Two fishermen faced the reality of the most dangerous profession as they drifted off Co Cork

Just before 9am on Wednesday 22 June, as many of the lifeboat and shore volunteers of Baltimore were arriving for their day jobs, their pagers bleeped. It’s a sound they know only too well and that they must respond to immediately. Seconds later they were running and driving to the lifeboat station. The Coast Guard had requested the launch of both the all-weather lifeboat Hilda Jarrett and inshore lifeboat Bessie.

A 6.5m potting boat, Carbery Venturer, with two men onboard had broken down and was now drifting in the open waters of the aptly named Roaring Water Bay. The many submerged rocks made for particularly treacherous conditions.

The pair had set anchor in an attempt to keep their boat off the rocks, but the anchor had dragged and they were left holding onto just their pot lines for safety. This became increasingly difficult in force 5 easterly winds and a 2m swell. The situation must have seemed desperate as they broadcast a mayday and they clung on for dear life.

The faster but smaller Atlantic 75 lifeboat arrived first. Quickly assessing the men’s predicament, Helmsman John Kearney manoeuvred the inshore lifeboat into position. Crew Members Ronan Callanan and Tadhg Collins threw a line to the potting boat and set up a secure tow. John brought the boat upwind and, with the assistance of Schull independent inshore rescue crew who had also arrived on scene, they successfully removed the fishing boat from immediate danger.

Bessie then towed Carbery Venturer to the safety of Schull Harbour with the Tyne class standing by in case of further danger. Afterwards, John commented: ‘It was extremely fortunate that we arrived when we did, as another 5 minutes and we would have been pulling the men out of the water.’

Both crews duly went back to their respective jobs, secure in the knowledge that they had truly made a difference to two people’s lives that day.