Rnli

Earlier this month, Wick Lifeboat Coxswain Ian Cormack bowed out after 18 years in the role and more than 30 years' service in the RNLI.
On #StAndrewsDay, we want to say a huge thank you to Ian for his dedication to saving lives at sea.

Penlee Lifeboat volunteers faced crashing waves and squally showers with gusts up to 50mph this week as they raced to save a person seen in the water.
The local National Coastwatch Institution team had spotted the person in the water being swamped by waves and immediately raised the alarm.
Both lifeboats responded and the crew on the Atlantic 85 battling four metre seas quickly recovered one person from the water and took them to a point of safety.
... If you are heading to the coast in this windy weather, please take care. #RespectTheWater
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RNLI Aldeburgh lifeboat volunteers have been keeping people safe around the east coast of Suffolk for over 115 years.
Volunteer crew member David Gillingwater is making sure his generation of RNLI lifesavers will always be remembered by capturing his fellow crew as oil paintings for a very special exhibition.

On this day in 1815, Grace Darling was born. 22 years later she became the RNLI's first female medal winner after helping save nine lives.
Her bravery and courage inspired generations of female lifesavers to come, including Seahouses Lifeboat Station crew member Leeanne Pearce #GraceDarlingWeek.
Follow in Leeanne's bootsteps at RNLI.org/OrdinaryHeroines.

You may remember seeing on #SavingLivesAtSea the moment Thames Clipper worker Holly’s display of bravery saved a man’s life. This experience in turn changed Holly's, as it inspired her to become a volunteer at TowerRNLI and help save more lives.
Follow in Holly's bootsteps at rnli.org/OrdinaryHeroines #GraceDarlingWeek

Grace Darling, born this week on the 24 November 1815, became a national heroine when she and her father rescued nine survivors from the wreck of the SS Forfarshire in 1838.
Our first female medal winner, Grace blazed a trail for the women of the RNLI, who have helped save thousands of lives at sea - this is Grace's legacy #GraceDarlingWeek
Follow in their bootsteps at rnli.org/OrdinaryHeroines

On 19 November 1997, in a terrible storm off the coast of Shetland, RNLI - Lerwick Lifeboat and Maritime and Coastguard Agency crews showed incredible courage and selflessness to rescue those on board the Green Lily - none more so than Coastguard winchman Bill Deacon, who tragically lost his life after helping evacuate ten men.

90 years ago today one of the worst disasters in RNLI history took place. In 1928 the lifeboat crew from RNLI Rye Harbour Lifeboat Station launched to help a vessel in trouble in awful conditions.
After three attempts to launch, the crew were drenched before they had even begun.
Shortly after launching, a signal was sent to recall the lifeboat but this was not received. After forging ahead into the storm, the lifeboat capsized and all 17 lost their lives.
... The men had worked, laughed, saved lives, and passed away together.
This tragedy serves as a reminder of the sacrifices our lifeboat crews made, and continue to make, to save lives at sea.
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We are fortunate to have thousands of amazing volunteers who dedicate their time to help save lives at sea. From lifeboat crews to press officers, fundraisers to shop volunteers to name just some of them. But what do they get from doing it? We posed the question to them and here is what they had to say...

During the #FirstWorldWar, lifeboats launched 1,808 times and saved 5,332 lives. On the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War, we look back at some of those heroic rescues and remember those who were lost #LestWeForget

Bella was quite the explorer, escaping home to visit the harbour. But she soon got herself into trouble by getting cut off by the tide.
Thankfully, RNLI Weston Lifeboat Station crew were soon on the scene to help and, despite Bella’s best efforts to get away, were able to bring her safely back to shore.
If you see a dog in trouble in the water, please don’t go in after it. Move to a safe place and call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard #RespectTheWater

It's a bit fresh out there this week as the Arbroath Lifeboat crew found out when they headed out on exercise - the warmest, driest place to be was definitely inside their Mersey class all-weather lifeboat!
Please take care in the wet and windy conditions this week and make sure you're fully prepared if you head out on the water. You can view our live coastal weather forecast here: http://rnli.info/JhT5Uh #RespectTheWater

Changing of the guard: At 8pm tonight, our longest serving lifeboat will go off service, as RNLB Sealink Endeavour ends 29 years of duty at RNLI Hastings Lifeboat Station.
This dauntless Mersey class lifeboat is the oldest vessel in our fleet and has launched 360 times, rescuing 363 people and saving 41 lives. She arrived at Hastings on Valentine’s Day 1989 – and is so beloved by the crew that they asked photographer Jack Lowe of The Lifeboat Station Project to immortalise her before she was replaced.
Tonight, a state-of-the-art Shannon class lifeboat will take over and a new era of lifesaving will begin. Thank you for your service, Sealink Endeavour – and for bringing our crews safely home. Below you can see Jack's glass plate image of the lifeboat, along with some others from our archives.

At last night's The Pride of Britain Awards they showed the story of the remarkable Joe Rowlands, who was brought home by RNLI Moelfre Lifeboat after a kayaking trip with his dad almost ended in disaster.
Joe's bravery that day saved his dad's life and saw him named as this year's Teenager of Courage. As our founder Sir William Hillary said, "with courage, nothing is impossible".

Last week saw the final episode of #SavingLivesAtSea. We hope you enjoyed following the stories of our volunteer lifesavers and the people they rescued. And we'd like to say thank you to you, our fundraisers and supporters, because every single rescue you saw on your screens was down to you. Thank you!

It's not only boats we use to rescue people when a call comes in. We have four inshore rescue hovercrafts which are well suited to large expanses of sand or mud which are often covered by water at high tide.
Here a dog walker and her four-legged friend had a lucky escape recently after getting cut off by the incoming tide off the Wirral coast.
The casualty, realising her predicament called the Coastguard for help which saw RNLI Hoylake Lifeboat Station launch their hovercraf...t.
With the tide coming in quickly the hovercraft flew across water and sand to reach the person and dog in a matter of minutes. They were taken onboard and taken to safety.
Her quick thinking to dial 999 probably saved her life. If you are heading to the beach for a coastal walk, please take a moment to check the weather and tides.
In 2017 our hovercrafts launched 69 times and rescued 71 people.
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Maritime history is full of tales of ghostly goings-on - and according to our volunteers, sometimes even our lifeboat stations can go bump in the night! Have a #HappyHalloween, stay safe out there and remember to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the 'Ghost-guard' if you see someone in trouble in the water 👻

Maritime history is full of tales of ghostly goings-on - and according to our volunteers, sometimes even our lifeboat stations can go bump in the night! Have a #HappyHalloween, stay safe out there and remember to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the 'Ghost-guard' if you see someone in trouble in the water 👻