Walton & Frinton Lifeboat - Callouts

Call No. 32

23/12/07: Launched to search for 18ft angling boat Stingray, 3 pob, lost in thick fog in Colne Estuary. Vessel found north of Inner Bench buoy near entrance to Brightlingsea harbour. Casualty escorted to Brightlingsea.

Launched: 16:16 RRFS: 19:25 Wind: South 2/3 Sea: Slight with thick fog

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood. R Farrance, R Bettany, S Berry & M Rayne

Call No.31

15/10/07: Launched to assistance of 44ft yacht Magic Pelagic with fuel problems in the Barrow Deep, 7 pob. Casualty taken in tow to Harwich.

Launched: 18:03 RRFS: 23:37 Wind: S3/4 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce, M Oakes & J Cooper.

Call No. 30

1/10/07: Launch to assistance of 27ft yacht La Palourde, 1 pob, reported having suffered engine failure near No 10 buoy Walton Channel, close to Stone Point. Yacht taken in tow by work boat from Titchmarsh Marina before arrival of lifeboat.

Launched: 13:47 RRFS: 14:46 Wind: E6 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce, M Oakes & S Berry

Call No. 29

26/09/07: Launched to report of yacht firing flares on Long Sand Head reported by Harwich pilot cutter Haven Hawk. Harwich LB and Rescue Helicopter 125 also tasked. Thames CG had received an initial DSC mayday from the yacht subsequently identified as the Faem on passage from Gravesend to Hull with three people on board. Radio contact with the yacht was then lost as it lost electrical power and its radio was swamped. On arrival at the casualty lifeboat grounded some distance from yacht. Lifeboat then taken off sands and manoeuvred astern on to sands, reaching casualty as it was breaking up. The three crew, two male and one female were hanging onto the guardrails of the yacht. Lifeboat crew-member boarded the yacht to assist the survivors onto the lifeboat, during which time the lifeboat struck the sunken wreckage of the yacht causing some slight damage to the port side. Lifeboat then manoeuvred off the sands and made for Walton. The survivors were met by paramedics and ambulance crew and after examination taken to Colchester Hospital, being discharged later in the day.

Launched: 05:41 RRFS: 08:45 Wind: NW 5/6 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce, M Oakes & C Smith

Call No. 28

5/9/07: Launched after faint mayday signal heard by yacht Mardi Gras from 30ft yacht Graylag aground somewhere in Blackwater Estuary. Position identified as on Buxey Sand. Clacton A75 also launched. On arrival yacht found to be hard aground with possible hull damage and leak. There were two people on board and the female crewmember was taken off by Walton LB inflatable and transferred to lifeboat as she had recently undergone hip replacement. Towline secured and lifeboat anchored to wait flood tide. Yacht towed off sands and pumped out before lifeboat towed yacht to entrance of Tollesbury Creek where tow was transferred to work boat from local boatyard.

Launched: 11:33 RRFS: 17:42 Wind: Variable 2 Sea: Calm

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bruce, R Wyatt, M Oakes & S Berry

Call No.27

3/9/07: Launched in response to a Mayday from the 36 ft racing yacht Tsunami aground on the Long Sand. The three crew of the yacht reported that they were pounding heavily and concerned about hull and keel damage. The Trinity House vessel Patricia was nearby and proceeded to the yacht’s position, upon arrival launching one of its work boats which managed on the flooding tide to pull the Tsunami to the edge of the sand bank. The lifeboat arrived on scene soon afterwards and took the yacht in tow by as it had sustained rudder damage. The yacht was towed to Levington Marina on the river Orwell.

Launched: 13:00 RRFS: 18:25 Wind: NNW 5 Sea: Moderate with heavy swell on sands

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, C Smith & S Berry

Call No.26

29/8/07: Launched to assist 32ft yacht May Nooth, 1 pob, with engine failure and becalmed approximately two miles SSE of Black Deep 2 buoy. With falling tide the one man on board the yacht was concerned about going aground on Long Sand. Towed to Levington Marina on River Orwell.

Launched: 13:31 RRFS: 18:26 Wind: Variable 1/2 Sea: Calm

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, M Oakes, S berry & J Cooper

Call No.25

27/8/07: Launched to assistance of 35ft yacht Vita Nova, 4pob, aground with heavy list near Stone Point. On arrival with tide still ebbing lifeboat managed to get alongside yacht and attach towline. The lifeboat succeeded in partially pulling the yacht’s bow round and laying out an anchor in deep water. After giving advice and reassuring the yacht about its situation the lifeboat returned to station.

Launched: 03:58 RRFS: 06:12 Wind: WNW 2 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, C Smith, S Berry, K Grant & J Cooper.

Call No.24

8/8/07: Launched to assistance of 30ft yacht Chaser, 3 pob, with engine failure in Foulger Gat. On arrival crew member put aboard to assist in weighing anchor and yacht towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 15:31 RRFS: 20:30 Wind: NE 2/3 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, R Farrance, R Bettany, C Smith, M Oakes,

DDI R Wynn & DE I Anderson

Call No. 22

1/8/07: Launch to assistance of yacht Surah, 2 pob, aground on West Rocks. Yacht refloated just as the lifeboat arrived on scene. The lifeboat stood by and escorted the yacht into deep water, having ascertained that she was undamaged.

Launched: 20:48 RRFS: 22:15 Wind: SE 2 Sea: Slight

Crew: T Halls, K Bigwood, C Smith, M Oakes, J Cooper & K Leech.

Calls No. 20/21

24/7/07: Launched to assistance of 25-ton yacht Galavanter 2 pob, sending Mayday after grounding on Foulness Sand. Yacht reported to be pounding heavily. Police Launch QL 7 succeeded in towing yacht off sands undamaged and lifeboat recalled. When just south of Walton Pier lifeboat diverted to small inflatable dinghy drifting out to sea off the Naze with two children on board. Lifeboat reached inflatable, took children on board and landed them on the beach before returning to station.

Launched: 13:50 Diverted: 15:00 RRFS: 15:38 Wind: WNW 5/6 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, C Smith, M Oakes, M Rayner and K Grant.

Call No. 19

14/7/07: Launch to 29ft yacht Tracer 2 pob, aground on Long sand near Black Deep No. 6 Buoy. On arrival of lifeboat yacht found to be hard aground and listing. A crew member walked and waded across sand to yacht and laid out an anchor ready for refloating on flood tide. (Low water 06:00 approx) On flood tide tow connected and casualty refloated at 09:15 during which the yacht pounded heavily. Once refloated yacht towed to Stone Point at entrance to Walton Backwaters where tow was released and casualty made its own way to Titchmarsh Marina. The yacht had left Dartmouth for Titchmarsh marina on the 12th July having returned from the Azores and West Indies.

Launched: 04:22 RRFS: 12:47 Wind: SW 4/6 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, C Smith, S Berry, M Oakes & J Cooper.

Call No. 18

06/07/07: Launched to assistance of yacht Skipjack,, 3 pob, around on Buxey Sand. As lifeboat was preparing to leave berth yacht refloated having suffered no damage and launch was cancelled.

Launched: 15:05 RRFS: 15:25 Wind: WSW 7 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, C Halls & M Oakes.

Call No. 17

01/07/07: Launch to report of dismasted yacht some 500 yards off Clacton Pier. Clacton A75 also launched. When Clacton 75 reached yacht they found the two crew on board had managed to stow the mast, get the engine running and were quite happy to proceed to Brightlingsea on their own. Both lifeboats returned to station.

Launched: 16:41 RRFS: 16:55 Wind: SW 6/7 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, K Bruce, C Smith & M Oakes

Call No.16

14/06/07: Launched to search for 20ft yacht Gentle Jane 2 pob, overdue on passage from Ijmuiden to Harwich. Aldeburgh and Harwich ALB’s also launched together with Rescue Helicopter 125 and Coastguard search aircraft. Yacht located by helicopter some 40 miles east of Harwich under sail. Harwich lifeboat towed yacht to Harwich and other rescue units returned to station.

Launched: 03:59 RRFS: 06:20 Wind: E2 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, C Smith & M Oakes.

Call No.15

13/6/07: Launched to investigate yacht reported aground on Long Sand south east of Black Deep No. 6 buoy. On arrival at position found 36ft yacht Grace hard aground with two people aboard. Crew members Simon Berry and Kevin Bruce walked across the sands to make contact with casualty. Yacht was on passage from North Wales to Levington. The lifeboat crew cleared a rope from the yacht’s propeller and laid out an anchor. The lifeboat then stood by the yacht and guided it off the sands on the flood tide, after which the yacht made its own way to Levington.

Launched: 15:38 RRFS: 22:07 Wind: SE 3 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, K Bruce, R Wyatt, M Oakes & S Berry.

Call No.14

8/06/07: Paged to assist 18ft yacht Tina with torn sails off the Naze. Launch cancelled when local fishing vessel assisted yacht into Shotley.

Paged: 09:23 Wind: E 1/2 Sea: Slight

Call No.13

02/06/07: During the afternoon the local beach patrol became concerned for a small rubber dinghy with one man on board. The dinghy was nearly a mile out to sea and the one man on board was clearly intoxicated and adopted an aggressive and abusive attitude to the beach patrol. After consultation between the coastguard and LOM it was agreed to launch the lifeboat and the crew were paged. Just as the lifeboat was about to leave the berth the man agreed to be towed ashore by the beach patrol. Once he was safely ashore the lifeboat was stood down.

Paged: 16:39 Wind: SE 1/2 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, M Oakes, S Berry, S Peters.

Call No.12

31/5/07: Launch to assistance of 29ft yacht Albatross, 1 POB, with total power & engine failure in vicinity of NE Maplin Buoy. Yacht was making no headway under sail so anchored in shallow water. Yacht located and towed to Brightlingsea.

Launched: 23:27 RRFS: 03:50 Wind: ENE3/4 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Bettany, M Oakes, S Berry, M Rayner & J Cooper.

Call No. 11

28/5/07: Launch to help in large scale search for 9metre Dutch Yacht Level Four overdue at Chatham with 3 pob on passage from Ijmuiden. Harwich, Margate and Sheerness LB’s also launched. Walton LB searched Black Deep until yacht located under sail by Sheerness LB in Queen’s Channel. Yacht had total power failure and was towed to Queenborough.

Launched: 04:45 RRFS: 08:03 Wind: ENE: 4/5 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce, C Smith and M Oakes.

Call No. 10

19/05/07: Launch to dismasted 36ft yacht Louise, 8-pob position uncertain, Harwich ALB launched first but Walton also requested to launch some 20 minutes later by Thames CG when casualty believed to be near Long Sand in shallow water. Casualty located near Black Deep 1 buoy and taken in tow by Harwich LB to Harwich. Walton LB stood by until clear no further assistance was required.

Launched: 11;30 RRFS: 13:40 Wind: SW 5/6 Sea: Moderate

Crew: T Halls, R Wyatt, C Smith, S Berry, S Peters and J Cooper.

Call No. 9

14/05/07: Launch to 38ft motor yacht Starry Night, 4 pob with engine failure close to pier head whilst on passage from Chatham to Shotley. Lifeboat towed the vessel to Shotley Marina.

Launched: 17:47 RRFS: 20:05 Wind: N/W 4 Sea: Moderate.

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, K Bruce, R Wyatt, and J Copper.

Call No.8

07/05/2007: Launched to a May Day call from the fishing boat Too Mix on fire near Pye End Buoy. Both Harwich ILB & ALB attended but fire had been extinguished on arrival. The boat was then towed to Titchmarsh Marina by Limosa (backwaters warden launch) with the ILB escorting her.

Launch: 10:30 RRFS: 11:52 Wind: light Sea: Mod

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, R Farrance, K Bigwood, K Bruce & R Wyatt.

Call No.7

25/4/07: Diverted from exercise to assist of 32ft yacht Lazy Days 3, 1 pob, experiencing engine problems near South West Whiting Buoy. On arrival tow connected and yacht towed to Walton River, where having managed to get engine running, tow was released and yacht made its own way to Titchmarsh Marina.

Diverted: 20:15 RRFS: 00:07 Wind: light and variable Sea: Calm

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, S Berry, M Rayner, S Peters, M Oakes & J Cooper.

Call No.6

15/4/07: Launch to assistance of 24ft hardy motor cruiser Carly Luke II, 3 pob, broken down in the Swin close to the north end of the Gunfleet Sands aprox 5 miles South East of Walton Pier. Towed to Shotley Marina.

Launched: 09:30 RRFS: 12:15 Wind: light & variable Sea: Calm

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, R Farrance, K Bigwood, K Bruce & M Oakes.

Call No.5

11/03/07: Launch to assist 27ft fishing boat Lone Gull, 3 POB, broken down one mile south of the pier whilst on passage from Titchmarsh Marina to Brightlingsea. Towed Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 13:21 RRFS: 16:30 Wind: S 3 Sea: slight

Crew: T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, R Bettany, M Oakes and M Rayner

Call No.4

2/3/07: At about 5pm Thames CG received a mayday call from a man on a speed-boat reporting that he was sinking. The man reported he was one mile off Clacton Pier. The coastguard launched Clacton Atlantic 75 LB and requested the assistance of a rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham. When Clacton lifeboat reached the reported position, no sign of the speed-boat could be seen. Clacton CG also reported no sign of the boat from their lookout. When contacted by radio the speed-boat reported that there was no other boat in sight. About this time Walton LB mechanic Karl Bigwood saw the speed-boat from the lifeboat house at Walton and immediately contacted Thames CG by radio requesting them to page the lifeboat crew. Walton LB was quickly launched and reached the speed-boat shortly after the helicopter had winched the man up. The survivor was wet and cold having been bailing out his boat, which was bound for Harwich from Brightlingsea. Walton lifeboat took the speed boat in tow to the Winchester breakwater, just south of Walton Pier where it was recovered by a tractor and trailer from a local boatyard.

Launched: 17:13 RRFS: 18:16 Wind: SSE 3/4 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, R Bettany, K Bruce, R Wyatt, M Oakes and S Peters

Call No.3

25/2/07: Launch to assistance of 28ft Motor Cruiser Ceol-na-Mana, broken down near Outer Ridge Buoy. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 09:17 RRFS: 12:00 Wind: SW 2/3 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce and M Oakes

Call No.2

3/3/2007: Launch to search Colne Estuary after drifting dinghy found by fishing vessel near the Eagle Buoy. Dinghy had two lifejackets in bottom and rowlocks fitted, but with no oars. Both Clacton A75 and D Class also launched and together with Rescue Helicopter 125 a thorough search was made of the Colne Estuary and as far as the Buxey Sand. Nothing was found and on recovering the dinghy on board Walton lifeboat the lifejackets, which appeared to be children size, were found to have mould on them, suggesting no recent use. After the area was searched all units were released and returned to station. The dinghy was landed at the lifeboat berth at Walton Pier.

Launched: 06:40 RRFS: 11:02 Wind: Light airs Sea: Calm

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, K Bruce, C Smith and M Oakes.

Call No.1

21/01/07: Launched after Thames Coastguard received a 999 call from three men on board the 16ft angling boat Megan. They reported that they had broken down and were drifting in strong winds and rough sea. The men were unsure of their position but thought they were near the Stone Banks Buoy off the Naze. Unfortunately the boat had neither a working radio, which would have enabled the lifeboat to get a D/F bearing on a radio signal nor any flares to indicate their position. Fortunately the lifeboat spotted the Megan well offshore drifting towards the Cork Sand. On arrival the three men were taken on board the lifeboat and the boat towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

Launch: 13:07 RFS: 15:35 Wind: NW 6 Sea: Moderate

Crew : G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Bettany, C Smith, and S Peters.