Buckie Lifeboat assists yacht aground in Lossiemouth harbour channel

Arriving on scene, deputy coxswain Stuart Taylor established that the yacht’s crew were not in immediate danger but that the tide was low and still falling, meaning the all-weather lifeboat William Blannin could not enter the channel to offer direct assistance.

The lifeboat’s inflatable Y-boat was launched and approached the yacht to assist by setting lines to stabilise her while waiting for the rising tide.

Deputy coxswain Stuart Taylor said: “The yacht was well equipped; the crew of two adults, three children and a dog were all wearing lifejackets, and the skipper had a detailed passage plan in place. He was simply unfortunate to be caught out by a sand bar in the harbour entrance.”

After discussion with the yacht skipper, four crew and the dog were brought ashore by the Y-boat, leaving only the skipper on board. As the tide rose, he was joined by two members of the lifeboat’s volunteer crew to assist him as the yacht refloated, then to manoeuvre her out into open water to wait for sufficient water depth over the sand bar, and to help him in bringing his vessel alongside in the marina. Assistance was also rendered by members of Burghead Coastguard Rescue Team ashore.

This was a service marked by patience rather than drama, but nonetheless appreciated by the yacht skipper. The Y-boat was recovered and RNLB William Blannin was back on her berth in Buckie, refuelled and ready for next service, by 10.25pm.

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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