THE following report, sent in by the honorary secretary of an inshore rescue boat station, is just another example of failing to face up to the fact that the sea is unpredictable.

Apparently two men went out in a homemade boat powered by an outboard motor.

Having no anchor—an anchor would have cost about £3—they decided to make do with a large boulder off the beach to which the anchor rope, Robinson Crusoe-like, was tied.

The stone was then placed on top of the spraycanopy in the bow—and away went the two mariners.

However, when well out to sea, the movement of their boat became more pronounced and this made the stone drop off the canopy.

Where did it fall ? Well, it went straight through the bottom of the boat. The two-man crew abandoned ship and, according to the IRB secretary, were extremely lucky in being able to swim to the shore. Both were in an exhausted state and had to be treated for shock and exposure.

At a rough guess the cost to them of their sea ride, without a proper anchor, was as follows: pair long sea-boots £ 0, pair new shoes £5, boat repair £8, engine overhaul £5 = £28..