although the entrance was less dangerous there was an additional hazard - a power cut had extinguished the leading lights needed to enter - but car headlights were used to guide the lifeboat in to land the survivors.

Fifteen minutes later Dunbar's 48ft 6in Solent class lifeboat followed the Eyemouth lifeboat into Burnmouth Harbour. She had been out for three hours in the same seas, searching the rocky coastline off St Abbs Head. The two remaining divers were washed safely ashore north of Eyemouth.

The Thanks of the Institution on Vellum has been awarded to the other members of the Eyemouth lifeboat crew: Acting Mechanic John Buchan, Acting Assistant Mechanic David Collins and Crew Members George Walker, Joseph Walker, Robert Walker and Alistair Crombie. The coxswain of the Dunbar, lifeboat Robert Wight, was also awarded The Thanks of the Institution on Vellum.

The part played by Dunbar lifeboat in this service is recounted on the following page Scalloway Scotland North Division Fishing vessel skipper rescues stranded man in severe conditions The rescue of a fellow fisherman stranded on an island in Storm Force winds earned Scalloway fisherman George Williamson an RNLI Bronze medal for Gallantry. The three members of the crew of his fishing boat-James Christie, Theodore Fullerton and John Ward - received framed letters of thanks from the Institution's Chairman.

At about 2115 on Monday 8 October 1990 George Williamson received a telephone call from James Christie of Burra reporting a radio message that a lobster creel boat had been wrecked on Burwick Holm, two miles north west of Scalloway. Her engine had failed and skipper Ralph Pottinger was stranded on the island.

Although Aith lifeboat had been launched it would take her some time to reach the island, so Mr Williamson spoke by radio to four fishing vessels at the scene. They were unable to approach because of their draught and the weather, but with the rising tide and bad conditions it was possible that the stranded man might not survive until the lifeboat arrived.

G e o r g e Williamson and three other men did not hesitate to launch to the aid of Ralph Pottinger, even though the coastguard had advised them not to attempt a rescue, and they cast off from Scalloway Harbour at 2138, aboard Challenge, a steel-built 36ft salmon work boat. Challenge was towing Conquest, a 21 ft, aluminium open boat with an outboard engine.

Challenge headed north towards the fishing vessels off Burwick Holm, which were illuminating the island with their searchlights, in heavy and near-continuous rain squalls and only one-mile visibility.

The wind was SW, Storm Force 10, and whipping the surface of the sea into driven spray.

Having established by radio that the survivor was on a knoll at the north end of Burwick Holm George Williamson headed to the east of the island to approach from the more sheltered leeward side.

Islands to the SSW were breaking up the swell, but the wind was funnelling between them to create a very steep and confused sea.

The wind was now gusting to Force 1 land visibility still poor.

Challenge worked her way through an area strewn with salmon cages and creels and with some difficulty found her way through into the lee of the island, which was now illuminated by a coastguard auxiliary's searchlight.

Conquest was almost half full of water after the passage, but she was bailed out and motored carefully towards the NE comer of the island where the bow was run on to the shingle at the water's edge. Ralph Pottinger boarded her and she was brought clear and returned safely to Challenge. The trip was hazardous, as bilge-water created a stability problem and the Coastguard searchlight was now a hindrance as it lit up the flying spray.

It was now about 2157, and although it had taken just three minutes to useConquest for the rescue, the transfer to the small boat and handling her while picking up the survivor had required seamanship of a high order.

With Conquest secured astern Challenge retraced her steps between the creels and salmon cages, where it was particularly rough in the confused sea and wind-driven spray.

Progress was slow into the wind and sea and some heavy spray and seas were shipped before shelter was reached and more speed could be made.

The survivor was landed at 2220 and found to be suffering only from mild exposure.

Aith lifeboat had been making very good progress towards the scene, in extremely bad weather conditions, but was recalled on hearing that the survivor had been rescued.

Dunbar Scotland South Division Search for missing divers The 48ft 6in Solent class lifeboat Hugh William Viscount Gough was launched from Dunbar in the same search for the missing divers as the Eyemouth lifeboat on 6 October 1990 (see previous page), and the efforts of her Coxswain during the service won him the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

A framed letter of thanks signed by the Chairman has been awarded to the other members of the iifeboat crew: Second Coxswain Orlando Sammels, Acting Mechanic Angus Wight, Crew Members John Fairgrieve, James Huntly, Christopher Renton and Robert Davies.

The coastguard first informed the station of the situation at 1644, and the lifeboat launched at 1705 into hurricane-force northerly winds gusting to more than 100 knots with a very heavy sea breaking on-shore.

In his report on the service the divisional inspector for Scotland South, Tony Course, observed: 'the crews' response was in the highest tradition of the lifeboat service. All knew that they would have to pass through what has been described as a maelstrom, and that they would have to rely on the seamanship of their coxswain to reach the relative safety of open water: there would be no second chance in conditions which were described as the worst in living memory.' The lifeboat was struck by a large sea as she was leaving the harbour and Coxswain Wight had difficulty in manoeuvring clear of the narrow channel, before pausing to take stock of the conditions at sea and pressing on to clear offlying rocks.

Coxswain Wight had to head offshore for nearly three miles in a north-easterly direction before he could turn the lifeboat downweather to the south-east on a course for St Abbs head.

She arrived off the head at around 1905 and was asked by the coastguard to search the area off Coldingham Bay, in a southerly direction. Although the wind had moderated slightly and backed gradually to the NNW a very heavy sea remained in the moderate gale and visibility was still reduced in the overcast conditions with rain squalls.

The Solent searched for nearly 45 minutes until at 1945 the coastguard decided that it was too dangerous to continue searching close inshore in the dark and very bad conditions and suspended the search .

The lifeboat was faced with the same conditions as the Eyemouth lifeboat, and the same difficulties in finding a safe haven. She eventually followed the Waveney into Burnmouth at 2005, the crew returning to Dunbar after hearing the the missing divers were now all safe.

Hugh William Viscount Gough was not able to return to her station until the following day, being on station and ready for service again by 1930.

Two lifeboats called to blazing ammunition ship Eastbourne and Shoreham lifeboats were launched on 24 February 1991 when fire swept through the 400-ton motor vessel Breydon Merchant some 12 miles SW of Newhaven.

The vessel was on passage from Essex to Northern Ireland carrying 120 tons of ammunition for the Army there when fire broke out in the accommodation and spread quickly to the engine room. A sixmile exclusion zone was ordered around the ship while a tug towed the casualty further offshore.

Eastbourne lifeboat had just been recovered after an exercise when the crew heard the ship's initial Mayday on their radio and were able to identify the vessel by radar and pass on her position to Dover Coastguard.

The lifeboats were recalled after the crew of Breydon Merchant had been winched to safety by two helicopters from Mansion and Lee-on-SoIent.

Arranmore Ireland Division Tyne and helicopter work together to rescue four in heavy swell and gale The skill and determination of Second Coxswain/Mechanic John O'Donnell, of Arranmore's Tyne class lifeboat William Luckin , during a difficult eighthour service in winds of up to Force 9 has been recognised in a framed letter of Thanks from the Chairman of the Institution.

It was at 2345 on Thursday 8 March 1990 that Shannon MRCC notified the station honorary secretary of Arranmore lifeboat station that a local fishing vessel, the 65ft Locative, was in difficulties - drifting with no power and uncertain of her position.

An S AR helicopter of the Army Air Corps and an RAF Nimrod began a search, and at 0015 on Friday 9 March William Luckin slipped hermooring with Second Coxswain/ Mechanic John O'Donnell in command.

The wind was NW, gale Force 8 gusting to 9, the seas were more than 6ft high and a swell of some 9ft was running.

The position of the casualty was still uncertain, but she had reported that she was somewhere to the west of Burtonport so the lifeboat set course to the NW at full speed, adjusting as necessary for the large swell, and calling the casualty on the VHP radio.

There was no reply to her calls so the lifeboat continued to search out to the west of the area. However, nearly two hours into the search the Nimrod reported some faltering communication with the casualty and as a result of a rough VHF/DF bearing the search was concentrated to the SW of Arranmore, in the vicinity of Rathlin Island.

William Lukin set course to the south, arriving in the search area at 0330 to find that the Nimrod had successfully located the casualty and that the Army Air Corps helicopter was attempting to winch the survivors off.

At the casualty the wind was still Force 8 to 9 with a rough sea now running at more than 9ft and with a large swell estimated at more than 30ft. The casualty was lying beam-on to the swell, and dead in the water with no engine power, so the helicopter's attempt to lift the survivors had so far been unsuccess- ful. At about 0335, with the helicopter flood- lighting the area, the lifeboat made an ap- proach to the port side of the casualty. The manoeuvre was attempted five or six times but was not successful because of the violent motion of the casualty in the heavy swell.

At about 0345 it was decided to try to position Locative in a better position for helicopter winching by towing her into the wind. Second Coxswain O'Donnell manoeuvred the lifeboat up to the port bow of the casualty and a heaving line and then the tow were passed.

With the tow secure, doubled to form a bridle from the lifeboat's stern, the bow of the casualty was brought slowly up into the wind and held there to provide the relative wind needed for the helicopter to lift the crew off.

Almost immediately the helicopter started a transfer from the trawler's deck, but after the first man had been winched aboard the connecting line to the helicopter parted, followed by the lifeboat's port tow line.

Second Coxswain O'Donnell had to reduce engine power to avoid the second tow line parting, and with the engines at slow speed the bow of the casualty fell off the wind another 20° and she began rolling heavily again.

Undaunted the helicoptercrew managed to recover the remaining survivors in very difficult conditions, and with all four survivors aboard the helicopter the remaining tow line was cut and the lifeboat set off to the north east to return to her station. Despite the conditions the long passage was uneventful and William Lukin was refuelled and declared ready for service again by 0800.

Locative came ashore later, and broke up on the South Donegal coast.

PORTRUSH Y BOAT AND RED BAY C CLASS CREW IN FLOOD EMERGENCY Portrush and Red Bay Ireland Division Lifeboatmen save people and livestock from flooded towns In the early hours of 18 October 1990 the towns of Ballycastle and nearby Cushendall in Co. Antrim were badly flooded, and Red Bay lifeboat station and two of the Crew Members at nearby Portrush have received framed letters of thanks from the RNLI's Chairman as a result of their actions in helping to rescue and evacuate people in the town.

At about 0500 on 18 October 1990 Ballycastle was under severe threat from rising flood water and Fire Brigade Headquarters asked for help in evacuating people stranded in the area. Portrush lifeboat, the Arun class Richard Evans (Civil Service No.

39), was launched at 0535 and the Coastguard advised that the station's Y boat would be required on arrival at the scene.

Coxswain Robert McMullan took the lifeboat to Ballycastle and on the way it became clear, via the Coastguard, that a large number of people had been stranded as the River Tow burst its banks.

Flooding Meanwhile it had become apparent that similar flooding had occurred at Cushendall where the Red Bay inshore lifeboat is stationed and all the crew assembled at the lifeboat station. They decided not to use their C class inshore lifeboat due to its weight and the difficulty of manoeuvring and lifting her over obstacles in the flood water, so two 16ft open boats were obtained from Red Bay Boats. The lifeboat crew split into two groups, teamed with crews from the Fire Brigade and began systematically searching the flooded area of Cushendall, checking every property and car. In most places the water was waist deep, but in some areas along the riverside the floods reached 10ft.

At 0630 one of the boats went about a mile up river to a family which was cut off and trapped inside a bungalow with floodwater running fast 4ft deep through their kitchen.

The family was taken out through a window and carried to high ground and safety.

Meanwhile the main search party was still at Cushendall, searching each house and property.

Stranded At Ballycastle the Portrush lifeboat had arrived in the bay at 0700, and the Y boat launched with Crew Members Trevor McMullen and Trevor Creelman aboard. She came ashore near Ballycastle Quay and was asked to help people stranded in the central part of the town, approximately a mile inland.

The Y boat and crew members were taken by lorry to the area.

Crewmen McMullen and Creelman manoeuvred the boat from house to house in varying depths of water, up to 8ft in places, with underwater obstructions making the going difficult. The boat's engine could not be used and she had to be paddled, sculled, pushed and pulled through the floods. In two hours they ferried 22 people to high ground and to safety, and at 0900 they were released to return to the Portrush lifeboat which was still lying in Ballycastle Bay.

Floodwater The Red Bay crew were still in action at Cushendall. At 1030 two crew and one of the 16ft boats were despatched by road to assist a farmer near Glangariff some four miles away. The boat was launched into the floodwater to lift livestock (mainly sheep) to safety. Then, at 1045, three crew members with a small inflatable were again sent by road to help in the flood relief work at Ballycastle, where the flood waters had still not receded and the situation was still critical.

They helped to bring six more people to safety in the town of Ballycastle.

Cushendall police requested further assistance in the Glengariff area at 1345 where more livestock had become cut off by the flood waters. Five lifeboat crew were despatched to the scene with one of the 16ft boats and 14 sheep were brought to safety.

By 1600 the flood waters had receded sufficiently to declare the emergency over, and all inhabitants of the Cushendall area were accounted for.

TYNE AND CREW MEMBERS HELP REFLOAT STRICKEN VESSEL Cromer East Division Nine seamen rescued from coaster stranded on sandbank in heavy swell A service by Cramer's Tyne class lifeboat Ruby and Arthur Reed II on 21 November 1990 has been recognised in a letter of thanks to the crew from the Chairman of the Institution. During the service, which lasted for almost seven hours, the lifeboat took nine people off a stranded coaster, helped refloat her and put out a fire in a chip pan in the vessel's galley! First news of the casualty came at 1700 on Wednesday 21 November 1990 when Great Yarmouth Coastguard informed Cromer that the 1,300-ton Stavroula, was aground on the Mid Haisbro Sand but in no danger. It was hoped to refloat her on the next high water at 2120 and the Greek master had requested lifeboat assistance.

At 1807 Ruby and Arthur Reed I I launched from the slipway to stand by the vessel and proceeded on service with Coxswain Richard Davies in command.

The coxswain set course at full speed to the Mid Haisbro buoy 13 miles distant, but at 1830 the casualty was heard calling the Coastguard. The crew now wanted to abandon ship, and a few minutes later red flares were seen dead ahead. The casualty could be seen aground on the Mid Haisbro Sand, lifting slightly in the moderate swell. The wind had increased to ENE Force 4 to 5 with a moderate sea, but there was a heavy swell of some 15ft running from the north east.

There were still two hours to go before high water springs on the sand bank.

Swell At 1910 the coxswain approached the casualty on her port side working the helm and engines continually in the heavy swell and asked the casualty's crew to take the lifeboat's lines lines forward and aft. However, as soon as the crew saw the lifeboat they hurried along the deck with their suitcases and immediately scrambled over the side onto the lifeboat! With no-one left to take the lines Second Coxswain William Davies and assistant mechanic John Jonas went aboard and secured the lifeboat, but before the stern line could be attached the heavy swell rolled the lifeboat's starboard quarter against the vessel's side bending the quarter rails.

With the nine survivors on board the lifeboat moved off into deeper water and the two men checked the vessel. Assistant mechanic Jonas found a chip pan on fire in the galley and put it out - this could have caused serious problems for the salvage attempt by a tug on the way from Lowestoft. The casualty was not found to be taking in water, but the rudder was jammed to starboard At 1920 two helicopters arrived and the master and engineer were returned to the vessel at 1927 ready to refloat her, and the two crewmen stayed on board to assist.

The survivors were then transferred to one of the helicopters at 2015 and both then left.

Before the tug arrived the lifeboat attempted to refloat the casualty by using a bow line and turning her to starboard, using her own engine and the jammed rudder. However, the line parted when the vessel grounded again.

The casualty was now heading south west, and the swell had built up to some 20ft. It began to run over the main deck and the crew hurried aft to shelter in the accommodation.

The lifeboat was still standing by, and a large swell came around the casualty's stern and rolled her heavily to starboard. Ten gallons of water entered the engine room through an air intake, but both engines con- tinued to run normally. The lifeboat then lay off waiting for the tug.

At 2200 the casualty refloated herself under her own power, but as the rudder was jammed the lifeboat came in again to secure a towline from the casualty's bow to keep her off the sand.

Tow The swell was so heavy that the fishing vessel accompanying the tug to run lines would not come in close, so the towline was passed directly to the tug from the lifeboat.

However, the connection was lost at the tug end, so the lifeboat moved away to allow the tug right up to the casualty's bow where the lifeboat crew secured the tow wire, after Second Coxswain Davies had started the donkey engine in the fo'c'sle.

Finally at 0015 the casualty was safely under tow to Lowestoft with the master and engineer aboard and the lifeboat was able to retrieve her hard-working crew and return to station.

The lifeboat was rehoused at 0145 and was refuelled and ready for service at 0215.

TYNE WITH CASUALTY IN TOW CALLS OUT ARUN TO RESCUE YACHT Falmouth and The Lizard South West Division Arun saves yacht and skipper after long tow in severe weather The RNLI's chief of operations has written to thank the crews of both the Falmouth and Lizard lifeboats following a service involving both lifeboats on 16 February 1991.

Falmouth's Arun class Elizabeth Ann was launched at 2140 at the request of the coxswain of The Lizard's Tyne class David Robinson, which already hadL'Espoir, a40ft converted fishing boat, in tow and which was also standing by the yacht Innocence. The yacht was unable to make any headway five miles south west of Black Head and the Coastguard reported the weather conditions in the area as poor, with strong winds and a rough sea.

Drifting After nearly an hour and a half at sea in gale force winds Falmouth lifeboat, under the command of Second Coxswain Alan Barnes, came up on the yacht, a 40ft steel ketch, which was drifting two and a half miles south west of The Lizard Light.

Because of the difference in height between the Arun and the casualty, and the prevailing weather conditions, Second Coxswain Barnes decided that it would not be possible to go alongside without causing damage. The sole occupant of Innocence was asked to receive a tow and agreed - the only time the skipper of the yacht answered his radio.

The lifeboat was held close-to off the weather side of the yacht, a heaving line was passed and the tow rope paid out in a bight.

To help the casualty get the tow rope aboard the lifeboat was manoeuvred ahead, and then down across the bows of the yacht. The tow was made fast, and paid out enough to keep the casualty synchronised on the second wave astern of the lifeboat, before a course was set to clear The Lizard.

At first the lifeboat and casualty were being carried astern by the wind and tide, so power was increased in order to make headway.

The coxswain considered taking the casualty to Newlyn at this point, which was to leeward, but decided to continue to Falmouth, as that was the port which the casualty was trying to reach and was also the lifeboat's home port.

When power was increased he was concerned for the skipper on board the yacht, who did not answer his radio, and indeed the safety of the yacht herself. A crewman was instructed to keep the skipper illuminated with the searchlight for the duration of the long tow to safety.

Rounded As soon as The Lizard was rounded, more than an hour later, power was eased back and the tow continued towards Falmouth. Once past Black Head speed over the ground increased as the tidal stream lessened and on arrival at Falmouth the yacht was finally secured alongside the lifeboat and manoeuvred onto a mooring just after 0400. The whole service had taken some five and a half hours in gale force winds and heavy seas.

First rescue by FAB 3 prototype while on trials The prototype of the new Fast Afloat Boat 3 (see page 90 of this issue) carried out her first service on 29 May while returning from Salcombe to Weymouth, where she was based for some days for familiarisation trials.

Staff Officer (Trials and Development) Harry Teare was in command when the Coastguard asked the as yet un-named lifeboat to locate a casualty in Lyme Bay, to the west of Portland. Having located the vessel, a yacht called Sualidaz with three people aboard, FAB 3 towed her into Weymouth - a two and a half hour tow at about 8 knots.

FAB 3 was reported to have performed well during the service..