Names of casualties are not quoted in these brief reports.

Port control at Lerwick Port Authority had reported that they thought they had seen the roof of a car in the SE corner of Albert dock on their CCTV cameras. police and coastguard had been informed and at 04:58 the coastguard requested the Lifeboat to be launch. The crew were paged at 05:02 but were stood down at 05:08 when the police who were already on scene could see nothing untoward.

Crew: Bruce Leask, John Sinclair, Brian Laurenson, Stanley Hughson, Robert Stout, Raymond Stewart, Michael Grant.

We were asked to assist the Coastguard coast rescue team recover two children who had been cut off by the incoming tide on rocks at the foot of a cliff. The position was below the 'Widows Homes', which is about one hundred yards from the station. We decided to launch the 'Y' boat from our moored position and it proceeded to the scene and recovered the two boys and a member of the coast rescue team who had been lowered to their position. They were brought back to the small boat harbour, where the Police met them, and the 'Y' boat returned to mother. Everything was secured and we were ready for service again at 1735.

Crew: Bruce Leask, John Sinclair, Ian Leask, Dieter Glaser, Stanley Hughson & Thomas Sinclair.

At 14:26 we were tasked by Shetland Coastguard to go to a small boat with 4 persons on board, which had been reported as being on fire and firing off flares, in a position on the east side of Bressay South of Noss. The fire turned out to be smoke from the flares they were setting off. They had broken down and were on a lee shore but had dropped the anchor and were in no immediate danger. At 14:50 we took them under tow and arrived at the marina in Lerwick at 15:55. We were back in our berth , fueled and ready for service at 16:10

Crew: Bruce Leask, John Sinclair, Ian Leask, Dieter Glaser, Thomas Sinclair, Gareth Geddes and John Best.

The coastguard reported that a young boy had stolen a kayak and was in the harbour just off the point of Victoria Pier, and the police were trying to get him to come in. The Viking replica boat 'Dim Riv' was close by and the police got them to usher the boy ashore by the time the crew had assembled and we were subsequently stood down. The boy ran away when he got to the pier and the 'Dim Riv' picked up the Kayak and took it ashore.

Crew: Bruce Leask, John Sinclair, Ian Leask, Dieter Glaser, Kenny Pearson, Michael Grant, Paul Hughson, Robert Stout, Robert Garrick. Gareth Geddes and John Best.

At 1252 we were asked by Shetland Coastguard to assist in the search for a 79 year old gentleman who and had not been seen since 2200 the previous day, we were asked to carry out a shoreline search from Ulsta to Whale Firth on the west side of Yell. Pagers were set off at 1256 and we left the berth at 1305 and headed north arriving on scene at 1402. We launched the ‘Y’ boat and started a shoreline search North along the coast. At 1540 we recovered the ‘Y’ boat and continued searching from the lifeboat till we reached the entrance to Whale Firth at 1610 at which point we were stood down and told to return to station. We arrived on station at 1730 and were fuelled up and ready for service again at 1755.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Ian Leask, Robert Stout, Neil Clark, Brian Laurenson and John Best.

At 1733 the LOM set off the pagers after being informed that the Minitransat yacht ‘Lilleville' competing in the Bergen Shetland race had informed the Coastguard that they were worried about the state of their boat when the keel and the mast had started to move more than it was designed to. Their position was 28 miles SSE of the Bard. The lifeboat launched at 1740 and proceeded to the area arriving at 1930. Upon arrival at the scene, 4 other yachts were observed in the area and the coastguard tasked us to get sail numbers from each one before we went to the casualty. On arrival at the casualty we fount them sailing under Jib only, and they requested a tow as soon as possible as they were afraid the boat was breaking up. They immediately dropped sail and a tow was connected at 2000 and we started for Lerwick at a speed of 4 knots arriving at 2250. The Lifeboat was back on station, fule'd up and ready for service at 2320.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Ian Leask, Michael Grant, Stanley Hughson John Sinclair and John Best.

At 0724 the Coastguard requested we launch to go to the Minitransat yacht ‘Paradis' which was overdue while taking part in the Bergen - Shetland race. A Nimrod aircraft had spotted them at 0615 in a position 17 miles Se of the Bard Head but could not make contact with them. The pagers were set off at 0728 and we let go at 0738 and headed to the last position. Meanwhile Coastguard rescue 102 had been scrambled to look for them and found them 0950. He could not make contact with them either and we headed for the position, arriving alongside at 1000. We made brief contact with them and were told they intended to sail the rest of the way to Lerwick and did not require assistance. This info was passed on to Shetland Coastguard who requested we escort them all the way to Lerwick. At 1630 as we passed Kirkabister light, the Port Authority picked them up on the harbour radar and we were stood down. We were alongside at 1640 and fuelled up and ready for service again at 1700.

Crew: Bruce Leask, John Sinclair, Kenny Pearson, Paul Hughson, Robert Stout and John Best.

At 1614 the pagers were set off by the LOM, we were informed that a small boat with two persons on board had suffered engine failure and was drifting on to a lee shore in the sands of sound area. At 1620 we left the berth and headed to the scene, arriving at 1633. The boat turned out to be a Tornado R.I.B. We connected a tow and proceeded to the Lerwick marina arriving at 1703. We were back in our berth at 1710 and fuelled up and ready for service at 1730.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Ian Leask, Michael Grant, Stanley Hughson John Sinclair and John Best.

At 2313 we were tasked by Shetland Coastguard to launch the ‘Y' boat to go and pick up a young boy who had stolen a canoe from the small boat harbour and was heading south through the harbour. The ‘Y' boat was under way by 2323 and we were immediately informed that the canoe had capsized. A small leisure boat close by picked up the boy and the canoe and headed in. When the ‘Y' boat rendezvoused with the boat the casualty was transferred to the ‘Y' boat and they proceeded ashore at speed as the boy was slipping in and out of consciousness. On arrival in the small boat harbour the Police and Coastguard Cliff rescue team members carried the boy into the Lifeboat station where he was placed in the recovery position. The on – call doctor then arrived and took over until the ambulance arrived to take the boy to hospital. The ‘Y' boat returned to the Lifeboat and was recovered and secured by 2335.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Ian Leask, Michael Grant, Paul Hughson, John Sinclair and John Best.

At 1236 we were tasked by Shetland Coastguard to go to the assistance of the diving support vessel ‘Valkyrie' with 14 persons on board in a position 5 miles south east of the Sumburgh light, she was taking on water and their pumps were not coping. We left the berth at 1240 and proceeded to the area arriving at 1325. On arrival at the scene the Coastguard helicopter was lifting 240-volt pumps from the Fisheries Research ship 'Scotia' on to the ‘Valkyrie' to assist the pumping. These were subsequently not required as the ‘Valkyrie's own pumps were now coping. We were asked to escort them to Lerwick, arriving at 1700. We were immediately tasked to another incident.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Dieter Glaser, Robert Stout, John Sinclair and John Best.

At 1710 we had just got the ‘Valkyrie' alongside when we were immediately tasked by Shetland Coastguard to go to the assistance of the Swedish Yacht ‘Jaya' with three persons on board in a position 24 miles East South East of the Bard head. The yacht had reported that they had been dismasted and they did not know if the engine would keep running for very long. We arrived alongside her at 1800 and everything looked to be OK, the mast was still standing but they had no sail up and were motoring at 7 knots in the right direction. We asked them if everything was OK and they replied that it was but they were glad to see us and could we stay with them. We escorted them to Lerwick, arriving at 2040. We then found out that their mast step had broken and the mast was on the move. We were back in our berth at 2045 and were ready for service again at 2105.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Dieter Glaser, Robert Stout, John Sinclair and John Best.

At 1214 a request was received by the LOM from the Coastguard to go to the assistance of a yacht somewhere east of Lerwick, which was low on fuel and did not know its position. At 1216 the LOM set off the pagers for a crew assemble to enable the Coastguard to gain some more details and to try and get a more accurate position. The Oil Rig Supply ship ‘Scandi Rona' was nearby and was able to give the Coastguard a position of the casualty and some more details of the Yacht, which turned out to be a 2 masted Schooner ‘Janie Marie' about 60 ft in length with 5 persons on board. They were running out of fuel and were worried about the weather.

At 1232 we were asked to launch by the LOM and were under way by 1235. At 1245 we were given an updated position of the casualty by the Coastguard and preceded to that area. The ‘Scandi Rona' would stand by the casualty until we arrived. On arrival at the casualty at 1412 the ‘Scandi Rona' was stood down and preceded on her way. A towrope was eventually attached at 1500 and we started the tow to Lerwick, arriving at 2040. The casualty was alongside at 2052 and the Lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service at 2103.

Crew: Bruce Leask, Dieter Glaser, Paul Hughson, Stanley Hughson, John Sinclair and John Best.

At 0127 we were tasked by Shetland Coastguard to go to the assistance of the Norwegian yacht ‘Felicitas' with 2 persons on board somewhere south of Lerwick. They had torn their sails and could not get their engine started. At 0145 we left the berth and headed out by south, we heard a rough position from Coastguard Rescue 102 and headed in that direction. At 0220 we requested the yacht to set off a red hand flare to give us a position and at 0225 the flare was spotted and we proceeded to the position. We secured a tow at 0245 and proceeded to Lerwick, at 0350 the tow parted and a new tow was established at 0415 again heading for Lerwick, arriving at 0800. We were back alongside at 0805 and fuelled up and ready for service at 0830.

Crew: Raymond Stewart, Ian Leask, Michael Grant, Robert Stout, John Drummond and Marcus Thomason.

At 1827 we were requested by Shetland Coastguard to go to the assistance of the Yacht ‘Cynara' with three persons on board which was west of the Bressay light with no steering and no power. The LOM activated the crew pagers at 1828 and we left the berth at 1835 and proceeded to the casualty, arriving alongside at 1845. A tow was attached and we proceeded to Lerwick, arriving at 1925. The Lifeboat was back alongside and ready for service again at 1940.

Crew: Bruce Leask , Dieter Glaser, Ian Leask, John Sinclair, Robert Stout and Thomas Sinclair.

At 0315 we were paged by the Lifeboat Operations Manager to launch and go to the assistance of two men in the water in the Albert Dock. On arrival at scene we found two men in the water between the fishing boat Ocean Sovereign and the pier, one man was hanging on to a rope from the vessel and on to the other man who was unable to fend for himself. We launched the ‘Y' boat and it went in between the boat and the pier to recover the men while Coastguard, Police and Fire Service personnel held the boat off the pier. The men were pulled aboard the ‘Y' boat and transferred to the lifeboat, which then transferred them to the Paramedics and Police on the pier for transportation to the hospital. The ‘Y' boat was then recovered and we proceeded back to station, arriving at 0350. The Lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service again at 0400.

Crew: Bruce Leask , Robert Garrick, John Best, John Sinclair, Robert Stout and Marcus Thomason.

At around 1345 Shetland coastguard contacted the LOM to request the launch of the lifeboat to go to the assistance of two fishing boats, the Shemarah II LH 65 and the Valhalla FR 268 aground in Baltasound. The pagers were set off at 1349 and the boat left the berth at 1400. The weather at the time was blowing force 8 SSW with rain showers. The forecast was for the wind to increase and peek at about 1600. The passage north was a bit of a sleigh ride with the wind and the sea building all the time, by the time we were north of Fetlar the wind was storm force 10 with a 5 m breaking sea. Boat speed was reaching in excess of 30 knots as we surfed down the back of a sea to 10 knots as we climbed the face of the next. During the passage we heard from coastguard VHF transmissions with their local rescue team that the Shemarah had broken her mooring lines in the severe conditions and had been driven ashore on a sandbank to the east of the Baltasound pier, also the Valhalla had tried to assist and tow her off but had wound up in the process, severly damaging her gearbox, at which point she was also driven ashore. The local fishing boat Allison Kay LK57 managed to get a line to the Valhalla and she then successfully pulled her off and assisted her alongside. Allison Kay LK57 then tried to tow the Shemarah off but this attempt failed and the tow released. We arrived in Baltasound at 1547 as the Allison Kay LK57 was making a second attempt by securely tying herself to the point of the pier and with the assistance of a small local lobster boat passed one of her trawl wires to the Shemarah and was trying to move her by winching in.

We were requested to stand by as the winching attempt went ahead, but again this failed to shift her. We then passed a tow to the Shemarah at 1607, the tow was secured at 1610 and we started to pull along with the Allison Kay. At 1616 together we were successful in pulling her off and assisted her alongside the Allison Kay where she was made secure. The tow was released and we had retrieved the rope by 1626. We were recording wind speeds of a steady 60+ knots with gusts over 70 knots during the period of the towing operations, and with the visibility due to driving sea spray such that we could hardly see the casualty at the end of the tow rope.

With the conditions and forecast being what they were at the time we decided to remain in Baltasound until the wind either moderated or changed direction, and with severity of the conditions and the quantity of boats alongside the pier, no berth was available and it was decided not to try and moor up to another vessel, we therefore lay off and dodged in Baltasound. At 1742 when it was felt the wind had changed in direction enough to give some shelter from the land during the passage back to Lerwick. The passage back was somewhat hazardous and slow due to the high seas with the speed having to be reduced to 8 knots at times. We arrived back in our berth at 2050 and were fuelled up and ready for service again at 2115.

Crew: Bruce Leask , Robert Garrick, John Best, Ian Leask, John Drummond and Marcus Thomason.

At 1151 the LOM received a request from Shetland Coastguard to launch the Lifeboat to go and search an area between the Knab and Bressay as they had received a report of a flare in the area, they had also had a separate report of two children in a small boat in difficulty in the same area. The crew were paged at 1154 and we launched at 1200. We conducted a thorough search of the area using our ‘Y' boat to search close inshore while we searched an area from a line between the Ness Of Sound and Kirkabister light to Twageos light. Nothing was found and we were stood down at 1310, returning to the berth at 1322 and the boat was fuelled and ready for service again at 1330.

Crew: Bruce Leask , Robert Garrick, Gareth Geddes, Ian Leask, Robert Stout and Marcus Thomason.