Turn to the centre Listings of the Lifeboat magazine and you may be amazed at how often lifeboats launch. Only a tiny proportion of these ever feature in the Lifeboat. Here's a snapshot of the wide range of other lifeboat services through the year. Grounded ferry Girvan's all weather lifeboat launched in gale force winds to assist the grounded passenger ferry European Highlander on 8 January 2005. Second Coxswain Dave Butcher commented: 'I have never experienced such hostile weather conditions during my 18 years with the RNLI.'The lifeboat stood by until tugs arrived on the scene and the ferry, with 100 people on board, was re-floated the following morning.Latvian ship listing Barra lifeboat escorted a cargo ship and her 10 crew to safety on 6 January after she was looking close to capsize. The Latvian ship's timber cargo had shifted causing her to lean 50 degrees to port in 8m seas and storm force 9-10 winds. Barra lifeboat stood by, ready to transfer the ship's crew if she capsized. They escorted her safely to Barra.

Buzz off! In an unusual rescue in south Wales on 23 July 2004, Burry Port lifeboat assisted a man whose yacht had been invaded by a swarm of bees. The man took refuge in the cabin and radioed for help and the Burry Port D class lifeboat came to the rescue. Later a beekeeper was taken to the scene and the yacht was recovered.

19-hour service Dunbar lifeboat was involved in a 19-hour struggle to recover the stricken vessel Coromandel after it became stranded 25 miles east of Eyemouth in Berwickshire. The lifeboat crew endured conditions so rough that one member had to be airlifted to hospital with severe dehydration brought about by seasickness. The Coromandel was towed 70 miles to safety at Leith.

Helicopter tragedy A Naval Lynx helicopter, taking part in a search and rescue operation off Lizard Point in Cornwall, disappeared on 9 December 2004. The search involved various German, French and British Naval vessels and Falmouth lifeboat, whose crew reported that they could smell aviation fuel and spotted wreckage. Sadly, it was later confirmed that all four members of the helicopter crew were killed in the crash.

Children rescued Little and Broad Haven lifeboat went to the rescue of four children cut off by the rising tide on a rocky headland between beaches on 4 April 2004. In heavy surf, Helmsman Crispin Williamson manoeuvred the D class close to the cliff face, allowing Crew Member Kevin Thomas to scramble ashore to the children. The lifeboat approached the cliff more than 20 times and, through teamwork and patience, three of the children were lifted aboard to Crew Member Julian Whitewright. The Coastguard cliff rescue team recovered the fourth child. Saviours at the sand When faced with 3m swells, notorious sandbanks and a drifting, rolling fishing vessel, it cannot be easy to stay calm. But the composure and courage of a helmsman and her crew in just such conditions saved two lives - and made history The Nash sandbanks off Porthcawl, south Wales, have claimed the lives of several fishermen over the years. When the fishing vessel Cower Pride suffered engine failure on the morning of 24 August 2004, she was left at their mercy in force 8 south westerly winds and rough seas.

Skipper Gordon Woosnam was seriously concerned. His vessel was pitching and rolling dangerously near to the sandbanks, and a fellow crew member was nursing a broken arm. He radioed the Swansea Coastguard shortly after 11am. Porthcawl's B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, dies, was launched within ten minutes, commanded by Helmsman Aileen Jones. The challenging conditions led her to take along three of the Porthcawl crew rather than two - fellow Helmsman Stephen Knipe and Crew Members Simon Emms and Mark Burtonwood.

Mark remembers: 'It was very windy that day and waves were breaking over the pier.' Stephen was operating the radio and established contact with the casualty. 'I had to tell the Cower Pride skipper to slow down,' he explains. 'It was not clear where he was.' The crew calmly discussed their course of action, agreeing that once they located the vessel, they would need to establish a tow and then assess the situation.

As they ran along the north if* . IBMB I side of the Nash sandbanks, Aileen realised that the casualty was to the south of the banks and that she would have to take the lifeboat around the East Nash buoy. Aileen guided dies through steep and confused seas to reach the south side of the bank. She knew the Atlantic 75 was now operating at its limits and requested the launch of Ethel Anne Measures, The Mumbles all weather lifeboat.

Skilful seamanship Cower Pride skipper Cordon Woosnam was overcome with relief when he saw the Porthcawl lifeboat on the way. He said: 'It was the most pleasing thing I have seen in my whole life when they turned up. It was like winning the National Lottery.' But the hard work was just beginning.

Aileen deftly brought the lifeboat close enough to throw a line to the fishing boat, where it was secured to the bow.

The Porthcawl lifeboat began slowly to pull the Cower Pride away from the bank, but then, suddenly, the line parted. The fishing boat drifted towards the bank again, leaving the rescue effort back at square one.

'It was not a nice place to be and we just had to get the boat back out again,'says Aileen. 'It was quite dangerous but you are so busy getting on with it you do not really think about that.' fishing vessel with the tow line, a VHP radio, and a first aid kit.

At that moment, a large breaking wave hit the Cower Pride on the starboard side and threw her against the lifeboat, hurling a dan buoy from the fishing vessel onto Mark.

Luckily, he was not hurt and Aileen manoeuvred the two vessels apart and started the tow again.

Mark points out: 'Aileen's seamanship was fantastic. She had to take all the skills she had learned from being a crew member and helmsman and use them together, as safely and as quickly as possible.' He managed the towline while the lifeboat battled with the surf, occasionally lifting right out of the water under the strain of the heavy fishing vessel.

A helping hand The Mumbles lifeboat Coxswain Martin Double and his crew arrived on scene aboard theTyne class Ethel Anne Measures at 12.50pm, by which time the Porthcawl lifeboat had towed the casualty south of the Mid Nash buoy. Simon was still aboard Cower Pride, having put the injured crew member's arm in a sling and helped him to the wheelhouse. He was instructed by Martin to make his way forward to receive another tow line and had to bravely crawl along the boat, which was rolling heavily. He says: 'I was struggling as there was not much to hold onto and it was really slippery.' The Mumbles crew tried twice to throw a line to A second attempt was made, this time with Aileen skilfully bringing the lifeboat close enough for Crew Member Simon Emms to clamber aboard thehank Simon, but the conditions made it impossible, and Martin decided to try and bring the Ethel Anne Measures within arm's reach.

He recalls: 'It was quite a sight, seeing Simon Emms climbing over the boat. The Cower Pride was in danger of going right over and our own rails were underwater at times. You have to time it just right.' With excellent boat handling, he brought The Mumbles lifeboat close enough for Simon to receive the tow line and secure it. Porthcawl lifeboat's tow line was then released and Simon crawled back to the shelter of the Cower Pride's aft deck.

By now it was 1 pm and The Mumbles lifeboat reported to Swansea Coastguard that they had the fishing vessel in tow and were heading for Porthcawl Harbour. The tow was made as slow as possible, with just one engine, so that the casualty did not turn over in the conditions. The Porthcawl crew followed the vessels until they reached the shelter of Porthcawl pier, where they took the injured fisherman off the Cower Pride and over to a waiting ambulance at the edge of the slipway. Having towed the casualty to safety,The Mumbles lifeboat crew then faced an uncomfortable journey back to their station. 'We took a beating, but we are used to that,' reflected Martin. Meanwhile, the Porthcawl lifeboat was refuelled and declared ready for service at 2.30pm.

An historic rescue Aileen was full of praise for her crew - and the Atlantic 75 lifeboat - after the rescue.

She said: 'It was one of the best services that I have done personally but anybody on that boat that day could have done the job.

'I was pleased we got to the boat before they got onto the bank and glad no lives were lost. We just worked so well together and the lifeboat is a brilliant piece of kit. The shore helpers were great too.' She has been awarded the RNLI's Bronze Medal for Gallantry for her courage, seamanship and leadership, and is the first woman for more than 100 years to receive such an accolade (see feature, page 14).

Crew Member Simon Emms was accorded the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum for his courage and determination.

'After holding onto the boat like that, Simon is now known as Spiderman,'jokes Helmsman Stephen Knipe, who along with Mark Burtonwood received medal service badges and certificates.

Coxswain Martin Double of The Mumbles lifeboat received a letter of appreciation signed by RNLI Chief Executive Andrew Freemantle. Martin says:'My crew are a good bunch of lads who make my job easy. It is good for them to get some recognition.' The rescued fishermen have since made donations to the RNLI, and skipper Gordon Woosnam added: ' They were very brave that day. I fit was not for Aileen and her crew I would not be here.'INSHORE LIFEBOAT B class Atlantic 75 B-726 C 65 Funding: Sunday Express Lottery and RNLI funds THE CREW Helmsman: Aileen Jones Crew Members: Helmsman Stephen Knipe Mark Burtonwood Simon Emms PORTHCAWL LIFEBOAT STATION Established: 1860, closed 1902, re-opened 1965 Previous RNLI Medals: 9 Silver and 2 Bronze ALL WEATHER LIFEBOAT Tyne class ON-1096 (47-005) Ethel Anne Measures Funding: The James Frederick and Ethel Anne Measures Charity, The Mumbles Lifeboat Appeal, The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Appeal and The Pebble Mill Appeal with other gifts and legacies THE CREW Coxswain: Martin Double Crew Members: Graham Wright, Stephen Ace, Kevin Rees, Daniel Wright Huw Mathias, James Fillery THE MUMBLES LIFEBOAT STATION Established: 1863 (known as Swansea lifeboat station until 1904) Previous RNLI Medals: 1 Gold, 13 Silver and 5 Bronze THE CASUALTY Fishing boat and 2 crew THE CONDITIONS Weather: Sunny Visibility: Good Wind: Force 7 to gale force 8 Sea state: Rough, 3m swellSlip sparks searchA summer holiday in Cornwall turned int by Fox Cove, near Newquay, on 9 August 2( unconscious into the water when a couple from Essex. They were walking le man slipped on rocks and was knocked Instinctively, the woman jumped into the water to help him. Waves of up to 2.5m were sweeping through the cove at regular intervals and the unconscious man was being pulled under. The woman was clinging on to him with all her might, but was unable to hold on in the atrocious conditions and found herself in difficulty.

Minutes later, at 2.30pm, a member of the public alerted the RNLI beach lifeguards at Treyarnon Bay about the incident. The Coastguard had already been informed and they requested the assistance of two inshore lifeboats from Newquay, a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and a Coastguard cliff rescue team to search the different coves and gullies of the jagged coastline.

Lifeguards Stewart Marriott and Adam Loosley immediately launched the inshore rescue boat, while two other lifeguards maintained cover at the beach. Stewart knew the launch and search would be challenging, recalling: 'The conditions that day were very dangerous with a large swell running.' At the helm Stewart negotiated the surf in Treyarnon Bay and the lifeguards reached Fox Cove within 5-10 minutes, before anybody else arrived. Although visibility was good, there was a very heavy ground swell at the mouth of the cove, with breaking surf of up to 4m. They drove through the surf and started the search for the missing pair.

The lifeguards soon spotted a man on the rocks at the side of the cove. When they reached him, he told them that the casualty was still missing and gave them a full description. He also informed them that the woman was safe on the rocks at the back of the cove. The lifeguards continued looking for the man among rocks and breaking surf.

Stewart recalls there was a real danger of capsize: 'We had to keep watch constantly for sets of waves so we didn't get caught out and flipped, as we were right next to vertical cliffs.' There was no sign of the man inside the cove, so the lifeguards checked near the mouth, searching between the sets of breaking waves. Hopes of finding him in time were fading.

Others joined in the search: the helicopter from RNAS Culdrose commenced an aerial search and at 2.54pm the two Newquay inshore lifeboats arrived. The D class proceeded through 3-4m surf, going in and out of the cove several times, while the Atlantic 75 crew searched outside the surfline. They all knew by this time that there was little hope of finding the casualty alive.

With the lifeboats searching, the lifeguards went to check the woman at the back of the cove. It was mid to high tide and there wasn't enough beach to land the rescue boat properly, so Stewart held the boat in position while Adam went to the woman. She was in shock and suffering from hypothermia.

Adam requested evacuation by helicopter and then helped the helicopter winchman secure the woman for an airlift. At 3.05pm she was safely evacuated to hospital.

Despite the receding tide, which reduced the depth of the water and made the waves break more steeply, the pair re-launched and continued the search. By this time the auxiliary Coastguard had joined the search from the cliff top. The lifeguards went out through the surf to liaise with the inshore lifeboat crew and spoke on the radio with the Coastguard. They agreed to concentrate in a different search area, inside the break between Porthcothan and Treyarnon, but there was no sign of the missing man. They returned to Treyarnon when the rescue boat ran low on fuel.

The Newquay D class lifeboat continued the search until 5.15pm when the fuel ran low and the Atlantic 75 kept looking until 5.35pm.

The Coastguard recovered two men from the rocks at the back of the cove who had been helping to look for the man.

Sadly, despite this well-coordinated search, the missing man was not found.The lifeguards, in particular, had made every possible effort in some extremely challenging surf.

Stewart and Adam received a letter of appreciation from RNLI Chief Executive Andrew Freemantle. He commended the pair for their: 'skill, courage and determination in doing all that was humanly possible to find the missing man.' Stewart and Adam both regard the incident as an inevitable part of their job and were saddened by the outcome of the search: ' The woman had a tragic loss that day. She needed to be with her family for support and comfort.' When lifeboat crews and lifeguards join the RNLI they are warned that, sometimes, the lives of the men and women they try to save will be out of their hands. They have to accept that, for the many casualties they successfully rescue, there will be some that they cannot help. An experience such as this one at Cornwall often makes those involved even more determined to save lives at sea in the future: another reason why the RNLI values its crews and lifeguards so highly. LONGHOPE CREW Coxswain Kevin Kirkpatrick Crew Members John Budge Matthew Budge Frank Caertner Roy Meddle Alan Lain Robert Seatter Kevin Thomson Robert Thomson Jamie Wild THURSO CREW Second Coxswain Duncan Munro Crew Members James Brims George Burns Kevin Davidson Bruce Farquhar William Miller Cordon Munro Scott Youngson Longhope Coxswain Kevin Kirkpatrick and Thurso Second Coxswain Duncan Munro received the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum for two separate services on the same stormy day (mentioned in the winter 2004/05 issue of the Lifeboat). In addition, Longhope Mechanic John Budge has received a Framed Letter of Thanks from RNLI Chairman Sir Jock Slater and all 15 crew members from the two stations have been given vellum service certificates. Their two spectacular services demonstrate well the huge power of the sea.

Longhope Mid morning, the Arun class The Queen Mother launched into force 10-12 winds to help the sailing yacht Dasher and her crew of three. The yacht had lost her primary anchor and was being driven towards the rocks at Ward Point on Burray. Despite using full engine power, the secondary anchor was still not holding.

On passage, Coxswain Kevin Kirkpatrick and crew faced winds gusting up to 85 knots and a 2-3m swell.

Visibility was less than 500m.

At 11.03am, the lifeboat approached Dasher (see photo). Avoiding the anchor line, Kevin passed close to the port side to allow the crew to throw a heaving line.

In the wild conditions, the yacht struck the starboard side of the lifeboat, ripping off fendering and bending the guardrails of the lifeboat. No one was hurt and Kevin skilfully maintained the close position for 25 minutes while the crew set up the tow.

Due to the driving heavy rain and spray, the lifeboat crew on the aft deck had difficulty communicating with the Coxswain at the upper steering position, so Mechanic John Budge stood between them and relayed vital information.

The yacht was pulled clear of the shore and Kevin decided to tow the casualty back to a safe berth at Longhope pier. The lifeboat reached the pier at 1.31pm, but the wind was still too strong for the lifeboat to pull alongside in the conventional way. Bow first, Kevin and crew executed a difficult manoeuvre to secure the lifeboat to the pier. Lines were then passed to the yacht and, with the help of about 20 people from the local Coastguard rescue team and from the village, they hauled the yacht securely alongside the lifeboat.

Thurso Just as the Longhope lifeboat was reaching home, the Thurso lifeboat was heading out to the Arneytrans, a Norwegian 41m fish carrier, and her crew of four. The casualty's steering failed in Pentland Firth, a notorious area of confused seas where the waters of the Atlantic meet those of the North Sea. The master of the Arneytrans realised that there would be a high possibility of losing his vessel when the tide turned, as the wind and tide would drive her towards the rocks near Dunnet Head.

Thurso's new Severn class lifeboat The Taylors (not yet formally named), with Second Coxswain Duncan Munro in command, soon hit storm force winds and 10-12m waves. Closing on the Arneytrans, a huge wave broke right over the lifeboat completely submerging two of the lifeboat crew on the deck. Both were knocked off their feet, but managed to hold on.

The crews established a tow, which was lost and then successfully re-established. After around two hours of towing, the conditions eased. The master of the Arnaytrans reported that power had been restored to the steering gear and that a tow was no longer needed. The lifeboat escorted the casualty back to safety, reaching Scrabster Harbour at Thurso four hours after launching.ALL WEATHER LIFEBOAT Tyne class David Robinson ON-1145 (47-030) Funding: Legacy of Sir David Robinson THE CREW Coxswain: Phil Burgess Crew Members: David Hill Roger Legge Louis Mitchell Sam Ward Jonathan Bray Darren Thirlaway THE LIZARD LIFEBOAT STATION Established: 1859 (lifeboats formerly stationed at The Lizard and Cadgwith). New station at Kilcobben Cove opened 1961 Previous RNLI Medals: 5 Silver and 1 Bronze THE CASUALTY 9.5m yacht Ce /e, with 2 crew 35 miles south of The Lizard, Cornwall THE CONDITIONS Weather: Severe Visibility: Dark, with torrential rain Wind: NE violent storm force 11-12 Sea state: Very rough, waves 6-7mAs high winds and torrential rain caused chaos across Britain on 7 July 2004, two people on their yacht faced storm force conditions 35 miles south of The Lizard, Cornwall. Launching The Lizard Tyne class lifeboat was tricky in such appalling weather. Good timing was vital. There were 3m waves sweeping across the slipway and winds were gusting up to 70mph. The crew remained calm and professional as Coxswain Phil Burgess waited for the right moment to give the go-ahead to launch. He remembers:'When you're halfway down the slipway you just hope you've got the timing right!' Phil's judgement was perfect and the David Robinson launched successfully at 8.40pm into very heavy seas.

The 9.5m yacht Celtie, with two people on board, had been travelling from the Channel Islands to southern Ireland when the storm hit. The skipper hadn't expected such bad weather: 'We were caught out - the wrong place to be at the wrong time.' He notified Falmouth Coastguard and tried to head towards the English coast. Unable to make headway in force 10 north easterly winds, he was forced to turn down wind.

In the very rough seas, the all weather lifeboat proved her worth, averaging 18 knots, faster as she surfed down steep 6-7m waves. While the lifeboat was on passage, the casualty was being blown south west. The Coastguard kept updating the lifeboat crew on the yacht's latest position.

At 11.25pm, three hours after the crew were paged, the lifeboat arrived on the scene, spotting the lights of the yacht without too much difficulty. The lifeboat illuminated the yacht fully with searchlights thrown around in the rough seas and winds now reaching storm force 10-11 were causing the yacht to list dramatically. Phil recalls his first thought: 'She was heeling right over. I thought she had water in her and that we'd have to take the crew off straight away. But she was dry - it was the sheer weight of the wind.' The yacht's skipper was calm and was prepared to abandon craft if necessary. He later described the conditions as being'very, very difficult in a small boat, with just huge and confused waves'. He talked through the options with the Coxswain. Phil didn't want to risk any transfers in such steep waves with gusts of 70-80mph winds. A potential crash would be too dangerous for both the people and the two craft. They decided to tow the casualty to a safe haven instead. The lifeboat crew had great faith in the towing capabilities of the David Robinson, which has served The Lizard well for 17 years.

The skipper moved around the listing yacht with care, keeping low to the deck. An experienced sailor of 50 years, he furled the headsail so that the towline could be passed and made his way slowly to the foredeck. Phil later praised the skipper for his seamanship: 'He did a darn good job.'The crew worked doggedly on the deck to set up the tow with seas breaking over the lifeboat and winds increasing to hurricane force 12.Phil manoeuvred the lifeboat off the starboard bow of the yacht and Crew Member Roger Legge threw a heaving line across to the skipper, who secured it on the boat's sturdy Sampson post. The tow was taken up slowly and the skipper made his way back to the cabin.

Setting up the tow in the atrocious conditions took a full 30 minutes.

The crew let out 150m of line and started the tow at just 2 knots.

Phil was concerned that the towline would part, so he stayed in the exposed upper steering position with several other crew members, despite being drenched by the breaking seas.

With the winds blowing north easterly, the lifeboat crew decided it was best to tow towards Falmouth. It would be further than The Lizard, but they'd be going directly into the weather, which should lessen the motion of the yacht and the strain on the towline. With 50 miles to tow, the crew knew they had a very long night ahead.

After an hour and a half of towing, at about 1.30am, the crew on deck were more confident that the towline would hold, so they all went below to the wheelhouse. Despite being soaking wet, none of them took off their suits and lifejackets, just in case they were suddenly needed on deck. With steep waves breaking over the lifeboat, they knew the smaller yacht would be having an uncomfortable journey. They maintained regular radio contact with the pair in the yacht's cabin. Conditions on the yacht were grim. The skipper recalls: 'It was the worse period I've ever spent in a boat. With a couple of gallons coming in with each wave, 10 hours of mopping, bailing and pumping, we were exhausted.' By Sam it was beginning to get light. They were 22 miles from Falmouth and there was still a severe gale. However, the swell had decreased a little, which allowed the Tyne to increase to 4-5 knots.

After nearly 14 gruelling hours at sea, the David Robinson arrived at Falmouth at 10.10am. They passed Cellie to the harbour launch, which safely moored her up in the marina. As the weather was much too severe to re-house at The Lizard station, the lifeboat was placed at a mooring in Falmouth harbour until the weather abated.

The tired and hungry crew were welcomed ashore by local people and the press. They still found the time and energy to speak to the media in a calm and professional manner. Tom Mansell, Deputy Divisional Inspector (South) later commended the crew's actions during and after the service: 'The Coxswain and crew of The Lizard lifeboat were a great credit to the station and to the RNLI.' Falmouth lifeboat guild kindly laid on breakfast for the crew, who then returned home by road.

In recognition of his determination, seamanship and leadership on this service, Phil Burgess received the RNLI's Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum. All the crew were presented with vellum service certificates. Phil praises their teamwork during the long and arduous service: 'They did an excellent job. They all deserve Vellums!'.