The new St. Abbs 37-foot Oakley life-boat, Jane Hay, sailed from Osborne's yard, Littlehampton, at 8 a.m. on 3ist October, 1964. Captain the Hon. V. M.

Wyndham-Quin, R.N., Chairman of the Committee of Management, was among those on board.

The first part of the voyage to Dover was uneventful, with slight seas and a light south-easterly wind. At 8 a.m. the next morning the boat sailed from Dover and, after passing South Foreland, made her way through the Inner Downs between the Goodwin sands and the Kent coast. She crossed the Thames estuary and passed the Kentish Knock lightvessel where a bundle of Sunday papers was thrown aboard for the lightvessel's crew to read. Landfall was made again at Orfordness.

SLOW MOTION IN FOG At South wold fog banks reduced visibility to a few yards. Course was set, and when the life-boat's position was one mile south of Lowestoft course was altered to the westward to make land.

A mile further on, when our estimated position was 400 yards from the beach, the boat's engines were stopped so that we could hear if any fog signals were sounding from the land. Nothing was heard. The engines were started and the boat proceeded slowly for another 200 yards. Still nothing was heard. The manoeuvre was repeated and this time a dog's bark was heard and the lapping of waves, then people's voices. A hail was given asking for our position and after great difficulty we were able to ascertain that we were off the holiday camp to the south of Lowestoft harbour entrance.

DIM LIGHTS WERE SEEN Course was set to a position half a mile to the east of Lowestoft piers. Whet the life-boat reached the position the same procedure was adopted: dead slow stop, listen. Eventually the reed fog signal was heard and on the final manoeuvn the dim lights of the pier-head were sighted above us some 20 yards away. Tht boat was able to reach her berth with the help of the lights on the harbour quays.

On the next day the boat made her way northward to Sheringham. From there a north-westerly course was set for Spurn Point, which was reached after a rough passage with force 6 to 7 winds.

We continued the passage next day to Whitby. Alongside the quay, on arrival, we discovered that in the dark the propellers had become entangled with a salmon poacher's net. A number of people appeared and helped to cut the net clear, disappearing very quickly once it was cleared with nearly all the fish. The Chairman and crew lunched well the next day.

THREE CHEERS ON ARRIVAL On the day after arrival at Whitby the propellers were cleared and on the following day, Thursday, we arrived in Berwick. The St. Abbs coxswain, Mr. J.

Wilson, joined us the next morning for the final few miles to St. Abbs. We were welcomed on arrival by members of the St. Abbs committee, along with most of the population, who raised three cheers for the arrival of the new life-boat..