Within 25 minutes the lifeboat was on scene and the crew could see that the yacht, “Sagamore”, a local vessel, was well and truly stuck on the rock and heeling at an angle of approximately 40 degrees. To make matters worse the tide was on the ebb and wouldn’t turn for another two or more hours. The Cox’n made the decision to launch the “Y” boat, a small Rigid Inflatable (RIB) which all Severn Class Lifeboats carry, to take the crew off the yacht and bring them to safety on the lifeboat. With the crew safe an assessment could then be made as to what should be the next move.

With the tide still falling, and another two hours before it turned the lifeboat moved into deeper water and anchored to wait for the tide to start rising, whilst holding a line to the yacht to prevent her from moving any further. At approximately 03.30 the Cox’n decided there would soon be enough water to float the yacht off the rocks. They managed to achieve this about 04.00 then brought the relatively undamaged yacht and her grateful crew back into Pendennis Marina in Falmouth harbour, arriving at 05.00.

The lifeboat was then readied for further service and the crew retired to their homes at about 05.30.

• Notes to editor
• The crew for this service were: Mark Pollard (Cox’n); John Blakeston; Alan Rowe; Andrew Jenkins; Nick Lewis; Andrew Angove and Alistair Heane.