The Mission flag flying at half-mast signifies the fact that two well know fishermen passed away this week...
the first was Kenny Thomas, who was cox of the first all-weather Penlee lifeboat, Mabel Alice for many years until he moved to Douarnenez in Brittany...
here he is on the flying bridge of the Mabel Alice,,,
helping to assist the beam trawler, Filadelfia under skipper Neville McCrindle who had towed in a Spanish longliner...
the Mabel Alice was the replacement boat for the Solomon Browne that was lost with all hands in 1981- Kenny's first shout to assist a fishing vessel was to the French crabber Rayon de Soleil...
Kenny was a successful fishing skipper who worked hi way up in boat sizes until he brought the prawn trawler Mystique back to Newlyn and had her converted to gill netting in the early 90s...
whereupon he decided after several seasons to give her a makeover in a flamboyant pink and purple.
A few days later it was learnt that Pete Rayment, best known for skippering the Confide a sistership to the Bonny Mary - Pete had what can only be described as a charmingly gruff manner which either endeared himself to his crew, or not...
she was one of the first boats to be decomissioned and instead of being broken up she was given a special dispensation and the boat was for many years moored in the children's play area at Land's End