Surfer saved by D class in appal l|n g conditionsTramore's D class inflatable saved a surfer on 6 June lastyear in conditions which tested both the lifeboat and her crew to the limit.

In conditions which turned out to be outside the recommended limits for the small inflatable the experience and skill of her crew led to the rescue of a surfer and the award of the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum to her helmsman.It was already close to dusk when the Coastguard alerted the station to the plight of a party of eight surfers, who were having difficulties when they were hit byaviolent squall.

John Lawton, the launching authority, was met at the boathouse by Helmsman Paul Touhy and, a few minutes later, by crew members Patricia Kennealy, Brian Kavanagh and Niall Partridge.

Hazardous Conditions were so bad that at first it did not look as though the inshore lifeboat could be launched but, after a hazardous trip along the pier to assess the situation with heavy waves breaking right over the pier, it was decided that Touhy would go. He elected to take three crew members with him - both to provide a dedicated look-out and to give extra weight for the inflatable.

Although they decided that the wind was onshore at Force 6/7, local met observatories were recording gusts of over 50 knots at the time, and it is likely that the winds were some Force 8 to 9 (Severe Gale! at times during the service. This also explains the height of the seas, which were at lest 16ft high outside Tramore harbour.

Moorings The lifeboat launched at 2045 and faced her first hazard inside the harbour itself. Fishing boats were packed onto their storm moorings and sheering about so much in the strong winds that there was very little room to manoeuvre.

However, the D class found a way through and headed out along the shore of the bay, picking her way through the heavy breakers.The casualties were only about half a mile away but in the ferocious wind and seas, it took nearly ten minutes to reach them. In normal conditions such a short trip would have taken nearer two minutes.

Once at the scene the crew quickly located one surfer, who was caught in an ebbing rip tide and battered by the huge swell. He was making hardly any progress away from the cliffs which were now only about 100 yards behind him.

He was able to tell the crew that the other seven had made it ashore and, at first, wanted to carry on alone and surf into the beach.

Stalled Paul Tuohy had to pull away to meet the incoming waves now up to 15ft high and, on his second attempt to approach the surfer, the engine stalled causing what he described as 'a moment's excitement.' It quickly restarted and the lifeboat was soon back alongside. Paul Touhy and crew member Brian Kavanagh are both experienced surfers and this time it did not take them long to get the casualty and his board on to the lifeboat.

They were now faced with the trip back to the harbour, with five people and a surfboard in the 16ft inflatable.

Sensibly Paul took the lifeboat out to sea to start with, heading south through the seas until he was clear of the break before running along the coast ready to enter the harbour.

Dark Although there was still 20 minutes left until sunset, the storm clouds made it virtually dark as the inflatable prepared to enter the harbour.

Pausing to get the feel of the seas, Paul Tuohy's surfing experience helped him choose a wave and to surf back into the harbour on it, negotiating the entrance by slowing enough to allow it to break and then darting through ahead of the next one.

Having once again threaded her way through the mass of fishing boats, the lifeboat eventually landed the casualty who, although suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion, was otherwise unharmed.Dunmore East's Trent class allweather lifeboat was also launched to provide Dae*-up for the D class during this service She arrived as the Tramore lifeboat was making her way out through the breakers with the surfer but had to stand by about half a mile away due to The shallow water m the bay.

The lifeboat D class inflatable D5i 1 Margaret The c 'ew Thanks on Vellum Helmsman Paul Touhy Medal Service Certificates Crew members Paincia Kennealv Brian Kavanagh Niall Partridge.