Ilfracombe Lifeboats
The RNLI recently had an open day and along with a couple of pals we were treated to a fascinating tour around the RNLI Ilfracombe lifeboat station, got to stand on their flagship rescue boat and found out more about this lifesaving charity.
We have had a lifeboat station in Ilfracombe since 1828 and although there have been many changes over this period, the one constant is that we are very lucky to have such willing volunteers to help protect us when out at sea.
It takes just 12-15 minutes for these volunteers to go from being paged to being at sea. The crew have to be working / living close to the station in case of a shout, they range from 18-62 years of age.
We discussed how to call out the lifeboats (call 999 and ask for the Coast Guard service) and all the different volunteering roles within the organisation, both land based and ocean going.
The larger lifeboat at Ilfracombe is a Shannon all weather, self-righting lifeboat, worth an eye watering amount of money. Gone are the days of men pulling / pushing the lifeboat into the water, the Shannon is launched by a very technical tractor that was in position, at the ready.
This Shannon is the ninth one of it’s kind to be made. It has a top speed of 25 knots and a range of 250 nautical miles. It has two 650 horsepower Scania engines and weighs 18 Tonnes. Each engine has its own 1,370 litre fuel tank
The Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) is funded entirely by charity and is such a valuable charity for those of us living on the coastline in rescuing both locals and guests alike that have encountered problems either on the coast path or in the sea.
Should you wish to see some activity, why not take a look for yourselves when in Ilfracombe. Training takes place on a Thursday evening at 6pm and information on their “shouts” is available on their Facebook and Instagram Pages “RNLI Ilfracombe”.
Following this, in true market research fashion we felt we should also try out one of the local coffee shops so special shout out to “Stacc (@staccbakes ) for the delicious pastries that they served alongside our teas and coffee - very recommended .
