The volunteer crew of Rhyl’s RNLI all-weather lifeboat, Lil Cunningham, were called out at 11.03 yesterday (Thursday 12 August), after Holyhead Coastguard received 999 calls stating a small yacht, Sarah 2, was making little or no progress in a fairly rough sea and high winds off Abergele.
The yachtsman had started off from Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey in the early hours, but was hardly making any headway in the poor conditions. The lifeboat, under Coxswain Martin Jones’ first command, went alongside the vessel. The single occupant was very tired, and it was agreed the lifeboat crew would escort the vessel to its destination of Rhyl harbour.
The two boats waited outside the harbour entrance for about an hour, until the tide started ebbing, and conditions moderated enough to attempt a passage to the harbour.
This was completed and the lifeboat crew checked the man and his boat were safe on a mooring. The lifeboat returned to station at 14.48.
