Port St Mary Lifeboat Services - 2007

This year the All Weather Lifeboat was been tasked 13 times and the crew crew assembled 3 times

The ILB was tasked 5 times ( 2 of which was with the ALB)

DATE

  

NATURE OF INCIDENT
15
24 Dec
 ILB 12:25 UTC: Liverpool Coastguard received reports of a swimmer in difficulty of Scarlett. The crew was assembled and the ILB was launched; it was then confirmed that the swimmer was practicing for a New Years Day dip and was in no difficulty so the ILB was stood down.

 

14

 

 21 Oct ALB + ILB 17:19 BST ILB and ALB crew paged after a 999 call that a kite surfer was in difficulties half way between Cartre Perch, Gansey point and the Carrick Rock. With poor light both lifeboats were quickly underway with the ILB searching Cartre towards the Carrick whilst the ALB steamed nor- eastwards across Gansey Bay towards Fishers Hill / Poyll Ritchie. Port Erin Coastguard mobile was also tasked and soon established that the kitesurfer had managed to get ashore on the shingle beach opposite the Shore Hotel. Once it was confirmed that the man was OK and no others were involved the ALB was released . The ILB did a short search for the mans wake board from which he had become detached but it wasn't found ( the kitesurfer had used his kite to body surf back to the beach after becoming detached from his board mid way between the Carrick Rock and the shore). ILB & ALB were ready for service by approx. 18:00. Weather cloudy, wind S 4 to 5
13 17 Oct ALB PSM ALB launched 15:55 BST to 30 foot long creel fishing vessel Aquarian Star, N511, with 2 persons on board taking on water in a position approx 9.5 miles WSW of Calf of Man. Irish rescue helicopter R166 which was already in the air also proceeded and Port Erin Lifeboat was also launched.

Irish helicopter R166 was first on scene with PSM lifeboat, Gough Ritchie II arriving at 16:25. Fishing vessel reported that they had the ingress of water under control and they proceeded at full speed for PSM with PSM lifeboat in escort. Port Erin lifeboat arrived at 16:35 and RAF helicopter R122 from Valley was on route after being tasked to take over from the Irish helicopter (which was wanting to go for fuel). Since the MFV's skipper was happy things were under control Port Erin lifeboat and both helicopters were released and PSM lifeboat remained in escort. However at approx. 17:00 the fishing vessel brokedown. A tow line was quickly passed and the boat towed to Port St Mary. MFV and lifeboat arrived at PSM breakwater at 18:15 without further event. Weather fine, wind NNW force 3.

 

12

 

 18 Sept ALB + ILB 21:43 BST crew paged when the 40-foot yacht, "Still Smiling" from Conway, ran aground at Gansey Point with two people on board. The yachts propellor had been fouled when a rope fell overboard whilst furling sail in preparation for coming into harbour. The yachts crew attempted to anchor, but it did not hold in the strong winds and the yacht continued dragging anchor until they ran ashore on the rocky point.

The inshore lifeboat (ILB) was launched to assess the situation, take people off if necessary and to assist the ALB with any attempt to tow the yacht off. The tide was still ebbing slightly. After the ILB crew checked that no crew were injured and as the yacht was not taking water an ILB crewman was transferred to the yacht to assist in taking down sail and preparing for a tow line. The ILB then ran a tow rope between the lifeboat and the yacht; which was towed stern-first off the rocks on a second attempt. Some slight damage was sustained to ILB with a VHF aerial and navigation light mast being broke when in proximity to the heaving stern of the yacht.

The ALB towed the yacht stern first across the outer harbour and then parallel with the Alfred pier; when about 10 feet off the breakwater wall the ILB was used to nudged it alongside. Both the ALB and ILB ready for service again at 23:00 BST. Weather WSW 6, viz fair, drizzle.
  14 Sept ALB

02:24 BST Crew paged and proceed to assemble and bring ALB to readiness on moorings after reports of a yacht aground close to Port Erin. Port Erin Lifeboat having already launched to assist. PSM ALB stood down at 02:37 BST when it was confirmed the yacht was high and dry and the crew safe.

Port Erin lifeboat and coastguard team were both called out to the assistance of the yacht, Windswept, with 3 crew on board. The vessel had sailed into Port Erin from Ardglass, County Down, and was due to continue to Holyhead the next day. The yacht broke its mooring at high tide and ran aground near the Cosy Nook cafe, Port Erin bay. The crew then issued a mayday which was picked up by Liverpool Coastguard. A coastguard cliff rescue team assisted in bringing the three crew members ashore while the lifeboat stood by. Port Erin lifeboat couldn't reach the yacht has the tide had fallen back and so stood by whilst the yachts crew scrambled to the beach and were then led to safety by the Coastguard cliff rescue team (as the yacht was trapped in a small bay).

11
15 Aug
 ILB 17:55 BST ILB crew paged to launch and investigate sightings of a small dingy drfiting offshore from PSM Breakwater. The Harbour keeper had seen the dingy approx. 1/2 mile south of the breakwater at 17:20 BST; apparently empty. Port Erin Coastguard was tasked to investigate and confirmed a dingy apparently empty 1 or 2 miles off the breakwater by the time they arrived. The ILB launched at 16:03 BST and was conned by VHF radio to a position it had been last seen but by then the dingy had also been lost from sight. Nothing was immediately seen. Confirmation from a local angling boat and intermitent sightings by Coastguards and lifeboat crew ashore using binoculars of what appeared to be the bow of a now partially submerged dingy meant the ILB continued to search downwind and further offshore , eventually getting some 4.5 miles from PSM before turning back and conducting a zig zag search towards Kallow Point. Nothing was found. With no reports of anyone missing the search was stood down and the ILB returned to station by 19:30 BST. Weather Wind NW4 gusting 5, viz. v. good, weather fine.
10 11 Aug ALB 22:45 BST ALB launched to aid catamaran "Paradise City" with 3 persons on board on passage from Fleetwood to Ireland. They reporting engine problems some 16 miles SSW of Port St Mary. Rendezous with the catamaran was made some 13 miles SSW from PSM (approx. 8 miles due south of Langness point) . Engine had parted its engine mountings and crew were unsure of entry to PSM. In view of prevailing spring tide and wind conditions it was decided for the catamaran to run before the wind (and with the tide) towards Douglas with the lifeboat in escort. Arrived at Douglas at 2 am on 12 Aug and escorted the vessel to berth at south Edward pier. Arrived back on station 45 minutes later.
9 28 Jul ALB 13:50 BST Station ALB 14-26. Called to the aid of a 33 foot long charter angling boat, "Persevere", PL144, with 8 persons on board adrift in Derbyhaven bay. The boat was quickly located and taken in tow back to Port St Mary without further incident. Arrived at PSM breakwater at approx. 15:15 BST to the mild consternation of a number of sea anglers who were competing in a pier competition (part of an angling festival week) and were affected by the angling boat strapped to the side of the lifeboat manoeuvring at the end of the breakwater.The angling boat had run out of fuel and was able to return to their home port of Douglas once refuelled. Wind SW4 , Weather fine , viz. very good
8 27 Jul ALB 10:30 BST ALB crew paged. The 90 foot long Northen Irish trawler, "Arcane", N207 was adrift some 20 miles to the SSW of Port St Mary having fouled its propellor when hauling their trawl net. The trawler had been adrift since 08:30 that morning and had been unable to arrange a tug and there were no other trawlers nearby. After discussion with the station Ops manager and the coxn it was agreed that the lifeboat would proceed at take the vessel in tow. Station lifeboat 14-26, "Gough Ritchie II" slipped mornings at 10:50 and arrived at the trawler at noon(14-26 had returned from refit a week before; some of the crew were away having taken 14-21 to Silvers yard, opposite Helensburgh ) . A tow line was passed without incident and the trawler towed to Port St Mary. Passage back taking a little over four hours. The only concern was arriving at harbour at spring low water with a trawler drawing 14 feet depth and leaving about 3 feet of water under its keel when being guided to the breakwater. A diver was arranged and cleared the net from the prop quickly; the trawler went back to sea at about 17:00 BST. Wind SW4 , Weather fine , viz. very good
7 5 July ALB 17:48 BST 25 foot yacht Why Not with 5 persons on board declared a mayday on VHF radio whilst rounding the southern tip of Langness. Whilst making fast passage from Douglas to Port St Mary in rough seas the yachts' helmsman had been washed overboard. When he was knocked out of the boat, he had for a short time managed to hold on to the tiller handle but it snapped before the crew could assist him back in. The remaining crew promptly and skillfully managed to turn the yacht round and execute a prompt recovery of the man overboard. The ALB slipped its moorings by 17:55 BST and quickly met up with the yacht which had managed to run down wind on the jib sail alone with the rudder being held bodily in place for some steerage. Whilst the yacht sailed to the outer harbour the ALB returned to moorings so that the boarding boat could be used to assist or maneuver the yacht at some deepwater moorings if required. By 18:30 BST the yacht was secured to a mooring, the ALB was stood down and both the yachts crew and lifeboat crews shuttled back ashore. Wind SE 6-7 , Weather rain, low cloud and poor viz.
6 4 July ALB 22:45 BST a 14 foot long ski boat with 3 persons on board suffered outboard engine failure after an evening of drift fishing to the north of Derbyhaven bay. The occupants had no anchor, radio, flares or paddles and had made a 999 call using a mobile phone. Given some uncertainty as to whether the boat was to the south of Santon head or to the north (and much closer to Douglas), Douglas lifeboat was also launched. The relief ALB "Macquarie", slipped moorings at 22:55 BST. Liverpool Coastguard passed on the mobile phone number to the ALB and once off Fort Island, Langness the casualty was contacted by mobile phone, this lead to the ALB proceeding to close inshore Santon Gorge and searching northward with a search light. A small light was spotted and it was confirmed by the casualty that they were in the beam of the lifeboats searchlight. At approx. 23:30 BST the boat was located just north of Santon Head; at the same time as Douglas lifeboat started to search the middle of Port Soderick Bay using white parachute flares for illumination. It was establish the crew were well, from Castletown and PSM but that the boat was out of fuel. The 3 crew transferred to PSM ALB and a tow was established initially for Castletown; Douglas ALB were released back to their station. However, because of the timing of the spring tide it was determined that there was too little tide to safely enter Castletown and so the ski boat was taken all the way back to Port St Mary. Wind NW3 ,Weather fair, viz. good
30 June   21:50 BST Lifeboat requested to assist a ketch 1 mile south of Port St Mary. Ketch arrived safely back in harbour at the same time as the crew were assembling and thus they were stood down. Wind S4 , Weather drizzle , poor viz
5 28 June ALB

18:05 BST: Relief lifeboat 14-21, "Macquarie", launched to assist an injured yachtswoman on the Norwegian yacht "Mou", some 12 miles south of Port St Mary [Photos and full details]. Weather SSW 6-7, rain showers, seas 3 metres.

4 9 June ALB

10:20 BST: Relief lifeboat 14-21, "Macquarie" launched to locate and recover a 25 foot long motorboat, "Miss Brill", with 2 persons on board that had suffered engine failure approximately 18 miles SSW of the Island. The previous evening the boat had been on passage from Douglas to the Dublin bay area when they had suffered a fuel pump failure; her crew had contacted the Coastguard and had been content to drift through the night as the weather was so good. The boat was located some 5 miles further south than initially indicated and without further event was towed back to Port St Mary; arriving back at 14:30 BST after a three hour long tow. Weather fine, winds calm, viz - very hazy
3
23 May
 

Service performed by Mechanic and 2nd Coxn using the stations boarding boat rather than the ILB:

Appr 1400 BST a lady came to the boathouse saying her husband's boat was broken down and anchored near the breakwater (Alfred Pier) with 2 POB and she was a bit worried. The boat could be seen anchored off Carthure Perch, so launched the boarding-boat instead of ILB at 1405. Arrived a couple of minutes later, towed the boat upwind to release the anchor, which had a good grip, then towed him to the Yacht Club slip, where he had left his trailer, arriving 1412. It transpired that the small outboard had spluttered and died due to lack of fuel..

2 28 Apr ALB 08:50 BST: Local lobster pot boat "Whiskey Galore" contacts Liverpool Coastguard after suffering gearbox failure [Photos and full details]. Weather fine; wind 2-3
18 Apr   17:27BST Crew paged by Liverpool Coastguard. A Eastern Airways Jetstream on approach to Ronaldsway reported a possible under carriage failure. A full emergency was declared with fire brigade and police in attendance. The lifeboat crew assembled and the lifeboat brought to immediate readiness at her berth (engines and electronics started).The aeroplane landed safely and all non airport emergency crews including the lifeboat then stood down.
1 23 March ALB

14:56 Crew paged. Small open boat with two adults on board had suffered engine failure and had been forced to anchor very close in shore at Martha gullet, Langness. ALB was quickly on scene and the boat towed clear of the shore. Weather fine ; wind E2

Last updated 13 Feb 2011