The Lifeboat Atlantic 75 B-713 OEM Stone I Aisisting Lifeboat Trent class ON-1211 Geoige and Ivy Swanson The Crew gfgnza Medal Helmsman David Parry for his 'outstanding courage.

seamanship and skill'.

Medal Sarvigp Certificate Crew Members Seth Gleeson Andrew FlanaganEvery second counts as three saved from submerged doryThe crew of the Whitstable lifeboat had just 17 minutes to save three lives. Weather conditions were so bad, they exceeded the operating limits of the lifeboat, but the crew knew that the man and two boys at sea stood little chance of survival on their own. Showing great skill and courage, David Parry, Seth Gleeson and Andrew Flanagan defied gale force winds and three-metre waves to bring them to safety.

Whitstable When helmsman David Parry woke up on the morning of 28 May 2000, his first thought was the weather. 'I was slightly concerned,' he recalled 'as it was blowing a gale outside, yet the forecast had only been for a moderate breeze'. His worries proved to be right when, as he went downstairs to check the latest forecast, his pager went off.

Amateur angler Neil Brinsley and two 15-yearold boys had gone out for some early morning fishing when the unexpected weather had caught them off guard. Their 5m dory (a small flatbottomed coastal fishing boat) Angelina was taking in water and sinking five miles east of Whitstable.

Fortunately, Whitstable had received a relief Atlantic 75 lifeboat OEM Stone /just 11 days earlier, replacing their existing Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

It would have been much more difficult for the Atlantic 21, which does not have a ballast capability, to cope with the extreme weather but, although conditions exceeded the Atlantic 75's operating limits, it was decided to launch.

'A split-second decision had to be made. I don't think I could have taken that risk and launched without discussing it with my colleagues. We were absolutely at the limit of the boat's capacity.

Helmsman David Parry Just 12 minutes after launching, the crew spotted the partially submerged dory with two people desperately bailing with fish boxes as 3m waves broke over the boat. As the lifeboat closed in, they could see the third crewmember huddled in the cuddy (a covered space, smaller than a cabin). 'I didn't think we had much hope of spotting people in the water in those conditions,' remembered David, 'so I was very relieved when we found the boat still more or less afloat, complete with crew.' David decided the only possible approach was to carry on past the dory then turn back and approach its starboard side. He would then hold position next to the vessel and recover the survivors. However, as the lifeboat got to within 10m of the sinking dory, the casualty swung around uncontrollably in the raging seas and David had to pull away.Rescue 0738 0740 A. 0743 0745 0750 0752 B. 0755 0757 C. 0804 of the Angelina Coastguard requests RNLI assistance Crew paged and maroons fired OEM Stone I launched Contact established with casualty Contact with casualty lost George & Ivy Swanson launched OEM Stone I reaches casualty Casualties brought on board lifeboat Casualties landed at Herne Bay Weather conditions Wind gusting force 8-9 from west-northwest Rough sea with short, steep waves up to 3m Overcast but dry Visibility poorBy now the dory was on the point of sinking and as David started his second approach, it sank beneath the waves and the terrified occupants struggled to get out. The two on the stern were able to swim away, but the young boy in the cuddy was trapped.

'All we could see of him was a hand reaching out from under the water, trying to get out' Helmsman David Parry For a few desperate moments, the crew feared the worst. David sped towards the spot where the boat went down but thankfully, as he approached, the boy struggled to the surface and grabbed hold of the now submerged cuddy- David now manoeuvred the lifeboat's port shoulder against the cuddy, swinging the lifeboat's stern over the submerged stern of the dory where the other two men were swimming. All three casualties we able to grab the lifeboat's lifelines just as the dory finally slid away beneath them.

Their terrifying experience was not yet over, however, as they were barely able to keep hold of the lifelines in the rough sea. David kept the lifeboat on a steady course while Seth and Andrew helped them into the boat. 'I think the casualties were too shocked to respond to anything,' said David. 'The tad who had been trapped in the cuddy was becoming hysterical.

It'll probably be a long time before he gets in a boat again.' It was vital that the casualties reached shore as soon as possible, so David headed for nearby Herne Bay Harbour. However, the sea was too rough to land at the harbour, so David was forced to head for a nearby beach which was more sheltered. The casualties were helped ashore and taken to hospital, where they were treated for cold and shock.

'Although this shout was fairly short in duration, it was without doubt the most difficult and demanding that I have done, simply due to the sea conditions.

'Those who we rescue are often criticised for being ill-prepared or foolhardy, yet these people checked the weather forecast, launched on a flat clam sea, and still ended up losing their boat, and very nearly their lives.' Helmsman David ParryTh« Lrl«tooat Atlantic 21 B-531 Foresters AssJsting LHaboit Trent class ON-1212 George and Mary Webb Tha Craw Qronze Medal Helmsman St*ph*n lr*dal« his 'courage, determination and boalhandling' Second Coxswair Karth Ellkrt for his 'boath and ling, seamanship and leadership' Medal Service Certificate Crew Members Sean Baxter Colin Harrison Vellum Sermce Cemhaue Mechanic Glann Goodbarry Second Mechanic Nicholas Botham Third Mechanic John Pearson Crew Mem&ers Anthony Mortoy Mark Frank land In"..' I Mr,Rescue of sailor leaves no room for error When a lone sailor found himself in trouble in Runswick Bay last September, it took close cooperation between the crews of the Staithes and Runswick inshore lifeboat and the Whitby all-weather lifeboat to bring him to safety. Operating in fearsome weather conditions and severely restricted waters, the two crews utilised each lifeboat's particular strengths to pluck the casualty from his ill-fated vessel.At 1.47 in the morning of Wednesday 20 September 2000, Whitby lifeboat station was contacted by Humberside coastguard. The trimaran SIS with one person on board was in trouble in Runswick Bay in large breaking seas.

The crew were paged and the Trent class lifeboat George and Mary Webb was launched with second coxswain Keith Elliot in command.

'Having had previous dealings with the SIS and her owner in Runswick Bay, in daylight and less severe weather, I was certain that we would need the Staithes Atlantic to assist if it was possible for them to launch in such conditions,' recalled Keith.

The Staithes crew were paged and the Staithes Atlantic 21 Foresters was launched with helmsman Stephen Iredale in command.

'As with all night-time callouts, if you are asleep when the pager goes, your reaction is automatic,' said Stephen. Thinking only starts after you've started to run to the boathouse. I quickly realised that the weather had turned nasty and my initial thought was — what are we being called out for?' It was a dark night with poor visibility and the only sight was the white tops of breaking waves. The large breaking waves of 3-4m were pushing both crew and boat to the limit. Stephen had to use every ounce of his experience and skill just to negotiate the seas.

'In those sea conditions, in the pitch black with only white water visible, having a good active crew is vital. In this case, team work was the key to the success of the callout.' Helmsman Stephen Iredale As Stephen and his crew battled through the waves, the Whitby lifeboat arrived at Runswick Bay and found the SIS with the help of coastguards on the shore using searchlights and torches to light up the scene. It was immediately clear to Keith and the crew that there was little they could do until the Staithes lifeboat arrived.

Keith recalled the terrifying conditions in the bay. 'As we approached the casualty we had seas breaking over the lifeboat to a depth of 2m or more, causing some of the crew's lifejackets to inflate automatically. We manoeuvred closer to the SIS so that we could attempt a last-resort rescue should she break free of her anchor before Staithes arrived on the scene.' Keith held the lifeboat about 30m from the casualty and two of the crew manned the searchlights, one facing forward illuminating the casualty and one facing aft to light the approach of the Staithes lifeboat. Meanwhile, Stephen and his crew had been having an arduous passage, withpoor visibility in driving rain. The journey took 20 minutes, about four times the normal, due to the severe weather conditions.

Stephen moved in to assess the situation.

Seas were sweeping over the entire length of the trimaran and he knew it was vital to get the crewmember off as quickly as possible. Keith manoeuvred the Whitby lifeboat around to provide as much lee as possible, although the worsening sea conditions meant that the lifeboat was now rolling through 50°.

'As Staithes Atlantic was approaching the SIS, they were at risk of being smashed at any time.' Second Coxswain Keith Elliot Staithes crew member Sean Baxter instructed the casualty to get on deck in preparation for transfer to the lifeboat. Stephen approached the trimaran three times before it was possible to get into position between its main hull and the outrigger. 'The casualty appeared, crawling along the deck, and I knew we only had one chance to nip in and snatch him,' said Stephen. 'Once we were alongside, Sean and Colin went forward to grab him. I think they literally prized him off the deck.' Sean and Colin held the casualty firmly on the deck of the Atlantic as waves washed through the lifeboat, threatening to sweep them all away. As Stephen brought the boat around, ILB approaches k casually to ™ take off ere wm em bet they managed to move aft and secure themselves.

It was now vital to transfer the casualty to the Whitby lifeboat as soon as possible, as he would not have been able to make it back to Whitby in the inshore lifeboat.

Despite the heavy weather, the transfer was completed without too much difficulty and the two lifeboats headed out to sea.

Just as Keith thought he could head for home, alarms started ringing throughout the lifeboat. The bilge alarm had activated and the crew found they had two feet of water in the engine room. 'At this point we were homeward bound with the casualty on board,' said Keith.

'The prospect of all eight of us thumbing a lift back to Whitby on the Atlantic in the prevailing weather conditions was not a nice one.' Fortunately, the pumps cleared the water, which had entered the engine room when the boat was positioned stern to sea while awaiting the Staithes lifeboat earlier in the service.

The weather was now so bad that the Staithes lifeboat could not risk the journey back to Staithes and so it carried on to Whitby in the company of the Whitby lifeboat, returning to Staithes the next morning.

'Only those that were on that job can possibly know just how horrible the conditions were that night. The crews on both boats showed great courage carrying out their duty in a manner for which they can all be proud.' Second Coxswain Keith Elliot 'This was easily the most difficult shout I have ever been on helm or crewed for.

Obviously I'm really honoured to be presented with a medal, but I don't think I've got any plans to go for a Silver!' Helmsman Stephen Iredale Rescue of the SIS A •.

C c.

' • 0147 Whitby lifeboat crew paged 0206 Whitby's Trent class lifeboat George and Mary Webb launched 0213 Staithes and Runswick crew paged 0217 Staithes and Runswick's Atlantic 21 lifeboat Foresters launched 0234 Whitby lifeboat arrives on scene 0237 Staithes and Runswick lifeboat on scene 0240 Casualty transferred to Foresters 0247 Casualty transferred to George and Mary Webb Weather conditions Easterly Gale Force 8 3-4m swell with breaking waves Poor visibility Heavy rainThe Lifeboat Arun class lifeboal ON-1078 The Davna & Charles Matthews Hunter Assisting Lifeboat Atlantic 75 B740 Alexander Catianach Coxswain MichMl Currie Oew Members Pi trick Monison Albort McMinn Paul Sinclair Neil MacDonald Martin BoyceFishermen saved after 20 hours in ferocious blizzard It took a joint effort by the Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalsh lifeboats, RAF and coastguard helicopters and local fishermen to locate two friends who got lost while out whelking on 27 December last year. The two men had gone out separately and neither knew the other was nearby, yet both were caught out by the near whiteout conditions caused by a fierce snowstorm and freezing temperatures.The men both went out at around 3pm looking for whelks and both were due back before dark.

However as night fell there had been no sign of them and the alarm was raised.

'We were told they never went beyond a certain bay,' said Michael Currie, coxswain of the Mallaig lifeboat. 'We concentrated our search along the coastline but there had been a colossal amount of snow. Any boat would have been covered in snow and very hard to see.' To make matters worse, the coastline where the men had gone missing is very rough and the lifeboat couldn't get close to shore to search. The crew used a searchlight to scan the shore, but heavy snow reflected the light back making it even harder to see.

The Kyle of Lochalsh lifeboat [oined the search along with an RAF Helicopter and local fishing boats, but hopes of finding the men were not high. As midnight approached the weather was worsening when the helicopter spotted one of the boats moored in a bay several miles south of the initial search area. The site was 25 miles from any habitation, but the helicopter crew could see footsteps leading inland from the boat.

a The lifeboat and fishing vessels could now jncentrate their search on the other vessel, but with worsening weather and zero visibility they reluctantly decided to abandon the search r , until morning.

* The boats set out A l - .'•• • I again at 6 o'clock the next k morning to resume the search, and were now joined byWeather condition 27 December Moderate breeze North-easterly Force 4 Slight sea, small waves Heavy snow Visibility nil 28 December Gentle breeze North-easterly Force 3 Slight seas, small waves Overcast but no snow Fair visibility • helicopters from the RAF and Stornoway Coastguard, a mountain rescue team and local volunteers. Things were starting to look very serious.' recalled Michael.

After four hours, the first man was found more than a mile from his boat struggling through the heavy snow. He was immediately transferred to Broadford Hospital and the search continued for the other man. Just half an hour later the fishing boat Golden Isles spotted the second missing boat drifting 1 mile off the Isle of Rhum.

He had spent the night drifting in the boat, not knowing where he was. When morning came the boat was hit by a huge wave and he was thrown into the water. Fortunately he was only in the water for around half an hour before the Golden Isles found him. She brought him aboard and contacted the lifeboat and he was then transferred by helicopter to join his friend in hospital. 'A huge cheer went up in the lifeboat when we found he was alright,' remembered Michael. 'It was remarkable that the two men had survived such severe weather conditions. We weren't expecting to find them. It is incredible how they stuck it out for 20 hours.''It was an experience I hope never to repeat but I know that my rescue was only one of the many which the FtNLt undertakes every year. I have never been out at sea in such conditions before; in the time it took to refuel my outboard, visibility went from several metres to zero. I could hardly make out the bow of the boat and I became disorientated. I was lucky to survive.' Donald John MacDonald ± Rescued fisherman Tho Lifeboat Severn class lifeboat ON-1241 Ernest snd Mary Shaw TheCr«w Deputy Second Coxswain David Cox Stephen Scally Keith Wright David Colwille Graeme Flaws Stephen McShannon Ptter Raid Ailsa Clark Dava WardCrewman steers yacht to place of safetyThere is no such thing as a routine job for lifeboat crews. When the Campbeltown lifeboat was called out on 1 October 2000, it was simply to escort a troubled yacht to the safety of Carnpbeltown Loch. Yet this seemingly straightforward task required extreme skill, courage and initiative to ensure the safety of the five people onboard.

The Ernest and Mary Shaw was launched following reports that a yacht, the Mirror Image, was encountering very rough conditions while attempting to round the Mull of Kintyre. As the lifeboat hurried to her aid, a Force 10 storm was in the offing and it was vital to get the yacht to a safe harbour before the worst of the weather hit.

As the lifeboat approached the Mirror Image's reported position the conditions were worsening and the crew found the yacht rolling violently in heavy seas. Deputy second coxswain David Cox, who was in command, manoeuvred the lifeboat to the starboard side and proceeded to escort the yacht towards Sanda Sound at around 3 knots.

It was extremely difficult going and by the time the two boats approached Sanda Sound, their speed had dropped to just 1 knot. Darkness was coming on and the weather was continuing to worsen. David realised that the yacht would not be able to make it back under her own power. He offered her a tow but her crew were in no condition to secure it.

David took the decision to place a lifeboatman aboard the vessel and closed in with crew member Stephen Scally at the ready. Thanks to David's skill and precision in manoeuvring the lifeboat, Stephen was successfully transferred to Weather conditions Launch site Squally weather Southerly Force 6 Moderate to choppy seas Good visibility Casualty position Strong Gale Southerly Force 9 High seas with 8m swell Poor visibility the yacht at the first attempt. He was able to secure the tow and the lifeboat's drogue was deployed.

The yacht's crew were suffering the effects of their traumatic iourney and asked Stephen to take over control. He therefore took over the helm and the two boats continued towards safety. As the boats cleared the lee of Sanda Island they encountered a large quartering sea and Stephen needed to use all his skill and seamanship to maintain control of the yacht.

The tow continued cautiously with the yacht surging on the wave crests and broaching occasionally until they reached the relative safety of Campbeltown Loch. David judged that the yacht could now manage on her own and the tow was released. The yacht was then able to berth * under her own steam..