THE 61-feet former Padstow life-boat Princess Mary, now the converted life-boat Aries, crossed the Atlantic in both directions in 1954. She was commanded by her owner, Mr. Cecil Harcourt-Smith, and had a crew of four.

The outward journev took 33 days and the return journey 23 days.

Heavy storms were met both ways, and 600 miles out from New York on the homeward run the Aries encoun- tered a 70 miles per hour gale. The crossing was made both ways without the use of sail.

The Aries left Kingston-upon- Thames on the 22nd of May with greeting for Kingston-on-Hudson.

As the Princess Mary the life-boat was on service at Padstow from 1920 to 1952. During these years she was launched on service 63 times and rescued 48 lives..