Crosshaven Lifeboat Crew awarded Thanks on Vellum

On 27 October 2005, RNLI Crosshaven’s Atlantic 75 class lifeboat (RNLB Rotaract 1 – on station relief duty) was launched following reports of a surfer in difficulty in Fennel’s Bay, southwest of Crosshaven. Whilst en route to Fennell’s Bay in a force 8 gale with a 5 metre swell in Cork Harbour’s approach channel, Helmsman Aidan O’Connor had to continually tack across breaking seas. Although visibility was good the height of the waves made it difficult for the crew to see anything and they plotted their route with great skill and care to prevent capsize and to clear the dangerous swells. When the lifeboat crew sighted the surfer he was extremely fatigued and laying face down on his board 30 metres away from the lifeboat and in danger of being swept onto rocks. Waiting for a large approaching wave, Helmsman Aidan O’Connor brought the lifeboat inshore towards the casualty and his two fellow crewmembers threw the surfer a line. After pulling the casualty onto the lifeboat Aidan once again used the power of the waves to take the lifeboat out of danger and clear of the surfline. The surfer was suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia and the lifeboat crew placed him in a survivor’s lifejacket and thermal blanket. He was then taken by the lifeboat to the safety of Crosshaven. Crosshaven Helmsman Aidan O’Connor will receive the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum for his superior command and boathandling and crewmembers Bernard Lynch (39) and Mark Bushe (38) will each receive vellum service certificates for their role in rescuing the lone surfer.