TOW ROPE WAS CUT At 2.15 p.m. on nth September, 1964, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a small motor cabin cruiser was aground on the Black Middens rocks half a mile from the life-boathouse.

There was a strong westerly breeze with a slight sea, and it was low water. At 2.31 the life-boat Tynesider was launched. A line was fired over the Gannet and she was made fast. Manoeuvring was difficult in the available space and one of the propellers of the life-boat, fouled on the tow rope, had to be freed by cutting the rope.

The owner of the Gannet attempted to bring a line from his boat to the life-boat in a dinghy, but it fouled on the bottom.

The second coxswain then succeeded in bringing a line from the life-boat to the Gannet in a small inflatable boat. The motor cruiser was towed up river to North Shields fish quay where the river police took over. The life-boat returned to her station at 7 p.m..