THE THANKS of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Coxswain Harold Parkinson and Mr. Kenneth Smith, of Lytham-St. Anne's, Lancashire, for a shore boat service in which they saved a yacht and two people.

Both men 'displayed seamanship and skill of a high order' at what is considered the worst point in the Ribble estuary.

At about 4.20 p.m. on 24th August, 1969, the yacht Codge was returning to harbour. On reaching the 144 mile buoy south of the end of Sailer's bank she sighted a yacht, subsequently identified as the yacht Jacaranda, aground and in difficulties about 400 yards north of the channel.

The wind was westerly, with a heavy swell. There were occasional showers, but visibility was good.

After watching for some minutes Coxswain Parkinson and Mr. Smith, who were in the Codge, decided that it was essential to give assistance quickly as the Jacaranda was bumping badly and rolling heavily while driving further on tothe bank.

The tide was setting south west across the tail of Sailer's bank and this, combined with the westerly wind, caused a heavy surf on the bank, but in shallow water there was little or no swell. The Codge altered course to get to windward of the casualty. Coxswain Parkinson and Mr. Smith then launched a 9-foot rubber dinghy and set out to row across the bank to the casualty.

After pulling the dinghy through the surf on to the bank they boarded the yacht Jacaranda where they found the two men on board crouched in the cock- pit. They had apparently given up. The yacht was bumping badly at the time with her sails down and over the side. The anchor was down with all cable out, but she had not brought up to her cable.

Coxswain Parkinson and Mr. Smith took charge, managing to get the boat afloat by taking down the slack of the cable bit by bit, as the boat was bumping, until she came off the bank by a combination of their efforts and the rising tide.

PLAQUE FOR SHERINGHAM On 9th February, 1969, the Sheringham, Norfolk, life-boat took off a sick man from the s.s. Richmond Castle of London. Direct expenses of this service were refunded to the Institution by the owners of the Richmond Castle.

The sick man was Third Officer Louis d'Espagnac, and in recognition of the service which the life-boat rendered to him, he presented a wooden plaque to the honorary secretary of the Sheringham station at its annual general meeting on 19th November, for hanging in the life-boathouse. Unfortunately Third Officer d'Espagnac was unable to be present as he was out of the country..