Newhaven, Sussex. At 7.43 on the evening of the 15th July, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary sec- retary that a cabin cruiser was in difficulties off Birling Gap Hotel. As the Eastbourne life-boat was unable to launch immediately because of the state of the tide, the life-boat Kathleen Mary was launched at 7.50. There was a fresh south-westerly breeeze with a moderate sea. The life-boat made for a position indicated by a flare dropped by a helicopter. She found the cabin cruiser Sea Rover with two exhausted people on board. The life-boat took the cabin cruiser in tow and returned to harbour, arriving at 10.35..