Overdue HAYLING ISLAND POLICE received a telephone call from a lady in Berkshire at 0330 on Tuesday January 3 to say that her husband and son had not returned from a fishing trip. They had set out from Northney Marina at 1030 and had been due back at Hayling Island by dusk. This information was passed to Hayling Island Coastguard who, at 0334, alerted the acting honorary secretary of Hayling Island inshore lifeboat station and requested that the ILB be launched to search the area.

Crew and shore helpers were immediately assembled. When they reached the boathouse it was found that a combination of tide and severe weather had created shingle banks of a size and gradient never before encountered by Hayling Island and it took eight people, including the honorary secretary, deputy launching authority and honorary treasurer, to launch the boat after three attempts. Despite the difficulties, the Atlantic 21 was launched within 20 minutes of the first intimation of the casualty from the Coastguard.

Because of the extreme cold, Helmsman Patrick Lamperd decided that the long overdue anglers might well be suffering from hypothermia and so he embarked the honorary medical adviser, Dr Richard Newman, as fourth crew member. It had been agreed between the Coastguard, honorary secretary and helmsman that it would be prudent to search the approaches to Chichester Harbour first, so course was set for Emsworth Channel.

It was one hour before high water and the wind was westerly near gale, force 7, with good visibility. There was a short sea in the harbour and it was extremely cold. The proposal to search the harbour approach in general and Emsworth Channel in particular proved sound as it was only some 11 minutes after leaving the station that a small white light was sighted on themud banks immediately south of Oar Rythe and some quarter of a mile from the Thorney Island shore. Using a spotlight it was quickly realised that the light seen was that of the 24ft cabin cruiser Tomey Too.

The casualty, hard and fast aground, was reached at 0410 without difficulty and the young boy aboard transferred to the ILB and wrapped up. After a determined effort to tow the cabin cruiser clear it was decided that she would have to be abandoned because the tide was falling and the weather deteriorating. Tomey Too was therefore anchored amid the mudbanks and her owner transferred to the Atlantic 21. By now a full force 8 gale was blowing from the west.

The main Emsworth Channel was eventually reached after several groundings but by 0545 the ILB had returned to station and father and son had been landed; they were given hot showers, warm drinks, dry clothing and transport by the honorary treasurer back to the marina where their own car was parked.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by Major-General Ralph Farrant, chairman of the Institution, were sent to Helmsman Patrick Lamperd, Dr Richard J. Newman, honorary medical adviser, and Crew Members Frank S. Dunsterand Brian Quinton. A letter of thanks signed by Captain Nigel Dixon, director, was sent to the launchers..