THE FIRST 'specialist holiday' long weekend for lifeboat enthusiasts, held at Skidden House Hotel in March, proved to be a great success. The party visited St Ives, Sennen Cove, Lizard- Cadgwith and Penlee lifeboat stations, meeting the honorary secretaries, coxswains and other lifeboatmen. The photograph shows the visitors climbing up from Lizard-Cadgwith boathouse.

Cornwall's Chief Coastguard, George Rounce, led one party to wreck sites at Land's End and, among other evening film shows and lectures, a helicopter pilot from Culdrose explained the part played by helicopters in search and rescue.

More lifeboat weekends are planned for October and November 1979, and March and April 1980. Details from Jill Elleston, Skidden House Hotel, St Ives, Cornwall. A percentage of all course fees go to RNLI funds..