Llandudno, Caernarvonshire. At eleven o'clock on the night of the 19th August, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that parachute flares had been reported seven to ten miles west-north-west of Rhyl. There was a fresh north-westerly breeze blowing with a moderate sea. At 11.30, when the life-boat Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest was launched, it was low water. The life-boat made for the position given and was joined in the search by the coaster Calcium. The Calcium informed the life-boat that she could see only the life-boat on her radar screen, but continued to search until the early hours of the morning. The life- boat continued the search over a wider area but was unable to find anything.

The coastguard then informed the life- boat that a submerged whaler was adrift one mile east-south-east of the coast- guard look-out. The whaler was taken in tow by the life-boat and beached.

The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at nine o'clock. It was later learnt that the whaler had broken her tow from the training ship Sea Hawk and had been abandoned because of the weather..