Crew member swims to stranded yacht Wells' Mersey class lifeboat Doris M. Mann of Ampthill was called to the aid of a 28ft yacht which was stranded on Blakeney Point on 31 July 1993, rescuing the yacht the two adults and two children on board at the time.

The lifeboat had been launched at 1734 and reached the scene some 20 minutes later to find the yacht aground on a sandbar in a Force 5 wind and taking water.

A helicopter had also been alerted, but while attempting to pass a tow line it becamebecame entangled around its tail wheel, forcing it to land on the beach. With the yacht well aground crew member Robert Smith then attempted to swim a line to her, managing to reach the casualty only to have the line swept away while trying to board her.

Coxswain Graham Walker then decided to fire a Speedline across the yacht, a manoeuvre which finally succeeded in putting the tow aboard at 1849. Crew member Smith was still aboard the yacht and was able to make it fast, enabling the lifeboat to ease the casualty back into deeper water.

The yacht was then towed into the safety of Blakeney Harbour, where she was put on a mooring at 1921, before the lifeboat returned to Wells at 2003 for re-housing. She was ready for service again by 2050..