First service for new station's Arun The lifeboat scheduled to go on service at Fenit, an RNLI station being re-established on the west coast of Ireland (see 'Chalk and Cheese', this issue) was involved in her first service on 25 June while still on her way to the station following crew training in Poole.

While on passage from St Peter Port to Salcombe (lifeboats often take a roundabout route to their station to provide plenty of sea time to complete the training) the coxswain and crew of Ralph and Bonella Farrant heard a Mayday broadcast on their VHP radio at 1745 from the motor cruiser Mayfly. The casualty had broken down 300 yards from nearby Bolt Tail and was in danger of being swept on to the rocks. As the life-boat was close by and already at sea deputy divisional inspector for Ireland Andrew Clift - in charge of the lifeboat for the passage - contacted Brixham coastguard and the lifeboat was tasked with the rescue.

Twenty minutes later the cruiser was located and although in no immediate danger she was taken in tow to Salcombe where she was handed over to the care of the harbour master - who is also Salcombe lifeboat's honorary secretary! Although not a difficult service, conditions were good throughout with only a light SW wind and small sea, and miles away from their home station the rescue marked Fenit's re-entry into RNLI records..