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Motor Cabin cruiser in difficulty

In full view of thousands of holiday makers at Westward Ho! at about six o’clock on Saturday evening the Appledore Lifeboat rendered assistance to a motor cabin cruise ‘Helen Mary’ of about four tons in difficulty about one and a half miles from Westward Ho! took her in tow and brought her to Bideford Quay where another large crowd, including many visitors, assembled. There were three occupants of the cabin cruiser, a Mr and Mrs McAlister and their son understood to be from Scotland and cruising around the coast. They came from Ilfracombe on Saturday. On Sunday morning’s tide they left Bideford Quay for Appledore Pool

Several messages to the effect that a vessel was apparently in difficulty and a flag was being waved from it were received within a short space of one another at the Appledore Lifeboat station. One was from Mr B Blake, hon. treasurer and acting secretary of the Appledore Branch of the RNLI. Coastguards at Westward Ho! were in constant touch and sent up a rocket to assure those in the cabin cruiser that their plight had been noticed. As the Appledore Lifeboat under Coxswain Cann was launched, information was also received that the Clovelly Lifeboat under Coxswain Lamey had also been launched. Both lifeboats preceded to the scene, but naturally the Appledore boat, being nearer, was on the scene first, and found the occupants of the cabin cruiser which was approaching the shore and tossing about in the somewhat choppy seas, prepared with life jackets in the emergency. Within six minutes of receiving the call, the Appledore Lifeboat was in the water and took advantage of the wind by using her sails as well as the motor to get to the scene as quickly as possible.

This was the second call within a week for the Clovelly Lifeboat as they were called out a few days previously to search for a man on a raft, who afterwards reported safe. The Clovelly boat was also quick to respond to the call, but on arrival, found that it had been dealt with by their Appledore colleagues.

When the vessel came alongside Bideford Quay, Mr R G Lovell, Receiver of Wreck, and Registrar of shipping, of Appledore, paid a visit.

Lifeboat rescue

Gazette article dated 10 August 1937

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