abbreviated log preceded a day of inspection and damage assessment for all coastal staff in the area. The divisional inspector of lifeboats for the South East, Lieut-Commander Michael Woodroffe, was diverted to carry out a survey of Margate boathouse while Michael Fennel 1 completed the tour of North Norfolk—a tour which ended at Gorleston in time to meet the lifeboat crew returning from a 17-hour search in appalling conditions, only to spend just over an hour on engine repairs with the district engineer, Adrian Whatling, and fleet mechanic, Steven Betson, before re-launching on a further 18-hour service to another commercial vessel.

Further checks around the division, which runs from Skegness in the north to Walmer in the south, confirmed a considerable list of damage: Wells: Lifeboat inaccessible; ILB house a total loss.

Walton: Lifeboat removed to backwater moorings. Pier severely damaged.

Clacton: Lifeboat launched to Brightlingsea moorings after severe damage to boathouse tipping cradle. ILB house and pier damaged.

C'romer, Wells and Sheringbam: Boathouse doors and electrics damaged or destroyed.

Aldeburgh and Walmer: Heavy shingle deposits obstructing launching and needing many hours of work before both stations were fully operational.

Margate boathouse was inspected by DI(SE) and a representative of Lewis and Duvivier, consulting engineers to the RNLI, with the fullest co-operation of RAF Mansion SAR unit. The next day, January 13, Michael Woodroffe and a crew were winched down to the severely damaged house to launch ON 888, the 46' 9" Watson lifeboat North Foreland (Civil Service No. 11), at 1330—an extremely hazardous operation which ensured the safety of the lifeboat. All moveable equipment was salvaged from the boathouse and a fortnight later Mike Pennell returned with members of the crew to retrieve the winch engine; it was brought down the slipway on rollers, and loaded into a stripped-out ILB which was towed to Margate harbour.

While the full brunt of the storm had been felt in the Eastern Division, the North Eastern Division had had its troubles, too, particularly at Humber station on Spurn Point. Humber's Arun lifeboat had dragged her moorings and the roadway out to the point had been breached, isolating the full-time crew and their families in their remote cottages. Electricity, telephone and water were cut off, and it was some time before cables and mains could be repaired; for about a fortnight the only source of fresh water was from water carts. There was damage, too, to the slipways at both Scarborough and Seaham stations.

Nevertheless, it was a miraculous record that despite all the structural damage of the storms, not one lifeboat incurred damage..