RescUe Insight Here is just a handful of incidents from around the uK and Roi to give an insight into the thousands of lifeboat rescues carried out each year. see pages 20–27 for rescues marked and page 13 for a roundup of lifeguard activity. 1 ISLAnD ReSCUe In GALe COnDITIOnS Kinghorn’s inshore lifeboat Frederick Robertson battled gale force winds and 4m seas to rescue four stranded tourists from an island on 6 may.

a crew member clambered ashore and guided the two men and two women to a rocky outcrop. the lifeboat drew in close and the tourists jumped, one by one, onto the bow, with the crew member’s help. Between each transfer, the Helmsman had to swiftly reverse the lifeboat from her rescue position to avoid being blown onto the rocks, before going back in to repeat the process. 2 AGROUnD On eASTBOURne BeACH Both eastbourne lifeboats went to the aid of an 11m wooden boat that had run aground on the beach near splash Point on 30 may. the lone sailor had dislocated his thumb and was struggling with the rigging. two crew members from the small D class went aboard, while the injured man was taken off for his safety. the mersey class lifeboat then set up a tow and was able to pull the sailing boat clear when a large wave refl oated her. the man returned to his craft and sailed her into sovereign Harbour under the escort of the lifeboats. His injury was treated by waiting paramedics. 3 DRIFTInG YACHT BROUGHT In Helvick Head’s B class lifeboat Alice and Charles went to the aid of a yacht reported to be drifting 3½ miles off mine Head, County Waterford, on 14 June. the yacht was suffering engine failure and a broken mast. the crew of three had erected a makeshift replacement, but were in danger of running aground in the force 4 winds. the lifeboat volunteers managed to establish a tow and brought the yacht safely into harbour. 4 PLIGHT OF THe PORTHCAwL PORPOISe On 8 July, Porthcawl crew were out on exercise when they were tasked to help a young porpoise in diffi culty in shallow water. the atlantic 75 Giles towed the animal, which had a cut to its face, out into deeper seas, but not before it spat water into a crew member’s face! the porpoise got stranded briefl y on rocks, but was last seen swimming out to sea. 5 YACHTSMAn ReSCUeD FROM THICK FOG sunderland and tynemouth lifeboats worked together to rescue a lone yachtsman whose steering had failed in thick fog on 11 June. sunderland’s atlantic 85 located the casualty, Shadowplay, using its state-of-the-art VHF radio direction fi nding equipment. the larger severn class from tynemouth then towed Shadowplay to her original destination of north shields. 6 HeCTIC DAY FOR ST HeLIeR CRew On a wild day in the english Channel, with force 7–8 winds, st Helier’s all-weather lifeboat Alexander Coutanche was in great demand. monday 25 June saw her crew towing in a 10m French yacht that had lost its steering, before being called out to a merchant ship with engine failure that was riding at anchor in the rough seas.

On her return passage, the lifeboat came across another yacht, whose crew were struggling in the conditions, and escorted her to harbour. .