Mallaig, Inverness-shire. At 7.52 on the evening of the 17th August, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a 13-feet sailing dinghy was overdue at Isle Ornsay, Skye. It was high water when the life-boat E. M. M.

Gordon Cubbin slipped her moorings at 8.15, taking a dinghy with her. There was a near south-westerly gale blowing, and the sea was rough. The life-boat began to search the area from the mouth of Loch Hourn to Sandaig light, but on receiving a further message that the missing dinghy had left Sandaig for Isle Ornsay she made for the Skye shore.

With the help of her searchlight and parachute flares she found the half- submerged wreck of the dinghy due north of Sandaig light. Three members of the life-boat crew landed with diffi- culty on the shore by dinghy. There they found that the wrecked dinghy had been made fast ashore by a line, and they also found the occupants' personal property stowed away above the high water mark. A message was then received stating that the occupants of the dinghy had landed safely, and the life-boat crew lit two parachute flares to light up the area and indicate the position to searchers from the shore.

The life-boat recovered the wreck and the occupants' personal property, which were later deposited with the police and collected by the owners. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 7.30 the next morning..