Ships coming round the Lizard and making for the natural harbour at Falmouth can get into difficulties on The Manacles rocks, off the coast south east of Porthoustock.

[1] The station was closed in 1942 during World War II, the area being sufficiently covered by the motor lifeboats at Coverack and Falmouth.

The Falmouth, Cadgwith and The Lizard lifeboats all came to the Manacles to help but had difficulty finding the wreck as there were no lights showing its position.

When the Mohegan left Gravesend it had been carrying 97 crew and 60 other people; the Porthoustock lifeboat saved 44 and other boats brought 7 ashore but 106 drowned.

For his part in the rescue, including taking the lifeboat out twice, James Hill was awarded an RNLI Silver Medal.