30/09/2006

Making the Seas a Safer place in Summer 2006

The large numbers of people visiting the Islands of Roaring Water Bay and the steady increase in the use of pleasure craft in the area combined to make 2006 a very busy Summer for Baltimore Lifeboat. During an eleven-day period at the beginning of August the Lifeboat launched seven times. On both August 8th and 10th we had two services recorded in the same 24-hour period. Three of the seven launches were to assist the medical services in evacuating casualties from Sherkin and Cape Clear Islands. One service was to transport a Fire Brigade team to Heir Island to fight a gorse fire. The remainder of services were to assist small craft in distress. The volunteer crew continued to respond quickly and efficiently in spite the extra demands on their time. Many are involved in local businesses and services to the tourist industry and are in the midst of their busiest season. Experienced hands and new recruits alike joined forces to maintain a first class service throughout.

The towering presence of the Fastnet Rock and its lighthouse draws yachtsmen and professional mariners alike to the seas off Baltimore. The lifeboat launched at 4.30pm on August 15th, to go to the assistance of a yacht in distress 11 miles south of the harbour. The two man crew of the British racing yacht "Man of all Seasons" sent out a Mayday after hitting a submerged object which damaged the rudder and stern of the vessel and caused it to start taking water. The Irish Naval vessel LE Ciara was first on scene and two of their crew boarded the yacht with a salvage pump. The lifeboat arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and also put a crewman on board. The lifeboat towed the yacht back to the safety of Baltimore Harbour. The yacht was one of six, racing from Plymouth around the Fastnet and back. Four of the yachts had already pulled out due to bad weather. The yacht was running under spinnaker in a 25 knot Westerly wind when she hit the submerged object. The final entry in the race cruised on blissfully unaware that he was the only remaining entry and needed only to get home to win the race!

The typical Lifeboat call keeps the boat at sea for 2-3 hours and often in relatively fine weather conditions or in the lee of the islands. On September 18th however the Hilda Jarret was launched at 1335 in Westerly winds approaching gale force to proceed to the assistance of a converted fishing vessel, the ‘Kiloran’ in a position about 40’ South South-east of Baltimore. After a tough three-hour passage out in a beam sea, the vessel in distress was located with the help of the Coastguard fixed wing spotter plane. The Kiloran was adrift without engine power with 2 persons on board. The crew of the Lifeboat passed a line and so began a long gruelling tow back to Baltimore. With wind and sea again on the beam the towing speed was only 5 knots and the Lifeboat rolled heavily in the Westerly swell. It proved a test of endurance for both the boat and her crew but the casualty was brought to safety in Baltimore harbour by about 0130 the following morning. One or two of the staunchest crewmembers had managed to brew a cup of soup on passage in spite of the severe conditions but it was a tired and hungry crew that finally stepped ashore at the pier. In a great show of solidarity, more volunteer crew turned out to take the boat back to the slip and recover her into the boathouse ready for the next call.

Lifeboat operations will continue routinely this Winter with regular training and visits from our Assessor, Martin Agnew. We have crew attending training courses and conferences and expect the usual round of visits from RNLI staff. Our reward for this time and effort is lives saved but it would not happen without the continued support of our seaside Community. Thank you to all our Supporters.

Eoin Ryan

Lifeboat Training Coordinator

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