On This Day in Wembury
17 October 1950 — Fishing Boat Mystery Near Wembury
On this day the Western Evening Herald reported the strange disappearance of a five-ton fishing boat from her moorings at Coxside, Plymouth. The vessel, owned by Mr. R. J. Waterfield of Prince Rock, was later found stranded on the rocks between Wembury and Bovisand. Mr. Waterfield’s son suggested the boat may have been taken by someone trying to get home. The craft was undamaged, though south-westerly gales threatened to wreck her. Apart from missing fuel cans, the gear aboard was intact. Another boat, owned by his brother-in-law, Torquay United goalkeeper Derek Davis, had also shown signs of tampering in Sutton Pool. The family dismissed the idea that the vessels could have simply broken free from their moorings.
Reflection: The episode reads like a maritime whodunit: a vanished boat, suspicious tampering, and recovery on Wembury’s rocks. It reflects both the vulnerability of small craft in Plymouth waters and the ever-present drama of the sea along this coast.
Source: Western Evening Herald, 17 October 1950.