A combination of fair weather and thunderstorms made for a particularly busy weekend for the RNLI in May 2005. In two days, RNLI crews launched more than 75 times and rescued around 100 people On 7 May sailors were caught out by strong winds during the Coldhanger sailing club race, Blackwater, Essex. Eight of them capsized and were thrown into the water. West Mersea's Atlantic 75 came to the rescue with the Coldhanger rescue boat team.

The fickle weather prompted three more shouts for West Mersea on the same day. In the first, low winds spoiled the fun of a windsurfer who then attempted to swim ashore. Two sailors off Coopers beach and three people on a yacht that had engine failure were also rescued by West Mersea lifeboat.

The weather caused trouble on a larger scale on the Forth that weekend, where six lifeboats went to the aid of stricken yachts, capsized dinghies and stranded individuals. Five lifeboats from Anstruther, Dunbar and North Berwick launched just after 5pm on 8 May to go to the aid of 20 people in a regatta, after their dinghies capsized during a sudden squall. Within half an hour all were safe, with no apparent injuries. Anstruther inshore lifeboat also fitted in another rescue on the way home, towing a small sailing boat with engine failure into Anstruther harbour.

Queensferrry lifeboat was also out on the Forth in the morning, helping a yacht skipper who had broken his collarbone.

Lifeboat crew boarded the vessel and lowered the sails to bring her under control. They towed her safely to Port Edgar marina where an ambulance took the casualty to hospital. The crew were out again on the next afternoon. First, they rescued a mother and daughter who were stranded by the rising tide and then they escorted a 5m motorboat with engine failure past the Forth Road Bridge and back to Port Edgar.

On the Saturday, one man from Coventry got into trouble even before he set off, when he attempted to launch his 4.5m speedboat from Burnham jetty, Somerset, just before high water New Brighton freardurr Bay West Mersea Burnham-on-Sea Exmouth and in rough seas.

The boat was soon swamped and the launching trailer was ' swept off the side of the jetty by the waves. The man was unharmed.The Burnham-on-Sea lifeboat crew kitted up and entered the water to hold the boat on the slipway against a strong side current and waves. They attached holding lines to the vessel to secure it until the tide turned about an hour later. (As readers of summer 2005's Offshore News will know, it is vital to check local conditions before trying to launch a boat in unfamiliar surroundings.) Other services that weekend included lifeboats from Exmouth and Torbay attending a dive boat in trouble 20 miles east of the River Exe at Saturday lunchtime. One of the divers had suffered a panic attack and banged his head. During the incident a rope got twisted around the boat's propeller.

A student fell 30m down a cliff face near South Stack, Holyhead, and lifeboats from Trearddur Bay and Holyhead launched to assist. Trearddur Bay Helmsman Steve Rogerson, also a paramedic, swam to the shore to treat the casualty who had suffered head injuries and multiple broken bones.

Ten people were rescued by New Brighton inshore lifeboat, Merseyside on Sunday 8 May from two yachts.

Across the Irish Sea, crews from Larne and Kinsale both kept casualties afloat through heavy use of salvage pumps.

For sea safety advice, call the RNLI helpline on 0800 328 0600 RNLI lifeboat crews help ensure the safety of thousands of people visiting and using the sea 24/7,365 days a year. In this exceptionally busy weekend, they saved the lives of 14 people.

Initial reports from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents telt us that no lives were lost at sea in the UK and Republic of Ireland from 7-8 May 2005..