Ferry horror ppy endingEven experienced sailors can sometimes get caught out by unusual circumstances. Saturday 5 May was a bright, clear day, one of the first weekends this year with ideal weather for a pleasant day's sailing.

Hundreds of boats were out and about in Poole harbour and the surrounding bay and by midafternoon there was a constant stream of pleasure boats crossing in and out of the harbour entrance.

Poole harbour is a huge area of water but has only one very narrow passage through to the sea. This area can become quite clogged up by boats on sunny weekends and is made more crowded by the large ferries that go from Poole to the Channel Islands and France, and the Sandbanks chain ferry, which crosses back and forth across the harbour entrance taking tourists from Poofe and Sandbanksto Studland beach and the Purbecks. To complicate matters further, sea conditions were far from ideal that day. There was a hard ebb tide, in excess of five knots,' recalled helmsman Gavin McGuiness.

Crew member Paul Savage added, 'It was probably the worst tide I have seen at the entrance in 16 years on the crew.' A group of yachts was leaving the harbour short)* after 2prn just as the Channel Islands ferry was entering and the Sandbanks chain ferry was starting its voyage from Studland to Sandbanks. As they trie to make their way through the crowded waters, several small vessels were caught out by the stronc tide and found themselves swept up against the sic of the chain ferry.

Fortunately for the occupants, both Poole lifeboats were already out in the harbour, respondin to an earlier shout. 'As we approached, crowds of vessels were milling around', said Gavin. 'As we drew level with the ferry I saw one yacht, then two, three, four vessels all caught up hard against the side of the ferry. A RIB had gone in to help and that had ended up trapped as well.

'I approached the yacht in most trouble and Ann* and Paul managed to get a line onto the bow of the yacht and slowly pull it clear. Meanwhile the Brede had pulled the other two yachts clear.

'As we returned for the fourth yacht we saw itfinally swamped by the tide and it went down. Two men were clinging to a grabline on the side of the ferry but the woman had disappeared.' Realising what had happened, Coxswain Jonathan Clark took the Brede round to the other side of the ferry to search for the missing woman. After what seemed an impossible time she emerged, semiconscious but still alive, floating in the water near the ferry, Mark Cole, seeing that she was unable to help herself and was in grave danger of drowning, leapt into the water fully clothed to assist her. They were both pulled back onto the Brede, which hurried back to assist the ILB.

Meanwhile, remembered Gavin, 'I drove the ILB in against the side of the ferry and Anne and Paul reached over and grabbed Mr Steward. The strength of the tide meant they were unable to pull him aboard so they secured him to the side with a rope.' One man was now safe. But now it was the turn of the lifeboat to get into difficulties. A passing vessel threw up a large wash that flooded the ILB with water. The bow lifted up almost trapping Paul's leg under a walkway on the ferry. Fortunately Anne managed to pull him clear in time. With the bow raised up and the weight of water in the boat, the stern started to go under. Thankfully the ALB arrived and was able to attach a line to the bow and pulled her clear. The ILB crew were now able to recover Mr Steward into the boat and rush him over to a waiting ambulance crew.

Meanwhile, Mr Atkinson, supported by lifebuoys lowered from the ferry, was able to make his way to a small ladder and was helped onto the ferry by the ferry crew.

Mrs Steward was detained overnight in hospital, but fortunately suffered nothing worse than shock. 'I'm not bruised,' she said. 'I think it's because we were sailing with so many clothes on.

I had got to the stage where I knew I couldn't hold on for any longer - I thought I'd had it. Then I came to the surface on the other side of the ferry and there was the RNLI boat waiting to rescue me.

which was lovely.'THE LIFEBOATS Brede class lifeboat ON-1089 Inntt Wheel Bu.lt 1382 Cost f 154.000 Funding Inner Wheel clubs in Great Britain and Ireland together with other gifts and legacies Atlantic 75 lifeboat B-710 Fritndty fottstf II Bunt 1995 Cosi: £61,250 Funding The Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society in memory of Norn Green THE CREW Chairman'! Letter of Thanks Helmsman Gavin McGuin«*i ILB Crew Members Paul Savage Anne Millman Chief Executive'* Letter of Trunk» 2nd CoKSwa