Lifeboat Lobster....

It seems like every year we manage to add more to our already busy lifeboat week. One fantastic addition to our event this year was a raffle for a lovely big lobster. Swanage Bay Fish proprietors Julia and Terry very kindly donated the prize and I believe arranged the raffle. In total their customers raised £145 for the RNLI. The lucky winner being a local lady, Mrs Cotterell. Well done Mrs Cotterell (and if you need anyhelp eating it just let me know!)

Many thanks to Swanage Bay Fish for their support.

Test

Here

Who?

Ollie's better half, Kate, has been busy this spring making this awesome chap. He's doing his bit for raising funds during lifeboat week due to having a mystery name...can you guess it?

I for one really want to win him as he is certainly  the most detailed knitted lifeboating I've ever seen.

Thanks Kate...

In days of Yore

Men wore tweed jackets, Oilskins, Kapok (whatever that is) Lifejackets and Sowesters.

I love the detail of old photos...spot the head launcher with the hammer, one dangerous looking chap with a pistol (varey pistol?) and another rather lucky chap with a couple of flags! Somehow these guys look rather heroic and stoical...compare this to our motley crew who turned up to the shout on Saturday wearing board-shorts and flip-flops!

I wonder, would anyone care to date this photo or name the boat? Indeed, does anyone out there know the name of any of the crew?

Interestingly, the building here still forms part of our building and the cobble slipway still exists underneath ours...built to last!

41 pob

And I forgot the dog!

Full up...

just as the Red Arrows finished their routine over the bay our pagers went off once more. This time to a local pqssenger ferry had run aground while scattering ashes.

Once on scene near old harry we began taking all 34 passengers onboard and transferring them on to another passenger boat.  The tally included on old fella in a wheelchair and a babe in arms!

Anyway, they all ended up safely onto one of the Belles and happily on their way. 

Good job...

Chain of events...

So, we are sat in the crew room drying off and warming up after a quick shout to a yacht in difficulty off Anvil point.  Doing so we are reflecting on the unfortunate chain of events which led to this shout.  Sometimes the difference between happy sailing and crisis is nothing more than a broken shackle and some dirt in the fuel...

More pulling...

Tonight is the pub gig rowing regatta In the carnival.  The crew has entered 3 teams and thing are going well so far.  A good bit of healthy competition can't be bad!

And, a quick update...I'm delighted to report that we won...(well, sort of, one of the RNLI boats won, my boat came second and the WAGS came sixth. Good result.

Red devils

Tonight men fell from the sky. As part of the Carnival we were asked to provide as many boats as possible to act as rescue boats for the Red Devils parachute display team. Dave, JFL, Matt and myself had the privilege of being there on the water in the landing zone ready to pick the guys up as they landed on the water. Just one of the great joys of living here...

Today is the day

So, here we are on the carnival start line ready to go. The boat is looking fab and she generating a huge amount of interest.