Launches 2005
8th November 2005
The crew were called away from their regular training exercise to handle an emergency call, when Falmouth Coastguard tasked the lifeboat to go to the assistance of a 44ft motor yacht. The 'RIONNAG' with two persons on board suffered complete engine failure 10 miles North off Padstow. The vessel, had set out from Lundy earlier in the day, were it had been sheltering for the past 3 days due to bad weather. The lifeboat took the yacht in tow and brought her back into Padstow at 10.45pm.
22nd October 2005
Just before 8am the crew were summoned to launch again to assist the same 20 metre fishing boat they had assisted on the 20th. She had not gone too far when once again her gearbox failed. The lifeboat took her in tow and at 8.50 returned her to Padstow Harbour. By 9.40 the James Burrough was safely back in the boathouse and having her customary wash down and polish.
22nd October 2005
(No not a misprint, we really did get two shouts in one day.) The James Burrough was hardly dry before the pagers went off again. This time it was to a fellow crew member, Brian Bate, whose fishing boat had a fouled propeller. Despite his best efforts he could not free the ropes and as such knew that the best thing to do was to summon help. As such, and to avoid a possible accident or even worse loss of life, he reluctantly contacted Falmouth Coastguards. Luckily Brian's boat was not too far away and following launch at 13.38 we were alongside him by 14.02. A tow was undertaken and the lifeboat proceeded towards the Brian's store pots. All ended well, two Lifeboat crew managed to remove the ropes and Brian was able to return to port on his own. The James Burrough was released back to station arriving there at 16.01. Another wash down and polish by the crew and she was left to rest after her busy day.
20th October 2005
At 13.34 the James Burrough launched to the assistance of a 20 metre fishing boat with gearbox failure. She was 12 miles north of Padstow with 7 persons onboard. We got to her at 14.23 and having taken her in tow the lifeboat took her safely into Padstow Harbour. Once released from service the lifeboat went back to station arriving there at 20.10.
14th October 2005
At 14:25 the pagers sounded. Coxswain, Alan Tarby and Mechanic, Mike England were at the boathouse with the Operations Manager, Michael Walker. They all immediately sprang into action, even the Operations Manager who was a crew member for 14 years until March 2000. The boathouse doors swung open, the engines were made ready. Alan and Mike donned their wet weather gear and the James Burrough was taken off her preventer chain ready to launch. We had heard that someone had reported seeing a HobbyCat upside down in the sea off Pentire Point. He reported seeing two persons sitting on the upturned hull and one in the water. He then lost sight of the boat as it rounded the point. Meanwhile Falmouth Coastguard also tasked a helicopter to go to the scene. The Crew soon appeared and came running down the steps to the boathouse. Knowing that people were in the water Alan soon had his crew aboard and the James Burrough was launched from inside the boathouse without delay. Within fifteen minutes the lifeboat was on scene but no upturned boat could be seen. A HobbyCat had been spotted in Port Isaac Bay with three persons onboard, could this be our casualty? The lifeboat followed on and located the HobbyCat, yes indeed it was our casualty. Apparently they had capsized but were able to right themselves again and had proceeded on their way quite oblivious of the lifeboat being launched to assist them. All was well and credit to the member of the public onshore who had summoned help to what could have been a fatal incident. Good intent is never criticized and once the crew knew everyone was safe the lifeboat made her way back to station.
4th October 2005
A local fishing boat was experiencing problems with her engine overheating. A fellow fisherman from Port Isaac had gone to her assistance and was towing the casualty towards Padstow. Unfortunately this boat was running low on fuel and as such we were tasked at 15.55 to launch to their assistance. Coxswain Alan Tarby and Mechanic Mike England were already on duty at the station and with them was our Deputy District Inspector, Tom Mansell. Well Tom was soon amongst those going aboard for the launch and at 16.08 the James Burrough hit the water and was on her way to the casualty. It was a good day, the sea was calm and within the hour we were taking the tow. All safely secured we returned to Padstow where the fishing boat was berthed safely alongside. We then returned to the station arriving back at 20:30 . Each station does have routine Inspectors exercises but on this occasion the DDI had first hand experience of the Padstow Crew in action on a real shout.
21st September 2005
18.00 hours, Wednesday night, routine exercise planned. It was a dismal drizzling night with a calm sea and a SE wind force 1-2. The crew put on their gear and the boat was launched to sea. All was proceeding to plan when at 19.10 it came over the radio that the coastguards had been alerted to a possible male adult in the sea between Pentire Point and Trevan Point. Clothes had been found on the cliffs and a helicopter was helping with a search of the area. We were all tasked to help and the lifeboat also searched the area around the Mouls. At 20.55 with nothing having been found Falmouth Coastguard cleared us to return to station.
19th July 2005
Sometimes common sense requires us to go to the aid of someone at sea. Just before midday a skipper on his 5.5 metre yacht contacted Falmouth Coastguards asking for advice. Radio reception was poor and the skipper was unsure of his position, added to this he was running low on fuel for the outboard engine. Falmouth alerted us and we managed to get a bearing on the radio transmission from the Trevose Head aerial. Padstow Lifeboat was launched to go to his aid. We located one yacht but this was not our casualty we then received information from Boscastle NCI lookout that they had spotted a yacht bearing towards them; this was the yacht we were looking for. The skipper had again spoken to the coastguards and asked if we could escort him to Padstow. When we got to him he was quite close to a lee shore and as such we decided to put crew member James Chown aboard and take the yacht in tow. Slowly towing him we made way for Padstow and at 18.50 we moored him safely in the harbour.The skipper alerting the coastguard early on of difficulties meant that an incident was averted.
14th June 2005
At just before 1am the pagers went off waking the Padstow Lifeboat crew from their summer night slumbers. A yacht was making its way to Padstow but had a broken fore stay. The skipper was feeling unwell and his wife was using the engine to make way for Padstow. Safety said to go and make sure all was well and escort the casualty into Padstow over the Doom Bar. Within half an hour we were alongside and making our way back to Padstow. Safely moored and feeling much better we left the couple on board the yacht and made our way back to station. Just after 3am the crew made their way back to their beds, another service performed and alls well. 2nd June 2005 The RNLI run a safety checking system CPRS whereby boats register and are monitored by a system of polls. Just after 8am on June 2nd the RNLI notified Falmouth coastguard that a fishing vessel from Newquay had missed its pole. Falmouth immediately contacted the Padstow Lifeboat duty launching authority and the crew were paged. Meanwhile the coastguards tried to contact the skipper and managed to raise him on the radio. It transpired that all was well and the problem had arisen due to a fault in his equipment. The launching authority was notified and he cancelled the launch.
19th April 2005
It was at 16:23 on a drizzly April day that Falmouth coastguards received a call for help from a yacht with 4 persons onboard. The skipper was suffering from an acute asthma attack and as such needed assistance. We launched at 16:40 and reached the casualty at 17:30. On arrival two crew members, Kevin Briggs and Mike Smith, went aboard the yacht to administer first aid and give oxygen. Meanwhile a helicopter had been alerted and was on its way to help. Once the skipper's condition was stable he was transferred to the lifeboat ready for lifting to the helicopter. Our crewmen stayed aboard the yacht to assist bringing her back to Padstow. Once the skipper was safely aboard the helicopter, we too retuned to station, arriving back at 21:45
26th March 2005
Well Easter was upon us, the sun was shining and it was more like a Summer's day in Padstow. Visitors were out in force and instinct told us that we might be needed.… We were not wrong…. The Operations Manager set the pagers off at 14:12 on Easter Saturday and the crew immediately responded and made their way towards the boathouse. Falmouth coastguard had received a report of someone in difficulties in the water at Treyarnon Bay. Some 10 minutes later, on the way to the boathouse, the crew were told that the casualty had been safely helped to shore by a member of the public and as such we were not required to launch. As always the crew did not mind being called to stand down when it meant that the casualty was safe and well. 19th February 2005 Nearly three months had gone by without a shout and we wondered if the Padstow Lifeboat had been forgotten! Then at 16:45 the call came to launch to the assistance of a 23 metre fishing vessel. She had suffered engine failure and there were no other vessels in the area who could go to her aid. There was a fresh Northerly wind that day and this, along with the small neap tide, meant that it was not possible for us to tow her into Padstow. The closest safe harbour was Newlyn and as such it was agreed that we should tow the casualty towards Lands End where the Sennen Cove Lifeboat would take over and complete the journey into Newlyn. On reaching the fishing boat the lifeboat crew passed two tow ropes aboard and at 17:29 the long tow commenced. The Sennen Lifeboat launched at 21.00 and met up with the Padstow Lifeboat 7 miles north of Pendeen where the tow was successfully transferred. With this safely accomplished the Padstow Lifeboat started to make her was back to the boathouse arriving there at 00:15, some seven and a half hours after launching.