Christmas day 2020 was an eventful one for two brothers in Shetland.
As lifeboat volunteer Steven Wilson had just polished off his festive meal with his wife and children, he received a terrifying call.
His brother John-Arthur Robertson, an experienced fisherman, had suffered engine failure whilst travelling to the harbour at Clousta.
John-Arthur was fishing for crab and lobster to sell on Boxing Day.
With his small creel boat stranded in deep water, it began drifting dangerously close to rocky cliffs as conditions worsened.
‘It was just another day’
“I’ve been on boats all my life,” recounts John-Arthur.
“When I left the pier it was a calm, clear moonlit night.
“I felt no worries – it was just another day.”
However, luck was not on his side.
The engine of his boat, battling ferociously against the tide, eventually gave up the ghost and stopped after overheating.
Gale force winds and huge seas battered John-Arthur and his boat.
In a desperate bid to secure his vessel, he decided to drop his anchor.
However, the water was so deep the boat was forced to within touching distance of the cliffs before it touched the seabed.
Identifying he was in danger, John-Arthur called his brother – and then the coastguard.
Aith lifeboat was requested with Steven taking up his berth on board.
‘My heart was in my mouth’
Steven said: “I knew he was in big trouble.
“My heart was in my mouth.
“I could feel the adrenaline pumping in every part of my body.”
It took 20 minutes for the lifeboat to reach the stricken boat, where Steven and his crew mates tried desperately to throw a line to John-Arthur, hampered by high winds and pitching seas.
After three attempts, a line was finally secured and the lifeboat was able to begin the journey back to Aith.
Upon arrival, the brothers were reunited and able to return to finish Christmas Day with their loved ones.
“Back at home, the reality of how close John-Arthur had come to losing his life sank in”, Steven added.
The experience hasn’t stopped John-Arthur from going back to sea.
He has conceded though that he will be sticking firmly to dry land this Christmas Day, choosing to spend the day with his large family.
Christmas planned on dry land this year for John-Arthur
“I have more respect for the sea since the rescue and I will definitely appreciate Christmas more this year,” John-Arthur added.
“Most of the crew are family friends. It was a huge comfort to know that they were coming to help me.
“I’m only here this Christmas thanks to the RNLI – they’re worth their weight in gold.
“I’d encourage anyone to give what they can this Christmas, so that crews like my brother’s can be here to help people like me again this year – and in the years to come.”
Over the past decade, lifeboats like Aith’s have launched over 1,200 times and helped over 600 people during the Christmas period.
Last year alone, RNLI lifeboat crews launched 111 times over the festive season.
Donations to the lifesaving resource can be made at: RNLI.org/Xmas