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Jimmy was now getting to be au feit with our holiday attractions. Back in Macclesfield, he was telling people he was going to see "Radio Castle Seaside", later refining this to "Radio Sea International" and "Radio Caramel"! However, by the Monday morning, he was in absolutely no doubt that he was going to visit Radio Northsea International and Radio Caroline, and that we did during another long and packed day.

We arrived at the boathouse at Holland-on-Sea, and bought our tickets (£10 each) for the tender across to the LV18 "Mebo 3". On the same tender, was former BBC Radio 1 and television presenter Mike Read (no relation!). Mike was going out to the radioship for a few days to present some programmes, his first ever offshore broadcasting. We chatted with him and the other ‘tender trippers’, reminiscing about the old Radio 1 roadshows at Clacton. Mike was keen to hear of our knowledge and interest in offshore radio. On board the LV18, we were treated to a full and detailed tour of the vessel and its radio equipment

There were two electricity generators on board, one for the studio and one for the transmitter. I then met up with Stuart Dobson, a fellow BDXC member who was part of the RNI crew, and had been so right from the initial fitting-out days in Harwich harbour. Stuart gave me an ‘extra’ to the official tour, showing me the bow and the anchor chain. After returning to dry land, we tuned into RNI 1575 and listening to Mike Read’s debut offshore radio programme, in which he recalled listening to RNI in the 70s himself. Mike has been heard more recently here in the north-west, presenting Jazz FM Manchester’s breakfast programme.