A Monthly Publication

By Geoff Needham

 With no callouts to report, life at the station still goes on, training and maintenance of equipment has to be carried out.  On Sunday  4th January 2010  both craft launched to exercise with Skegness  Lifeboat, to what has become a tradition going back to when the station first opened, the crews swap Christmas trees, board one another’s craft  have a chat a mince pie and general exchange of talk of the years callouts, it is an opportunity to meet the faces that usually are just a voice on the radio,  we get asked how it all started, we are not quite sure of the origin, in the days of manned lightships around our coast some lifeboats on exercise used to take out a tree and Christmas fare to the duty crew, I think the Lynn Well light ship had been replaced by an unmanned light by the time our station reopened, I think the tree was just part of the festive season  and the crew carried a small one strapped to  the framework, and on an exercise with Skegness swapped trees, and have done so ever since.

Robin has heard from HQ that plans for the extension to the boathouse are in the final process and work should start soon  and be completed by the start of the summer season, in preparation for our new boat expected later in the year.

In 1867 the records show that Lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £140 when the RNLI established a station, (now the cafe)  Then in 1900 a new lifeboat house was constructed at a cost of £650.

1868 January 3rd  Hunstanton lifeboat  Licensed Victualler launched on service to the Barque Paunnure of Newcastle aground on the Woolpack sands in North easterly squally winds, on reaching the vessel assistance was refused by the skipper, one can only think how the lifeboat crew felt having rowed out in a North easterly.

Then on April 8th 1868 the lifeboat was launched to the Barge Victoria of London, aground on the middle sand off Hunstanton, on reaching the barge after a hard struggle at the oars, its skipper also refused assistance, on returning to Hunstanton under sail the lifeboat was hit by a heavy sea and capsized, but self righted and all twelve crew regained the boat and returned to station, the Victoria refloated on the rising tide, its skipper and crew unaware of what had befallen the lifeboat and crew.

23rd July 1868 lifeboat launched on service to the yacht Foam of Wisbech the yacht had been caught out in heavy breaking seas off St Edmunds point, a strong north easterly gale was blowing and the yacht was in a dangerous position, the lifeboat took off a young man who had been left in charge of the yacht while laying at anchor and landed him ashore.

Volunteer crew member Leesa is still open for sponsership of her London Marathon on 25th April she is raising money for the RNLI to sponsor Leesa log on to www.justgiving.com and enter Leesa Espley in the sponsor a friend box, or contact Leesa for an official sponsor form on 01485 570742

For more information on the RNLI the Charity that saves lives at sea visit www.rnli.org.u