Race night

Tonight we launched the ALB for the Swanage Sailing Club RNLI pennant race and the Swanage Sea Rowing Club RNLI Gig race. The weather was fair with a pleasant breeze so altogether a great evening.

Dave and Rob were both onboard.

The race got off to a smooth start for once with no dramas.

Our very own Lifeboat Operations Manager was taking part and seemed to be doing reasonably well.

In the rowing Martin was taking part with a team from the Gig club who looked pretty well drilled.

And our very own (and recently victorious) RNLI gig crew were taking part...though sadly less success than they are used to.

Bank holiday gigging

Freshly back from the World Championships in the Scilly Islands. Our local Gig club had their annual regatta yesterday. Each year this seems to grow and yesterday I counted something like 12 gigs in attendance.

And it was almost the perfect activity for a start to the holiday. The comings and goings of the Gigs in amongst the holiday makers made for a fine spectacle.

Although not the sunniest day of the year, the afternoon brightened up and showed the brightly coloured Gigs off to perfection.

Meanwhile the services of Swanage Lifeboat remained uncalled for. Just as we like it!

On the rocks

So last night's exercise was a pretty busy one. Martin took the ALB with an experienced crew with the aim of running through a few medical type scenarios which involved extraction from the rocks at the base of the cliffs. On the way we did a few navigation exercises and seamanship drills (also known as laying the course for the Swanage Sea Rowing Club gig racing regatta this weekend)! Then got stuck into the guts of the exercise.

Steve rowed Becky ashore in the X-boat to act as our casualty. In the absence of the ILB the X-boat is our primary method of getting people to and from the shore in good weather. Once ashore, the X-boat party become known as 'Lifeboat X-ray' and that is used as their call sign.

We normally send it in with a line attached so that we can pull it back out to the lifeboat with casualties aboard.

Last night we had one of the First Aid MTU training staff with us for a familiarisation exercise so she also went ashore in order for her to better understand what we are trying to achieve and the context in which we are trying to do it.

Once all that was done the ILB arrived and landed some of the larger bits of kit like the main first aid kit, Oxygen and the basket stretcher.

Everything seemed to work well so on completion we packed everything up and returned to station ready for a quick pint in the Ship.

Well, you're the kinda guy
Who needs attention around the clock
Well you can't even talk
'Cause baby, it's on the rocks
Yeah, it's on the rocks
(The Donnas - It's on the rocks)

Ballard Point

Lies directly to the north of our Lifeboat station. At about 7.40 last night a rambler fell a small distance onto the rocks there and fell unconscious. The Coastguard rescue team were sent to locate him and this they did with the assistance of the Swanage Sea Rowing Club gig which was over there a the time. It was decided that a lifeboat would be of assistance so we were paged and arrived on-scene pretty quickly. First Aid was rendered and the patient prepared for a Helicopter lift. Once aboard the helicopter he was taken directly to Dorchester A&E where he had a brain scan and was declared fine.

Crew on the ILB in this occasion were Kev, Dan and Oli. It was reported in the Bournemouth Echo this morning.

Gigging

The gig racing also went very well last night. Both of our boats, Peveril and Old Harry were on the water and Weymouth brought one of their gigs up for the night. Racing was close. So close in fact that the youth race was a dead tie. Well done to you.Weymouth's gig is a rather rastafarian affair. However, it is without doubt very photogenic.There was a rather pretty sunset.Our crew on the ALB had a good time of it and seemed happy enough.The sunsets kept coming!Our Coxswain Martin and his two lads Gav and Matt looked pretty knackered at the end.

Thanks to the sailing club for providing food and beer at theirs afterwards. Very hospitable.