ON THE SANDS At 5.45 a.m. on i3th June, 1965, the coastguard reported that an auxiliary.* yacht Misty Blue was ashore on the South East Girdler sands and listing 45°. The life-boat North Foreland (Civil Service No. ji) was launched at 6.6. There was a light south-westerly breeze and a calm sea. It was one hour before low water.

The life-boat reached the Misty Blue about two hours later. The skipper of the Misty Blue rowed across to the life-boat and told the coxswain that he had left Falmouth ten days before under sail, on passage to Gillingham, and that his auxiliary engine had been out of order all the time. During the night the wind had dropped completely and he drifted on to the sands. As he had no power he asked if the life-boat would tow him clear.

A line was secured and at 9.5 the Misty Blue was refloated. She was then towed to the nearest harbour at Whitstable and the life-boat returned to her station at 1.25 p.m..