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A Dinghy

Llandudno, Caernarvonshire. At 6.50 on the evening of the 17th June, 1961,the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that an eleven-feet dinghy, with a doctor and his son on board, was adrift about a mile and a half north-east of Rhos pier. There was a strong south- westerly wind and a rough sea with an ebb tide. At 7.20 the life-boat Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest was launched. She searched over a wide area in rapidly worsening weather con- ditions. Visibility was poor and the wind at times reached gale force. A message was received that a mine- sweeper had left Bangor to help in the search, together with a coastal gunboat from Holyhead. The search was carried on until darkness fell, when visibility was down to fifty yards. After con- sultation with the coastguard it was decided to call off the search until day- light. The life-boat reached Llandudno Bay at 11.45 and resumed the search at three o'clock in the morning. While she was searching a message was received that H.M.S. Belton had picked up the dinghy and the two people on board. At 4.20 the life-boat went along- side H.M.S. Belton and took off the two survivors. With the dinghy in tow she returned to Rhos jetty, where the two people were landed. The life-boat finally reached her station at 6.20..