The Pilots of Penzance
Call to Coastguard, Motor Schooner Benedict in distress, received at 19.18.
Eight souls on board.
Lost engine power.
Gale Force Eight.
Mainsail shredded.
Taking on water.
Listing heavily.
Position, approx. 1 nautical mile East of Wolf Rock.
RNAS Culdrose Air Sea Rescue helicopter GB CUL2 scrambled and airborne at 19.21.
Maroons deployed over Penzance harbour at 19.22.
Pager messages transmitted at 19.23.
Lifeboat launch crew onsite and ready to launch, 19.31.
Volunteer crew, Boots cashier Patty Mayfield, apprentice carpenter Dave McLure, car mechanic Pete Wishart, teacher Mark Willow, baker Paul Weldrake, trawlermen Sam and Thomas Stafford first to arrive at RNLI Penzance boathouse, and onboard ready for launch at 19.32.
Penzance lifeboat Donna-Marie successfully launched at 19.33. Local seas, moderate. Atlantic seas, heavy. Time to search area, 35 minutes.
Ambulances on site at 19.38 and 19.39.
Launch crew prepared boathouse for boat recovery, completed at 19.48.
Donna-Marie arrived at search area, approx. 1 nautical mile East of Wolf Rock lighthouse, 20.08.
Contact with Trinity House, Wolf Rock lighthouse, confirmed no sightings of vessel in distress. Search pattern Box 1 commenced. Contact established with GB CUL2, 20.09.
Stricken vessel sighted by GB CUL2, 20,37. Lat and Long transmitted to Donna-Marie, 20.38.
Lifeboat alongside MS Benedict, all crew taken aboard Donna-Marie, 21.01.
Towline to MS Benedict made fast, 21.15.
Donna-Marie and vessel under tow, 21.17.
Donna-Marie with vessel under tow entered Penzance outer harbour, 22.12.
Towline slipped at 22.15. MS Benedict taken to ship-right’s dock for salvage via swing-bridge under local tow.
Lifeboat recovery to boathouse completed, 22.33
MS Benedict crew transfer to ambulances completed, 22.44.
Casualties; four minor. Two exposure, one broken clavicle, one scalp laceration. All eight crew taken to Penzance Royal for checkups and treatment as required.
Donna-Marie declared ready for re-launch as required, 22.46.
Boat and launch crew discharged, 22.47.
Police Seargeant Carl Mayfield entered the taproom of the Penzance Pilot on the corner of the inner harbour at 23.43, thirty-three minutes after drinking up time finished, and forty three minutes after licencing hours finished, after which the sale and consumption of alcohol was illegal.
Looking around the bar he saw about a dozen people still drinking at tables spread across the room. At the bar were the seven crew of the lifeboat. In front of them were five pints of St Austell ales, one (double) gin and tonic, one (double) Southern Comfort and lemonade, and in front of seventeen-year-old Dave McClure sat an empty glass and an unopened bottle of Kopparberg non-alcoholic pear cider.
Looking at the RNLI Cox’n he asked, “How’d 'er go?”
Patty replied, “Eight souls saved. No loss of life.”
Carl nodded, then headed back the way he had come, tripping the latch on the door as he went so that it would lock behind him.
“Looks like a perfectly lawful lock-in to me,” he said as the door closed behind him as he disappeared into the night.
The barmen took the bottle of Kopparberg from in front of Dave McClure and replaced it with a flagon of Coates Tripple Vintage cider. 6.5% abv, and strong enough to blow your socks off.
Looking at the lifeboat Cox he said, “That husband of yours be a good man.”
“Aye,” said Patty, “that he is, and when I’m sober enough to show him, e’ll know it as well.”