LIFE-BOAT'S FORTUNATE SOCIAL APPEARANCE Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The life-boat Sir Godfrey Baring was attending the Clacton-on-Sea sailing club regatta on Sunday the 25th August, 1963. She left the slipway at 11.50 a.m. and lay off the clubhouse until 2.5 p.m. when the weather began to deteriorate. The coxswain weighed anchor to return to the station, but as the life-boat got under way the wind began gusting to gale force and six sailing dinghies capsized.

The life-boat stayed to help the club rescue boat escort the dinghies to shore and left again at 3.20. The sea was too rough for the life-boat to be rehoused and she put into Brightlingsea for the night, arriving there at 4.50. If the life-boat had not been on the scene of the accident she would undoubtedly have been called out to give assistance..