Kirkcudbright. At three o'clock on the morning of the 4th of January, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a woman had telephoned expressing alarm at the continued absence of her husband, who had left the previous day to fish for lobsters in the Dundrennan area. There was a moderate north-westerly wind with a slight sea, and the tide was ebbing. After the harbour and estuary had been searched without result the life-boat J. B. Couper of Glasgow was launched. She found the fishing boat Polly Cook three miles off Orroland.

The boat's engine had blown out and caught fire. Her owner, who is the bowman of the Kirkcudbright life-boat had tried in vain to attract attention by burning clothes and making other signals. He and his companion were in poor shape and were greatly relieved to see the life-boat approaching. Their boat was gradually drifting out to sea in bitterly cold weather. The life-boat towed the Polly Cook to Kirkcudbright and reached her station at 9.35..