Crew Page

27/3/03: Launch to assist 31ft Motor Cruiser Morning Swan, 2 pob, lost in thick fog in the Walton Channel. Located near Island Point and escorted to Titchmarsh Marina

27/3/03: Just as the lifeboat was leaving Titchmarsh Marina having escorted in the Morning Swan, the coastguard advised that another yacht, Ardvila, with 3 pob was also lost in the fog (visibility less than 40 yards). The yacht was located by the lifeboat in Hamford Water and escorted toTitchmarsh Marina.

18/4/03: Launch to 37ft yacht Pallitier with engine failure and unsure of position, but believed to be in the Black Deep. The yacht was on passage from Holland to Burnham. Some of the 5 people on board were seasick and had little experience. The yacht’s GPS was not working and Thames & Dover Coastguard established an approximate position near the entrance to Foulger Gat. This was confirmed by lifeboat’s radio DF bearing. When lifeboat reached casualty she was in shallow water on Long Sand, south of Black Deep No.6 buoy. Tow successfully connected and casualty towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

18/4/03: Launched to 18ft wooden yacht Herbs & Spices, 2 pob, on passage from Arlesford Creek to Harwich. A 999 call from the yacht to Thames Coastguard reported that the yacht had hit something off Walton Pier, (possibly the outboard engine hitting the bottom as it was low water) resulting in the outboard being torn from the transom, causing a large hole. Unable to make headway against the wind the yacht drifted towards Frinton. The two men were also cold and wet. When the lifeboat reached the yacht, about a mile south west of the pier, it was towed slowly to the lee of the pier, where the two men were taken on board the lifeboat and warmed up. All hatches on the yacht were closed and it was towed in rough seas to Titchmarsh Marina. Because of weather conditions the lifeboat remained at the marina overnight, returning to the pier moorings the following morning at low tide.

2/5/03: Launched to 21ft fishing boat Misty Blue, 2 pob, which had broadcast a Mayday after suffering engine failure off Walton Pier in rough seas. The fishing boat was also making water. When the lifeboat reached the Misty Blue it was taken in tow, a drogue being passed to her to steady her in a rough following sea. In the lee of the Naze two lifeboat crew were placed on board and succeeded in unblocking the casualty’s bilge pump. Pumping was required most of the way into Titchmarsh Marina where the casualty was safely moored.

21/5/03: Launched to 36ft yacht Bonny Girl, 3 pob, aground on Middle Sunk Sands, close to Barrow Deep No. 4 buoy. Yacht made Pan broadcast after going aground which was answered by Clacton Atlantic 75 lifeboat, already at sea on exercise. Upon arrival of Clacton lifeboat it was found that the casualty was hard aground. After arrival of Walton lifeboat, Clacton lifeboat returned to station. Walton lifeboat then stood by the Bonnie Girl until she refloated at 02:45. At the request of the yacht’s crew the lifeboat escorted it to Titchmarsh Marina.

9/6/03: Launch to 39ft yacht Cellandyne with engine failure off Holland Haven, 3 pob. The yacht was on its way to Fox’s Marina at Ipswich for painting and its mast and sails have been taken off at East Mersea. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

Launch: 11:45 RFS: 14:46

Wind: SE 4 Sea: slight

11/6/03: Launch to 28ft yacht Circe, 2 pob, with fouled propeller between Medusa Buoy and Naze Tower. When lifeboat arrived yacht was free of obstruction but had faulty gear box. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

22/6/03: Launch after Mayday from 24ft yacht It’s Only Me, 2 pob, near the Gunfleet Lighthouse. The yacht had grounded on the Gunfleet, damaging its rudder. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina in squally winds and thunderstorms.

22/6/03: Launch to 37ft.yacht Lady Cressida, 3 pob, aground on Gunfleet Sands close to Wallet Spitway. Stood by yacht together with Clacton Atlantic until she refloated and continued on passage.

24/6/03: Launch to 20ft fishing boat Our Lizzie with fouled propeller and rudder, 200 yards off Frinton, 1 pob. Rudder and propeller freed and vessel continued on passage to Maldon.

21/7/03: Launch to 36ft yacht Heartbeat of Burnham, 8 pob, aground on Sunk Sands near SW Sunk Beacon. Yacht refloated before lifeboat arrived and continued on passage to Burnham. Lifeboat returned to station.

30/7/03: Launch to 15 metre Dutch Yacht Eda Escape, 2 pob, which sent out Mayday call, having suffered engine failure near Long Sand Head. Crewmember put aboard casualty to assist, which was then towed to Shotley Marina.

12/8/03: ON 1154 to Goodchilds, Burgh Castle for replacement of Halon fire extinguishers.

16/8/03: Launch to yacht Tempo with engine failure, whose two crew were inexperienced and suffering from seasickness. Yacht was about one mile offshore from the coastguard station at Walton. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

16/8/03: When returning from Titchmarsh Marina after towing in Tempo asked to assist 35ft steel yacht Blue Heron, 2 pob, with gearbox failure in Hamford Water. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

18/8/03: Launch to assist 100 year old wooden smack Joseph T making water close to the Colne Bar Buoy, 1 pob. Clacton Atlantic lifeboat took casualty in tow, which was then transferred to Walton lifeboat. Crewmember put aboard to assist and smack taken to Pyefleet Creek and beached.

25/8/03: Launch to 40ft yacht Norma Ann, 2 pob, aground on Pye Sands and pounding heavily. Yacht refloated just before lifeboat arrived, checked and escorted to Stone Point, due to uncertainty about damage to steering.

28/8/03: Launch to mayday from 34ft yacht Van Dyke, 4 pob, aground on Swallow Tail, River Crouch and pounding heavily. Clacton Atlantic LB also launched. The casualty soon refloated on the flood tide, without apparent damage and was escorted to the entrance to the River Crouch by Clacton Lifeboat.

7/9/03: Launch to 30ft motor cruiser Montana, 2 pob, broken down 1 mile off the Naze Tower. Towed to Titchmarsh Marina.

22/9/03: Lifeboat mechanic Karl Bigwood received a telephone call at the boathouse about 16.30 from a kite surfer, on Frinton beach, who reported that he had become detached from his kite which was now blowing in squally winds towards Walton Pier. The mechanic advised the coastguard who shortly afterwards received several 999 calls from members of the public reporting a person in the water about 400 yards off Eton Road, Frinton. The lifeboat launched together with Clacton Atlantic and proceeded towards Frinton. It was soon established that the person reported in the water had swum ashore, after 30 minutes in the sea. (The original caller had not reported anybody with the kite, which had had two kite surfers with it when it took off near the Golf Club!) By now the kite was entangled around the piles of the pier. It was taken on board Clacton Atlantic and landed on the beach.

22/9/03: As the boarding boat was being moored up from the previous incident the second coxswain’s pager was activated, requesting the lifeboat launch again to the assistance of the 30ft. yacht Chablis which had encountered a severe squall near the Colne Bar Buoy and was unable to make any headway under motor power. Clacton Atlantic also proceeded. On arrival Walton Lifeboat found the two crew to be disorientated and unsure of position. Clacton LB returned to station and due to the weather conditions, with frequent severe squalls reducing visibility to nil, the yacht was escorted to Bradwell Marina.

22/9/0/3: As the lifeboat was refuelling after the previous service the coastguard reported that they had received a 999 call from a woman reporting that her husband had gone into the sea near the Marine Slipway, just north of the pier. An immediate search was made by the lifeboat and launchers on the beach, but was called off shortly afterwards when the man returned home. He had been in the sea for some time but had made his own way ashore.

24/9/03: Launch to Jack-Up Rig Skate 2D, 5 pob, some 7 miles south of Walton Pier. Clacton Atlantic also launched. Rig was involved in test bores for projected wind farm on Gunfleet Sands when two of its four legs sank into the sand causing it to tilt at an angle of 30 degrees. Crew launched safety boat, which was damaged in the process. On arrival crew of rig taken aboard Walton Lifeboat. Later two crew taken ashore by Clacton Lifeboat. Both lifeboats then stood by the jack-up barge until arrival of tug. Rig crew were then put aboard tug and lifeboats returned to station.

26/9/03: Launch to 18ft angling boat RIA, 3 pob, and making water one mile east of Pye End Buoy. Harwich ILB reached casualty first, putting pump on board and taking casualty in tow. Walton LB escorted tow to Stone Point in case of further problems. ILB towed RIA to Titchmarsh Marina.

27/9/03 Station Tyne Kenneth THELWELL II returned to station after updating of engine fire control system.

10/11/03: Launch after red flare reported by cargo vessel Caroline Rusk, bearing 350 degrees from Black Deep No. 5 buoy. Lifeboat searched Swin Channel, Gunfleet and Sunk Sands but nothing found.

23/11/03: Launch to 30ft yacht Solar Wind aground ½ mile east of Outer Crouch Buoy, 1 pob. Casualty refloated without damaged and escorted by lifeboat and Burnham Atlantic 75 to Holliwell Point.

4/12/03: Launch to 14 metre, 70 ton steel trawler Golden Ray, aground on Long Sand Head, 3 pob. Vessel refloated before arrival of lifeboat but drifted along edge of bank with rudder damaged and jammed hard to starboard. Towline passed but vessel proved difficult to tow due to damaged rudder and weather conditions, which caused the casualty to sheer to starboard. Tow broke after some twenty minutes and was reconnected with difficulty as casualty drifted close to Long Sand. Lifeboat only able to tow at 3-4 knots with constant adjustment of engines and helm needed to keep tow under control. When grounding casualty’s rudder had pushed the stern post up, causing some ingress of water, requiring the use of the casualty’s pumps during tow. Harwich Harbour reached at 11:30, but weather conditions and size of casualty prevented lifeboat berthing it at Harwich or Shotley and Levington Marinas. The only place where casualty could be lifted out was at Ipswich, so tow continued up river Orwell, in company with MCA launch Eagle. Ipswich reached at 14:00, but as it was now low water casualty could not be taken into dock and was left on outside pontoon. Lifeboat refuelled at Harwich Lifeboat Station before returning to Walton.

27/9/03 Station Tyne Kenneth THELWELL II returned to station after updating of engine fire control system.