Three sailors were left all at sea after spotting an attractive woman on the shoreline from their boat off St. George's on Thursday afternoon.

For their ardours were dampened when all three rushed to one side of their 11-foot Boston whaler to get a better look of the seaside siren -- forcing the vessel to tip over and submerge.

With sunken hearts and a sunken boat the three sailors were forced to tread water for about ten minutes before a Police launch came to the rescue.

A Police spokeswoman said: "Apparently the boat was travelling around the shoreline of Gates Fort when the crew were `distracted'.

"All three shifted to one side and in doing so the 11-foot whaler swamped and immediately sunk. There were no injuries sustained -- only dampened spirits -- and no offences disclosed.'' The boat was refloated and towed to a mooring in St. David's.