Three saved .from stranded vessel Aservice to a fishing vessel in gale force winds, darkness, shallow water and heavy breaking seas has earned Wells lifeboat station a letter of commendation from the Institution's Chairman.On 17 November 1996 the fishing vessel Remus lost power close to Wells harbour in a gale force onshore wind and, at 2000, sent up red flares.

She was being driven into heavy breakers on the west bar and, as the station's Mersey Doris M. Mann ofAmpthillmade her way out of the harbour Coxswain Graham Walker could see the heavy breakers to the west where she lay.

Easing back to negotiate the mass of confused seas the lifeboat crossed the bar, clearing the shallow water to gain enough room to turn to the west.

Graham Walker realised that the only way in to Remus was across the western end of the bar, coming back to her on an easterly heading.

Caution Reaching a safe place to re-cross the bar the coxswain turned south through the heavy breaking seas and then ran back inside it. Great caution was needed in the very shallow water, beam-on to the seas which were breaking right over the lifeboat.

Remus was aground in the shallows with waves breaking over her and, as her radio was out of action Coxswain Walker asked that the station's waterproof launching tractor go to the scene so that they could at least communicate with the three men aboard if the casualty was driven further ashore.

The Mersey came head to sea a few cables away from Remus but it was very difficult to hold her in position. When the news came that a helicopter could not arrive for another 45 minutes Graham said: 'At this point we realised it was up to us'.

Control The lifeboat moved out to sea a little and, with seas still breaking over her foredeck, anchored ready to veer back down towards the fishing boat. With the anchor holding it was easier to keep the lifeboat under control - if 'easier' is the right word when anchored off a lee shore in breaking seas and a full gale with only 18in of water showing on the echo sounder.

Attempts to float aline down to Remus had failed, so the tractor went in as close as possible to shout to the crew of the casualty to keep clear while a line was fired from the lifeboat. The rocket line was perfectly judged, landing upwind of the casualty so that the lifeboatmen on shore could ease it down wind until the survivors hauled it aboard.

Lifeboat crew members ashore then waded tothe casualty, took off one survivor and helped secure the tow line. The lifeboat was now faced with the problem of retrieving the anchor. It could not be buoyed and slipped as the Mersey would not be be able to avoid the warp as she moved off, so it had to be recovered.

With waves breaking over the foredeck the crew carefully retrieved the anchor cable as the tow was slackened and Coxswain Walker took the weight of the tow - holding the casualty in position for about 15 minutes while the flooding tide refloated her.

Coxswain Walker wasn't certain of the depth over the higher West Sands which lay across the most direct route to the harbour, so he had to creep along inside the bar, beam-on to the breakers, to find a suitable point to cross it.

'I remembered watching the flood many times from the boathouse,' said Graham later, 'and there always appeared to be a low point in the west bar, if only I could find it.' Beam-ends And find it he did, spotting the tell-tale grey area in the dark and moving cautiously through it, with less than 1 Sin showing on the echo sounder.

Heading seaward brought no respite from the breakers, so lifeboat and tow turned across the seas towards the channel entrance buoy, heading up into the biggest of the breakers.

Almost inevitably a larger than usual sea reared up, throwing the lifeboat completely on her beam ends. Moments later the same happened to the casualty - her mast head light touching the water and the lifeboat crew fearing she would not recover.

Choosing their moment the lifeboat began the run in to the harbour, with the Second Coxswain shouting when to ease off ( and when to open up to minimise the strain on the tow in the large seas.

Even then the dramas weren't over, for the weight on the line pulled out the casualty's sampson post.

Fortunately the line was also secured to the stem head, so the tow could continue and Remus was eventually put safely alongside in the harbour at 2215..