Really good photographs of life-boats at sea in rough weather are almost impossible to come by. Photographs of actual rescue operations are almost as rare. This is an understandable state of affairs, for the life-boat is, by the nature of her work, at sea when other boats seek harbour. However, when storms and rescue work in bad light or at night are put aside, there must be many opportunities of photographing life-boats being launched, or on exercises. These could produce excellent pictures, but it is very rarely indeed that we see one.

Dutch photographers seem somehow more succesful. The two photographs reproduced here of Dutch life-boats at sea are certainly dramatic studies and may provide inspiration for British photographers. If readers have any really dramatic pictures of life-boats at sea, or of slipway launches, the RNLI would be glad to have copies for their photographic library. Any photographs of rescues by breeches buoy would also be welcome as we are constantly being asked for a photograph of such a rescue, but have nothing on our files..