Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. At 1.44 early on the morning of the 8th August, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a boat was in distress off Tollesbury pier in the River Blackwater, and that people were shouting for help.

There was a fresh south-easterly wind and the sea was moderate to rough.

It was squally. At 2.10 the life-boat Sir Godfrey Baring was launched on the ebbing tide. The life-boat carried out a search and eventually found the boat, but she did not need help. Those on board had seen a man in the water and had thrown him a life-belt, but he had disappeared and had not been seen again. The life-boat continued to search, but it was not until 7.39 that she found a man in the water and picked him up. He was a Dutch seaman, a member of the crew of the s.s. Salvinia, which was moored in the Blackwater.

Apparently he had been ashore for the evening, but on returning to the Sal- vinia his boat had capsized. He had been in the water for some hours and was returned to his ship suffering no ill effects. The life-boat returned to her station at 2.15 in the afternoon..