MARCH 31ST. - HELVICK HEAD, CO.

WATERFORD. A fishing boat, which had been under repair at Dungarvan, left about 7.30 in the evening, with two men on board, to return to Helvick. As she was passing out of Dungarvan harbour the wind blew the skipper’s cap overboard. The man at the wheel turned the boat to retrieve it, and ran her on the beach. Another fishing boat towed her off on the rising tide and brought her back to Dungarvan. At 9.30 the fishing boat again put to sea, but when about a third of her way home she was seen to stop.

It was dark and she had no lights, but it was thought that she had grounded on the Sand Bar. A strong south-west wind was blowing and the sea was very choppy. At 10.15 the Helvick Head motor life-boat Elsie was launched and made for Dungarvan, but in the darkness she passed the boat needing help without seeing her. The life-boat sent up a flare to say that she was still continuing the search. At the same time the boat in distress sent up a flare, but this was not seen by the life-boat’s crew in the brightness of their own flare. The position was again signalled to the life-boat from Dungarvan, and the life-boat turned towards Helvick.

meanwhile the two men in the fishing boat had lifted their two anchors and drifted into the channel, feeling sure that the life-boat would pick them up on its return. This she did and found her to be the St. Augustine, of Helvick, a boat belonging to Mr. P. J. Morrisey, the honorary secretary of the Helvick Head life-boat station. She towed her into Helvick, where they arrived just after midnight.

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