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Penlee

PENLEE, Friday February 14, 1986: at 0630 Penlee's 52 ft Arun class lifeboat, Mabel Alice, with Coxswain Ken Thomas at the helm, set out in a force 10 east by southerly storm and poor visibility. The Guernsey registered coaster, Roy Clemo, had been sheltering in Mullion Bay overnight but had lost an anchor and was now low on fuel after steaming into the storm for some time to hold her position. The lifeboat was able to put the Penzance pilot aboard the coaster which was then escorted back to Penzance harbour. The weather made entering harbour a difficult manoeuvre and she is seen here, with the lifeboat standing by to starboard, passing very close to the pier head as a sea breaks between her and the wall. The wave acted as a cushion to the coaster and helped her to round the pier. A few minutes later Roy Clemo was safely berthed inside the harbour photograph by courtesy of Phil Monckton.

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