PANAMANIAN VESSEL ESCORTED IN GALE Wick, Caithness-shire. Wick harbour authority advised the honorary secretary at three o'clock on the afternoon of Thursday the 26th September, 1963, that the 628-ton Panamanian cargo vessel Eastport, loaded and bound from Bellingham to Belfast, was making for Wick with a burst steam pipe. There was some doubt whether the ship would have sufficient steam to make Wick and the life-boat City of Edinburgh was launched at 3.15 with the second coxswain in command. The tide was flooding and the sea choppy. There was a strong gale blowing from the west. The life-boat came alongside the Eastport four miles north-east of Wick and escorted the vessel to Wick Buoy, where a pilot was put on board. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 4.20. Owing to the state of the weather the life-boat was not rehoused until the 28th of September..