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RNLI statistics released today show that Poole Lifeboat
Station was the busiest coastal station in the UK and RoI with a
total of 200 ‘shouts’, the highest number of launches
for the station since 1995. The volunteer crews rescued 242 people
of whom 26 were under the age of 18 years of age.
Volunteer Coxswain Jonathan Cark said: ‘You never know what
you’re going to and you never know when; our volunteer crew
is trained for every likelihood and has a lot of experience.’
He went on to add: ‘The RNLI is a charity and we rely entirely
on the public donating their pennies. This, along with the support
and understanding of our families and employers, makes our volunteer
job possible. There are sacrifices but it’s an honour to be
able to do what I do.’
Poole Harbour, Poole Bay and its approaches are full of activity.
There is a plethora of craft, vessels and water users so it is inevitable
that someone will get into trouble at sometime. This was proved
during the Bournemouth Air Show weekend, where the lifeboats helped
with over 33 incidents.
The harbour and bay were swarming with all sorts of craft jostling
for a good view. One of the crew on duty had said at the time: ‘We
were just inside the harbour when we were tasked to a vessel in
trouble near the pier; when we turned the lifeboat around to go
back through the entrance of the harbour it was like going down
a motorway the wrong way.’ Then moments later there were two
young girls just bobbing along, perilously close to the chain ferry,
totally unaware of the danger they were in.
Volunteer Coxswain Jonathan Clark said: ‘I suddenly saw these
two young girls on a lilo and I shuddered. What were these kids
doing out here? We got hold of them and took them back to the beach
at Shell Bay – they had no idea what danger they were in.
It made by blood run cold.’
One of the highlights of the year for the station was the naming
ceremony for its inshore lifeboat Sgt Bob Martin Civil Service No
50, named after a Chelsea pensioner who worked very hard raising
money for the RNLI. In June, Chelsea pensioners and Sgt Bob Martin’s
daughters came to the station for a wonderful day that ended in
sharp contrast.
Both lifeboats launched just before midnight to a report of a man
in the water; then anxious families phoned Portland Coastguard concerned
that their husbands had not returned from a fishing trip. The conditions
were horrendous with an electrical storm and squalls of hailstorms
driving through; the duty volunteer crew gave up their beds to search
the harbour. On this occasion all people were accounted for and
were safe, the crew came back drenched and stinging from the pelting
hailstones. Volunteer Helmsman Gavin McGuinness said: ‘The
hailstones hit us like ball bearings from a machine gun,’
and he added: ‘The electrical storm was very brutal with lightning
bouncing off the water around the lifeboats; the aerials acting
like magnets.’
We are a charity. If you wish to support and sustain us at Poole
Lifeboat Station you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/Poolelifeboat.
All money donated will go to fund volunteer crew training costs,
help replenish equipment and will go towards keeping the Poole lifeboats
afloat, ready to save lives at sea.
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