Walton & Frinton Lifeboat - Callouts

Call No:26

5/10/09: Launched to assist in search for suicidal male reported on Naze Cliffs threatening to jump off cliffs and enter the sea. Stood by until coastguards apprehended the man and removed him from danger until police arrived.

Launched: 22:30 RRFS: 23:05 Wind: calm Sea: calm

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

Call No: 25

21/9/09: Launched with Clacton Atlantic 75 to assist 21ft yacht Electra 1 pob, requesting assistance near West Hook Middle buoy 12 miles SSW of Walton Pier. Clacton arrived first and found the yacht to be free of the obstruction. Clacton then attached a towline and preceded into Bradwell. Walton Lifeboat was then stood down and preceded back to Walton Pier.

Launched: 21:25 RRFS: 22:45 Wind: SW 3/4 Sea: slight

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

Call No: 24

13/9/09: Launched to assist an 18ft wooden boat Rhubarb, which had sent a 999 call to Thames Coastguard saying they were aground and breaking up near the Swallow Tail Buoy at the entrance to the River Crouch with 2 pob. Clacton Atlantic was also tasked & on arrival took the 2 persons of the sinking boat then tried to pump it out. On arrival the two survivors were transferred to Walton ALB. Attempts were made to salvage the boat but these were unsuccessful so the Rhubarb was towed to shallow waters & anchored by Clacton ILB on the Buxey Sands. The two survivors were then taken to Burnham Marina by Walton Lifeboat.

Launched: 13:18 RRFS: 18:40 Wind: NNE 5 Sea: Slight / moderate

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, R Wyatt, M Oakes, M Rayner & D Steggles.

Call No: 23

28/8/09: Launched to assistance of 35ft yacht Reely Nauti 2pob with fuel shortage and unable to sail in adverse conditions between the Black Deep Buoy & Sunk Head, 10 miles of Walton. On arrival a tow was passed & yacht towed into Titchmarsh Marina. The yacht had been on passage from Netherlands to Burnham on Croutch.

Launched: 9:15 RRFS: 13:30 Wind: West: 7/8 Sea: Rough

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

Call No: 22

23/8/09: Launched after yacht Jessie May reported seeing a man overboard from another yacht later identified as Amazon Countess north of Walton Pier. Rescue helicopter 125 on a training flight was diverted to assist. After lifeboat launched it was found that there was no person in the water but a red fender hanging over the stern of Amazon Countess had been mistaken for a person in the water.

Launched: 18:04 RRFS: 18:30

Wind: SSE 3/4 Sea: Slight

Crew: T Halls, K Bigwood, R Farrance, R Bettany, C Smith, S Berry & M Rayner.

Call No: 21

21/8/09: Lifeboat launched to assistance of 26ft catamaran Akko, with 2 adults & 2 children on board, with engine failure & not able to put his main sail up approx 1 mile off Holland Haven. On arrival a tow was attached & the casualty towed into Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched:11:53 RRFS: 14:25 Wind: SW 4/5 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, M Oakes & K Grant.

Call No: 20

10/8/09: Launched to assist a 10metre yacht Cobol 10 with 3 pob, with engine failure by no 2 river buoy in the Walton channel. With strong ebb tide yacht could make no headway up the river. Cobol 10 was towed & berted in Titchmarsh Marina. On return home lifeboat stood by Harwich ILB as it towed a 9metre yacht Xanthos of the sands near St Andrews Spit at the entrance to Harwich Harbour.

Launched: 17:43 RRFS: 20:20 Wind: SW-5 Sea: Slight

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

Call No: 19

4/8/09: Launched to a 27ft motor cruiser Wave Rider, with 2 pob & a dog, which had been aground since midnight on the beach at the Naze close to the ruins of the 1953 sea wall. On arrival a lifeboat crewmember waded ashore to connect a towline and the Wave Rider was pulled clear on the high water. It was then escorted to Stone Point where it made its way into Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 10:15 RRFS: 12:50 Wind: Southerly 4 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, K Bigwood, R Wyatt, M Oakes, M Rayner & K Grant.

Call No:18

1/8/09: A May Day call came into Thames Coastguard that a 40ft motor boat with 2 pob was taking water near the Long Sand, 17 miles South East of Walton pier. On Arrival 2 Lifeboat crew were put on board the Youande & assisted in putting a towline on. They then inspected the engine were there was a leak on the water pipe, which they were able to repair. The Youande was then tested at full speed & the leak had stopped. The tow was then released & the 2 crew put back onto the Lifeboat, the Youande then carried on her passage to Ramsgate.

Launched: 17:00 RRFS: 20:00 Wind: Southerly 4 Sea: Mod

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

Call No: 17

30/7/09: Launched in assistance of a 19ft yacht Jay Bee with engine faliure 2 miles South East of coastguard station with 2 pob.On arrival Lifeboat attached a towline and took the 2 persons off due to the bad weather then proceded into Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 13:30 RRFS: 16:00 Wind: WSW 6-7 Sea: Mod

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Wyatt, M Oakes & M Rayner.

Call No: 16

24/7/09: Launched to assist Navy Bomb Disposal team in making bomb safe. The bomb had been caught by the fishing vessel Jess the previous evening and droped in shallow water near the Wallet 2 buoy at the top end of the Gunfleet sands, 4 miles south east of the pier. The navy dive team & their equipment were taken out to the sands at low water, the bomb was then made safe The lifeboat then returned to station.

Launched: 06:30 RRFS: 11:25 Wind: 5/6 Sea: Mod

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Wyatt, C Smith, S Berry & J Hale

Call No: 14 & 15

9/7/09: Launched to assist a 100 year old RNLI Lifeboat ON 604, 2 pob, (Janet Hoyle stationed at Ayr 1910-1932) which had sent a Mayday call reporting they were leaking badly near the entrance to the River Crouch. Both Burnham Lifeboats were also launched. En-route the Lifeboat was diverted to investigate a report of a kite surfer in difficulties near the Gunfleet Sands off Walton. On reaching the position given the object was found to be the ruins of the old Gunfleet Beacon. The Lifeboat then proceeded to the origanal casualty now known to be near the Whitaker Bell buoy with Burnham atlantic 75 standing by. On arrival Walton Lifeboat took two persons off the casualty vessel and transferred a salvage pump along with 2 Lifeboat crew to assist in pumping.. A tow was attached & pumping was required all the way into Brightlingsea where Janet Hoyle was beached on town hard.

Launched: 18:45 RRFS: 22:50 Wind: NW 2 Sea: Slight

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

Call No:13

8/7/09: Just as Lifeboat was launching on exercise Thames CG tasked the Lifeboat to assist a 29ft yacht Zorba, with 2pob and a six week old baby on board. The yacht had run out of fuel near No.4 bouy in Walton Channel. On arrival the Lifeboat crew transterred some fuel and succeded in getting the yachts engine running. Two crew stayed on board the yacht as it was escorted to Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 19:15 RRFS: 22:00 Wind: NW 2 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, R Wyatt, M Oakes & D Steggles

Call No: 12

6/7/09: Reqested to lauch by Thames Coastguard to locate a carrier on VHF ch 16 which had been bloc king the main distress channel for the past 4 hours.The Lifeboats D/F equipment located a small yacht of Jaywick. After cheking his equipment the carrier went.

Launched: 8:10 RRFS: 9:30 Wind: SW 6 Sea: Mod

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

Call No 11

4/7/09: Launched to assist sailing barge Repertor 4 miles N/E of pier with a injured lady on board.On arrival 2 crew put on board with medical equipment to assess the casualty while awaiting rescue helo 125. Winchman had to be landed on Lifeboat due to rigging on barge & be transferred across. The injured lady was put into a neil robbertson stretcher then transferred across to Lifeboat ready for winching. Two family members were then taken onboard the Lifeboat & took back to Walton Pier.

Launched: 14:07 RRFS: 16:10 Wind: S/E 3-4 Sea: Slight

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

Picture took by Gary Wright of Carole Anne

Call No 10

8/6/09: Launched with Clacton Lifeboat to a 14ft angling boat Elisabeta 2 pob, with engine failure & taking on water, 1/2 mile East from radar mast at Holland on Sea. On arrival the water had been bailed out so 2 cass took onboard Walton Lifeboat & then towed into Frinton beach with Clacton LB watching for more ingress of water.

Launched: 17:01 RRFS: 18:00 Wind: East 3 Sea: slight

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

Call No 9

5/6/09: Launched to assist 25ft-angling boat Red Snapper 1 pob with engine failure & taking on water near Wallet 2 buoy, 4 miles south east of pier. Crewman went onboard to assess the water ingress, which had been stopped. A towline was secured & proceeded into Titchmarsh Marina.

Launched: 15:41 RRFS: 18:40 Wind: SSE 3 Sea: Slight

Crew: G Edwards, R Farrance, K Bigwood, K Bruce, C Smith, M Oakes & S Berry

Call No 8

30/5/09: Paged at 02:32 to search for possible man overboard from ro-ro ferry Maersk Inporter. Launched cancelled when missing person found safe onboard.

Paged: 02:32 Stood Down: 02:37

Call No 7

29/5/09: Launched to assist a 50ft Hardy motor yacht Kismet, with 2 pob, aground on Sunk Sands east of West Sunk Buoy,10 miles SE of Walton Pier. Vessel towed clear from sands but found to have problems with both propellers when engaged into forward gears. Towline reattached & proceeded into Burnham, at the Crouch Bouy the tow was passed over to the Summer Star for passage into Burnham.

Launched: 10:42 RRFS: 15:20 Wind: East:4 Sea: Slight

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

Call No 6

17/5/09: Crew paged at 21:31 to assist a 35ft yacht Barbary Heron with 3 pob, with engine failure and facing adverse conditions near West Sunk Bouy 10miles SE of Walton Pier. When on scene Lifeboat attached a line and towed them into Shotley Marina.

Launched: 21:31 RRFS: 01:40 Wind: SSW 6/7 Sea: Moderate

Crew: G Edwards, T Halls, K Bigwood, C Smith, M Oakes, S Berry & M Rayner.

Call No 5

5/5/09: Launched to assistance of 9mtr Yacht Tigger Too, 2 pob, with damaged sails and engine failure close to South Cork buoy, four miles east of Walton. On arrival tow passed and yacht towed to Shotley Marina.

Launched: 20:31 RRFS: 23:10 Wind: West 5/6 Sea: Moderate

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

Call No4

5/4/09: Launched to assist West Mersea Atlantic 75 in searching for 16ft anglian boat Lady Karren,3pob, lost in fog between Clacton Pier & Bradwell. Whilst on route to casualty West Mersea located boat close to Sales Point at the mouth of the river Blackwater. Walton Lifeboat returned to station and Lady Karren was escorted to Bradwell by West Mersea Atlantic.

Launched: 21:00 RRFS: 22:05 Wind: SE 2/3 Sea: slight

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

Call No3

30/3/09: Paged to assist a 14ft boat called Yellow Submarina sinking of Clacton Pier with 3 pob. Clacton Atlantic 75 had also been called & assisted the boat into the beach so we were asked to stand down by Thames Coastgaurd.

Paged: 08:37

Crew: G Edwards, R Wyatt, M Oakes, S Berry, M Rayner & J Hale.

Call No2

28/02/09: Launched to assistance of 22ft angling boat Idunno, 3 pob with engine failure near Gunfleet Spit Buoy, seven miles SSE of pier. As lifeboat arrived on scene the casualty managed to get the engine running. The lifeboat escorted the craft until the owner indicated the engine was running satisfactorily. The Idunno continued on passage to Brightlingsea and the lifeboat returned to station.

Launched: 17:21 RFS: 18:50 Wind: SSE 1/2 Sea: Slight

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

Call No1

2/01/09 : Launched to assistance of Belian trawler Atlantis 6 pob, with wheelhouse fire near South Galloper Buoy, approximately 30 miles SE of Walton. Harwich Lifeboat and Helicopter also tasked. On arrival the fire had been contained by her crew. Lifeboat stood by until Atlantis was taken in tow by another Belgian trawler to Zeebrugge.

Launched: 22:50 RRFS: 03:20 Wind: East 5 Sea: Moderate

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