Fraserburgh lifeboat My son Jim and I were two of the people rescued by Fraserburgh lifeboat last summer when the yacht Blanche got into trouble in a force 8 gale. We were most impressed by both the efficiency and humanity of the coxswain and crew.

Our first thoughts as the lifeboat appeared were how extremely smart and well turned out she looked. All the paint was so clean and shining and the name and even the ropes matched perfectly. We had no doubt that this meant a first-rate crew and we felt sure that what we could not see, the engine and gear, were equally maintained in first rate condition.

So, many thanks to Fraserburgh lifeboat.

We wish her long and illustrious service.—ROBIN MINNEY, Horn's House, Witton Gilbert, Durham.

This letter was first published in the Aberdeen Press and Journal.

A friend in need . . .

During the freak hurricane of July 31, 1983, my small yacht, Ella Trout V, was knocked down and capsized just outside St Peter Port Harbour, Guernsey. Before going off with kind helpers to get dry clothes, supplied by the RWVS, I supervised the pumping out and hoisting on the jetty of my salvaged yacht.

On my return I found that Captain John Petit, States harbour master and honorary secretary of St Peter Port lifeboat station, had placed a store at my disposal and three young Shoreline members, Peter Leadbeater, John Le Page and Tim Gentle, with one or two of their friends, had almost completed the task of removing the contents of the yacht to the store: mattresses, clothing, books, instruments, indeed all the paraphernalia of a well-equipped yacht. Charts, some 60 odd, were spread out on improvised racks to dry and all the gear was draped neatly about the store, including my shoregoing reefer on a coathanger.

Peter and his colleagues continued to work for hours sorting out the chaos, in spite of this being their free Sunday, and appeared thereafter at frequent intervals to see how we were getting on.

I was proud of Shoreline and thankful that I, too, am a member.

May I congratulate these boys, who I understand are always ready to help at the lifeboat station, and at the same time express my thanks to John Cross, in his private launch, and Ron Munson, skipper of the Herm ferry Typhoon, who picked my crew and myself out of the sea, and to all at St Peter Port, especially Captain Petit, who rallied round during this distressing incident.— JEFFREY DOUGLAS, Lt-Col (Rtd), Patchetts Green Saddlery, Aldenham, Hertfordshire. To save life Recently I was a witness to a tragic inshore drowning incident and the cheque for £24 I enclose is the amount I received for travelling expenses to attend the inquest which followed. I hope that the money will help to save someone's life.—ANONYMOUS DONOR.

Northern lights While reading the summer issue of THE LIFEBOAT, I noticed in the article on the naming of RNLB Ann Ritchie that there was a Trinity House vessel mentioned as being in Oban Bay at the time.

I reckon that the vessel was the Northern Lighthouse Board tender Fingal.

The Northern Lighthouse Board is the Scottish equivalent of Trinity House and tends and maintains all lighthouses and navigational aids in Scotland and the Isle of Man. Fingal is based in Oban and would have been alongside the lighthouse depot pier.

We also have Pole Star based in Stromness in Orkney and Pharos based in Leith. Although equivalent to Trinity House the Northern Lighthouse Board is a separately run body with its head office in Edinburgh.—ALAN PROVAN, second officer, MV Pharos.

We apologise to the Northern Lighthouse Board for what was a complete slip of the pen. The RNLI is well aware of the essential work done by the Board, which is one of the bodies to whom particular thanks are extended each year in the Institution's annual report.—EDITOR.

'Eleven years on' I very much enjoyed the discussion 'Eleven years on' published in the spring issue of THE LIFEBOAT. As leader of and launching authority for Rescue 15, Prince Rupert's Volunteer Search and Rescue Group, and one of the founding members of the infant British Columbia Lifeboat Society, I found the information gained on handling and operation of the Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat will greatly help us in crew training.

On Christmas Eve 1982, following an extensive fund-raising drive, we were able to put on station a 20ft 6in Lucas Hurricane 600 rigid inflatable lifeboat, which joins the two 15ft 6in Zodiac inflatable inshore rescue boats that we have operated since 1978. We have fabricated a small windshield that gives excellent protection to the helmsman against hail, freezing spray, snow and rain (Prince Rupert's world-famous rain can really sting at 35 knots), even though it is set just below eye level.

For towing we have found that an alongside push with the stern of the lifeboat four feet astern of the casualty is best, but when necessary we use a 50ft bridle. For quick release a sharp knife is kept on hand.

All our vessels are fully equipped for night operations as threequarters of our calls are after dark. Good night visibility is essential in this area because of the many periods of inclement weather and the inherent British Columbia coast's problem of floating and partially submerged debris. During fishing seasons we must also be on a constant lookout for the nets and floats of our salmon and herring gillnetters.—BILL TROWELL, chief of SAR, Rescue 15, member British Columbia Lifeboat Society, Prince Rupert, BC, Canada.

Evening cruise I greatly enjoyed Captain R. W.

Shaw's account of the evening cruise from Harwich, published in the autumn issue of THE LIFEBOAT. It put me in mind of a story told me by an old lady who was my housekeeper for many years.

Her nephew was captain of the local fife brigade in a small country town.

One day there was a party in the fire station to celebrate the arrival of a new fire engine. All the fire brigade members were there with their wives and families; there was champagne and speeches, rudely interrupted by a small boy who burst in shouting that there was a fire just down the road.

Of course they did not believe him at first, but it was quite true. It was the captain's house that was on fire.—w. A.

TAYLOR, Dr, Banwell, Somerset..