Cruise liner in crisis Six lifeboats launched on 6 May 2006 to the help of The Calypso (pictured). The 135m liner and 708 passengers were 15 miles south of Beachy Head, East Sussex, when fire broke out. Tyne classes MaxAitken III from Bembridge, Voluntary Worker from Selsey and Hermione Lady Colwyn from Shoreham Harbour; Mersey classes from Eastbourne The Royal Thames and Hastings Sealink Endeavour, and Newhaven's Severn class David and Elizabeth Acland joi ned Government agencies to ensure the fire was extinguished and evacuation was avoided pending a tow to Southampton.

(Also see Letters page 17.) Floating away Arbroath's all-weather crew were assisting a local boat on 8 April 2006 when they noticed an inflatable dinghy being swept out to sea by tide and wind. D class John Charles Raybould and crew launched at 3pm to investigate. They found three 11-13-year-old boys wearing only shorts and T-shirts and no lifejackets. Cold and wet, they were highly vulnerable and would certainly have perished quickly had they entered the water. Onshore, they were checked by paramedics and taken home by the police. The inflatable dinghy was destroyed.

Dangerously dehydrated On 25 April 2006, three lifeboats worked together to save a 14m yacht and her crew sinking off Ardlamont Point, Loch Fyne.

Launching at I.OSpmTighnabruaich's B class Alec and Maimie Preston was first to reach Shantico and towed her to shelter south of Inchmarnock. At 2.33pm Troon'sTrent class Jim Moffat arrived with a salvage pump. The yacht's crew were transferred in return, three by helicopter and four by inshore lifeboat.

The Jim Moffat set up a tow towards Largs marina but two of the yacht's crew became seriously ill, one suffering severe dehydration.

Largs's B class Peggy Keith Learmond launched at 5.20pm to meet them en route and get them to shore quickly.

A busy month for St Ives On 21 May 2006, relief Mersey class Royal Shipwright attended the 21m Testerossa, 27 miles north west of St Ives in near-galeforce winds. Sennen Cove's Tyne class Norman Salvesen joined in to achieve 5 knots to St Ives Bay. The service lasted from 10pm-7.1 Sam. The following day, Royal Shipwright launched to a person fallen from the cliff at Hell's Mouth. All weather and inshore lifeboats were called to separate incidents at the same time on 14 June.

The Mersey class assisted a 10m fishing boat 17 miles north of St Ives while the D class Marguerite Joan Harris launched to a 34-year-old woman who had reacted badly to a weever fish sting. Lastly, the inshore lifeboat launched on 19 June to help a pregnant woman and her friend cut off by the tide on rocks at Porthminster Point.

First season success Glorious sunshine brought many to Croyde and Woolacombe beaches, North Devon, on 11 June 2006, but high surf and strong rip currents combined to make a busy day for RNLI lifeguards. They used their rescue watercraft to pluck seven swimmers from a rip current and their rescue boards to rescue 13 closer to shore. Their first aid training came to the fore for a casualty with a broken ankle and several more suffering cuts and head injuries having been struck by surfboards. (Also see page 5.)Bare knuckle fight When Adrian, Duncan and Craig decided to enter a stretch of notoriously treacherous water, they knew they were risking their own lives It was Sam on Sunday 16 October 2005 when the Coastguard called Bridlington lifeboat station to search for two swimmers, missing off the north promenade. Benign as it sounded, Helmsman Adrian Trower knew that the area known as the Knuckle was not to be entered tightly. The combined effect of the promenade and the north pier is a maelstrom of reflected waves so hazardous that lifeboats are only to enter in the event of a real threat to life. 'It's nasty in there', explains Adrian. 'An inshore lifeboat actually capsized there a few years ago.' Now, the conditions were, in Adrian's word, 'horrific' even at the water's edge.

The D class Lord Feoffees III launched into crashing waves with Adrian at the helm and Crew Members Duncan Stewart and relative newcomer Craig Akid. All were aware of the danger ahead.

Despite the hour, the area was well lit by the pier's amusement park and the Moon. Adrian rounded the end of the north pier sounding the lifeboat's horn to warn the many night anglers to raise their lines.

Then he headed in toward the promenade - and the Knuckle. He and his crew scanned the water for signs of the swimmers.

Seeing nothing, they made the run from the corner of the pier to the Knuckle and back four or five times. Throughout, they battled steep and unpredictable waves. The three volunteers worked together to ensure the lifeboat's stability, each of them maintaining constanti vigilance. At the same time, the Coastguard shore team and the police were searching the promenade and pier.

Adrian reluctantly decided to take the lifeboat back beyond the worst of the confused seas so he could assess the situation in relative calm. The extra sea room also allowed him to increase speed and clear the lifeboat of some of the water that had filled her. With breaking waves coming from two directions at once the risk of capsizing had been high. 'Without a positive sighting, I didn't want to put my life and those of my crew in danger any longer.' On shore, the police found the first casualty, safe and well but concerned for his companion. A pile of clothes on the promenade indicated a likely position and a whistle soon came from a fisherman ashore to confirm a sighting - along the wall, right in the Knuckle. Adrian made a couple of short runs in and back in an attempt to get a sighting himself. The lifeboat required skilful handling between the random wave peaks and he felt that capsize was possible at any time. Suddenly, close to the wall, there was the swimmer.

But he was barely visible - only the top of his head was above water.

Adrian somehow slid the boat between the wall and the casualty to keep him from being smashed against it and Duncan grabbed the man's arm. At that moment, a wave swept into them, caught the man and pushed him under the lifeboat. Showing remarkable presence of mind, Adrian immediately lifted the engine to save running the casualty over with the propeller.

Astonishingly, Duncan followed the man into the heaving water - an act of enormous courage. He had lost sight of him, however, and he and his colleagues were now in extreme danger. Back wash was once again filling the lifeboat with water and Adrian knew they only had seconds before they would have to retreat.

As Duncan struggled back onboard, the casualty reappeared 2m from the lifeboat.

Adrian dropped the engine and manoeuvred hard. As soon as they were alongside, Duncan and Craig hauled the casualty onboard. He was unconscious and clearly in need of emergency medical attention. How long had he been in the water? All they could do for now was keep his head above the water in the boat and his airway clear.

Drawing on every ounce of his training, experience and local knowledge, Adrian charged Lord Feoffees III out of the danger area, clearing her of water in the process.

Running to a small area of clear beach, he made an emergency landing. Craig stayed with the lifeboat while Adrian and Duncan rushed the casualty up the beach and started to attempt resuscitation. The Coastguard and police arrived with the news that no ambulance would be able to attend for up to 30 minutes. The two crew members persevered in their arduous task until an ambulance did arrive.

Later, it was with enormous sadness and disappointment that the crew heard of the man's death. RNLI Deputy Divisional Inspector for the North Adrian Carey says: 'I applaud their determination to save the man. They acted in the true spirit of the Institution, holding on to hope until the very last.' The gruelling night was not over, however. Back on the beach, the conditions for relaunch were appalling. Craig hadfought to keep the lifeboat safe and his Helmsman commends him on a difficult job well done. Adrian Trower recalls: 'When we got back to her at the water's edge, the lifeboat was being thrown about like a rag doll.'With the arrival of the station's tractor and trailer, an attempt was made to recover the lifeboat there and then but this proved impossible in the soft sand.

There was no choice but to head back out to sea. Even with expert support from the station's shorehelpers to hold the lifeboat head to sea, it took several attempts to launch successfully. Despite all that had happened, the crew made it back to the lifeboat station just over an hour after their initial launch.

Following what was such a demanding incident and Craig's first serious shout, Adrian admits: 'There was no sleep for anyone that night so, the following day, we all met at my house for a debriefing.' It was only later that Adrian realised he knew the casualty's family.

Helmsman Adrian Trower is awarded the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum for his leadership and determination in dangerous and difficult circumstances. For their part in the service, Crew Members Duncan Stewart and Craig Akid each receive a Letter of Appreciation signed by the RNLI's Chief Executive along with Vellum Service Certificates.

Asked about his award, Adrian Trower says: 'I was shocked and over the moon.

I had to come to the station to see what a Vellum looks like in the flesh! I never expect to receive anything but it's great - a real achievement. It's for the whole station, we're all in the same team.' Adrian Carey comments: 'Although this was a relatively short service, it was carried out in dark and demanding conditions, and in an area known to be hazardous for inshore lifeboats. Adrian showed great judgement and leadership in trying to ensure the three could do their utmost to save the swimmer.' Pages 27-8: Adrian and Duncan returned to the pier the next day to take photographs of the conditions at the Knuckle Top right L-R: Craig Akid, Adrian Trower and Duncan StewartTHE DATE AND TIME Sunday 16 October 2005, 3.05-4.10am THE CASUALTIES Two swimmers THE CONDITIONS Dark Weather: Part cloudy Visibility: Fair Wind: South east, force 4-5 Sea state: Steep and unpredictable waves reaching 2m THE CREW Helmsman: Adrian 'AD'Trower (35, self-employed roofer, 8 years on crew) Crew Members: Duncan Stewart (41, caf£ manager in summer, groundworker and doorman in winter, 14 years on crew); Craig Akid (27, butcher, newly completed probationary year on crew) THE LIFEBOAT D-557 D class inshore Lord Feoffees III On station: September 2000 Funding: £ 14,110 The Lords Feoffees and Assistant of the Mayor of Bridlington, their third lifeboat THE LIFEBOAT STATION Bridlington Established: 1805 Other lifeboats: Seven various lifeboats 1805-71, three self-righter pulling and sailing (1885-99), a self-righter single motor (1931), a self-righter twin motor (1947), a Liverpool class (1953), an Oakley class (1967), two Mersey class (1988, the current all-weather lifeboat Marine Engineer 1995), five D class from 1966 including Lord Feoffees (1984), Lord Feoffees II (1992) and the current inshore lifeboat Lord Feoffees III (2000) [With thanks to Fred Walkington for station history information] Previous gallantry awards: Silver Medal to: John Usher (1828); George Gray (1834); Thomas Frankish (1865); James Harrington (1867); Henry Hutchinson (1890); Christopher Brown, Fred Brown, Thomas Clark, Richard Purvis and John Usher (1893); Coxswain John E King (1972). Bronze Medal to: Coxswain John E King (1968; second service clasp 1972); Coxswain Fred Walkington (1979; second service clasp 2000); Assistant Mechanic Andrew Brompton (2000). Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum to: Coxswain John E King (1967,1969); HTWood (1967);Crew Member, then Coxswain, Fred Walkington (1970,1973,1980, 1985); Crew Members George William Traves, Denis Atkin, Roderick William Stott, Anthony John Ayre and Kenneth Bently (1973); Helmsman Andrew Brompton (1986). Honours from Her Majesty The Queen to: Retired Coxswain Fred Walkington QBE (2001) and Retired Coxswain Roland Stork MBE (2004).On Sunday 11 June 2006, a man launched his flat-topped kayak at Perranporth in Cornwall in anticipation of an afternoon's fun. Soon however he was overwhelmed by 2m surf. It washed him, out of control, round into a rocky cove and threw him into the water. Trapped at the foot of 20m cliffs, with no companion or radio to raise the alarm and out of sight of the beach, he was very vulnerable. But someone up on the cliff spotted him and alerted RNLI lifeguards just in time. It was 5.55pm - five minutes before the planned end of their day's patrols.

Lifeguards Ben Gardener and Kris O'Neil immediately launched their inshore rescue boat. They sped to the cove, where, on their second run, they sighted the man just 2m out from the cliff. Ben explains: 'He couldn't have paddled out by himself in the conditions. He would have had to hold on for three hours until the tide dropped to allow him to walk round on the sand.' The man was clinging onto his kayak and paddle to keep him afloat but was surrounded by rocks. The rescue boat wouldn't be able to reach him so Kris dived into the water and swam over to the man: 'He was very happy to see me. He was stuck where he was, clumsy from exhaustion and the cold.' Ben returned to the beach to pick up a third lifeguard, Simon Crayford, to help in handling the boat, maintaining balance in the swell.

In the meantime, Kris persuaded the kayaker to abandon his craft so he could be helped to swim out to safer water. Ben and Simon pulled the casualty into the boat and took him to shore. Returning one last time for Kris, they found he was already Exhausted and shocked A sea kayaker was in danger of drowning - would help reach him in time?feeling the cold even though the whole rescue had taken no more than six minutes.

Once the kayaker had received some minor first aid and recovered from the initial shock, he was able to make his own way home.

Ben warns of the potential dangers for inexperienced watercraft users in this area: 'People kayaking or using surf skis around this part of the north Cornish coast really do need to be experienced because of the conditions that can build very suddenly.

There was a big surf running this evening and it washed this man in before he had time to react and get out of trouble.' Kris is an RNLI exchange lifeguard from New Zealand and says: This was the most serious water-based incident I'd experienced at that point in my UK season. I'm loving my time with the RNLI - there are a few key differences between the services in my home country and here. For example, smaller surf in the UK means that RNLI lifeguards use their rescue boards to a far greater extent, and there are more beachbased incidents here, with people falling off cliffs or needing help with cuts and bruises.'All in a season's work RNLI Divisional Inspector Colin Williams gives a round up of all things operational this Spring in the island of Ireland Our crews experience everything that the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean can muster, as demonstrated here.

On Sunday 12 March, the 1,500 tonne Sesam was drifting helplessly towards the Co. Down coastline in force 9 south easterly winds and rough seas. The Irish Lights vessel Cranuaille was deployed from Dublin but it was some hours away. As the casualty drifted to within 5 miles of the coastline, Donaghadee and Larne lifeboats were launched at 2.30am to assist if the drift became too great. At 9am Cranuaille arrived on scene. The lifeboats helped rig towlines and then escorted both vessels into Belfast Lough.

A similar incident occurred on 26 March when the 1,500 tonne coastal tanker Breaksea, loaded with a cargo of kerosene, suffered machinery failure and drifted towards the south east corner of Wexford in force 8 southerly winds and rough seas.

Kilmore Quay and Rosslare Harbour lifeboats assisted through the night, holding Breaksea off from the coast until she could be towed by Irish Naval Service vessel LEAoife.

Going north again, the fishing vessel Margaret Ann was in difficulty on Wednesday 19 April east of Ardglass and her crew took to their liferaft. Newcastle lifeboat came to their aid. A fortnight later the Bountiful snagged her net and Newcastle and Portaferry lifeboats were called. After some hours, the fishing vessel was released and towed to Ardglass.

In early May, an 11m yacht sailing from the Isle of Man to Howth was 17 miles east of Clogher Head, Co. Louth, in a southerly force 7 with a moderate-rough sea. Dublin Coast Guard received information that the yacht was taking in water and possibly sinking. Clogher Head lifeboat arrived on scene to see the five crew being airlifted onto an Irish Coast Guard helicopter. The yacht had been set on a south westerly course at 7 knots towards Lambay Island and the lifeboat followed her for a while to assess her movement. She did not appear to be sinking any deeper.

Eventually Coxswain Noel Sharkey placed Crew Members Michael Briggs and Jimmy Kirwan aboard (pictured) and they turned the yacht about and headed under sail towards Clogher Head, eventually berthing the yacht at Port Oriel. This illustrates the principle of only abandoning a vessel if a problem is truly insurmountable and was a demonstration of good seamanship and risk assessment by a lifeboat crew.

These services would not be possible without RNLI Ireland having a strategic network of lifeboats and lifeboat stations, and all the necessary equipment and buildings to maintain their condition, around our coastline. Thanks to our team at Swords and the Shoreworks department at Poole we need have no worries.

THE LIFEBOATS Donaghadee: ON-1267 Saxon (Trent class) Larne: ON-1246 Or John McSparran (Trent class) Kilmore Quay: ON-1133 The Famous Grouse (Tyne class) Rosslare Harbour: ON-1276 Donald & Barbara Broadhead (Severn class) Newcastle: ON-1188 Eleanor & Bryant Girling (Mersey class) Portaferry: B-706 Blue Peter V (Atlantic 75) Clogher Head: ON-1190 Doris Bleasdate (Mersey class)Exceptional first aid For the first time in decades, the RNLI has a new award for lifeboat crew members and lifeguards Sitting alongside the traditional Gallantry Medals, Thanks on Vellum and Framed Letters of Thanks is now the Framed Certificate for First Aid. This recognises outstanding medical assistance for life-threatening injuries administered in difficult circumstances. The Certificate was created after an incident on 4 May 2004 when Tower crew in London administered major first aid in full view of a crowd that included the casualty's family.

So far just four Certificates have been awarded, the latest being to Achill Island volunteers for the rescue described below.

Achill Island lifeboat Sam and Ada Moody launched in the early hours of 9 April 2005 to assist a woman who had had a serious cliff fall. Second Coxswain Mattie Stafford was at the helm with Mechanic Stephen McNulty and four crew members plus the station's Medical Adviser Dr Paddy Lineen.

The casualty was on the north side of Clare Island, Co. Mayo, in a remote part of the old harbour known as the Cove. Mattie took the lifeboat to within 15m of the shore then Crew Members Arthur Knipe and Dave Curtis took to the XP boat (a small powered inflatable) with a portable VHF radio, first aid kit, oxygen equipment and torches.

The lifeboat's searchlight picked up three people on top of the derelict eastern pier wall. At 4m high and just over 1 m wide, the wall was a challenge to negotiate. The casualty's head and shoulders were badly injured and Arthur and Dave ensured she was not in danger of another fall, fitted a neck collar, administered oxygen and called Dr Lineen ashore.

An airlift was planned, so the casualty had to be moved. Crew Members Alan Geilty and Michael Molloy joined their colleagues to transfer the injured woman to a stretcher - a hazardous procedure on such a narrow structure. They then embarked on a perilous and physically demanding 430m climb up a rough, narrow track. Beyond the lifeboat's searchlight, their torches began to fade too - before long, they were walking in virtual darkness.

Meanwhile the casualty was deteriorating. At last, she was transferred to the Irish Coast Guard helicopter. The five volunteers made their way back along the track with all their equipment and returned to the lifeboat by the XP boat at approximately Sam.

Crew Members Dave Curtis and Arthur Knipe and Lifeboat Medical Adviser Dr Paddy Lineen all receive the RNLI's Framed Certificate for First Aid.

ROYAL LIFEBOAT NATIONAL INSTITUTION "The Trujtm oftitr ftyytt '' iirw«d/ utfivtii 'Jtimrw have ncttd tftr attitms of: Crew 3frwlvr 'Davt Curtis tiurinq a service on 9 Apri(2005 iini* ttfretftf rnyrv thfir afvrrdtirwv for /ti* initiahvr and exemplary first aid treatntfitt .'/ •' f at a rvrifouf dxarwv ffv a nartvw L__t »•'»' PREVIOUS FIRST AID AWARDS 7 June 2004 Tower Helmsman Mike Sinacola, Mechanic Michael Nield, Crew Member Will Lawrie For first aid rendered to a seriously injured woman and the care taken over shocked crowd of onlookers.

31 March 2005 Lytham St Annes Second Mechanic Gary Bird For first aid rendered to a seriously injured fisherman in the confined space of a cabin on a trawler in rough seas.

30 November 2005 Tighnabruaich Crew Member Craig Allen For compassion and professionalism of first aid rendered to two seriously injured persons recovered by a yacht, following a fatal speedboat collision with a rock.

Photo: Mark Atherton.