The highlight of 2009 for the Oban RNLI Lifeboat station and for the crew was the publication of Willie Melville’s book: ‘The Story of Oban Lifeboat’. This went on to become the bestseller of the year in the Oban branch of Waterstone’s book shop.

Then, on 3rd of August, the crew had the honour of inroducing Van Harris Wilson to the world – the 4th baby born on the Lifeboat and the first boy.

Life has been getting very slightly quieter over the last three years for the crew of the Lifeboat, Mora Edith Macdonald.

In 2007 she had 57 shouts. In 2008 it was 55. In 2009 it was 51.

2009′s 51 calls broke down into:

• 12 Medical Evacuations
• 8 Vessels aground
• 7 Engine failures
• 5 Vessels in trouble
• 4 Vessels making water
• 4 Diving incidents
• 3 Red flare reports
• 2 Missing persons
• 2 Canoeists
• 1 Fatalities (2)
• 1 Person in water
• 1 Vessel overdue
• 1 Vessel on fire

The boat may have had four fewer shouts in 2009  but it wasn’t an easy year. As we reported at the time, three divers died within the space of a week in May, through accidents in the Sound of Mull.

The boat that caught fire on 1st September was the Bold Explorer,  on her way to attempt the North West Passage. The last shout of the year was to a cargo ship aground at the entrance to the Corryvreckan, although mercifully it was quiet enough at the time. The skipper of that boat, MV Fingal, was arrested for being drunk and endangering his ship when the boat was escorted back to Oban, to anchor off Kerrera.

And at the end of August the boat launched to the rescue of a group of winkle pickers on Inverscaddle beach inside the Corran Narrows, one of whom had got stuck in the mud – and on the way back to station from this shout,they came across an upturned sailing dinghy in trouble in Cuil Bay, Duror.

The Chairman, Operations Manager, Coxswain and Crew of the Lifeboat wish to thank everyone for their continued support throughout 2009.

Note 1: Willie Melville’s book, The Story of Oban Lifeboat, can be bought in person from the Lifeboat station at Oban’s South Pier, by post from Willie Melville himself, on line from Amazon and of course from Waterstone’s in Oban. All proceeds go to the RNLI for the Oban Lifeboat.

More information and the book itself can be had from Willie Melvile:

• by phone on: 01631 562778
• by email at: treshnish3@hotmail.co.uk
• by post at: Treshnish, Glenmore Road, Oban PA34 4PG.

Note 2: If you enter Oban Lifeboat in the Search at the top right of this screen, you will find the stories of all the Oban Lifeboats 2009 shouts – and other stories associated with this service.

Related Posts

• Oban & Islay Lifeboats in major rescue in Corryvreckan (0)
• Willie Melville’s book, The Oban Lifeboat Story, sells 120 copies in 5 days (0)
• Remember the baby boy born recently on Oban Lifeboat… (0)
• Launch of book on Oban Lifeboat at Waterstones (0)
• Story of Oban Lifeboat local Waterstone’s 2009 Best Seller (1)

---

The Latest News from ForArgyll delivered via email, weekly or daily. You know it makes sense!

---

Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping | | Print This Post