Rye Harbour’s lifeboat had a busy Open Weekend on July 18 and 19, with a visit from the larger Dungeness lifeboat, other visiting rescue services, including the Ambulance Service and Rother Responders (a team of volunteers trained to respond to emergencies) and a range of fundraising stalls. Both boats were open to the public and the Dungeness “Shannon” class boat, in particular, demonstrated the enormous advances in technology and equipment in recent years. At 43 feet long, with a top speed of 25 knots and powered not by conventional propellers but by twin waterjets, (making it highly manoeuvrable and easily operated off a beach), these self-righting craft encompass the very latest technology. Each of the six crew members is buckled in to a figure-hugging sprung seat, to protect them from the violent motion in heavy seas. There are computer monitors which, at the flick of a switch, can display charts with the boat’s position, radar, GPS and state of the art mechanical and electrical equipment. Gone is the traditional big steering wheel. The helmsman now steers “by wire” using a small joystick. It is as near perfect as modern design can make it for its sole purpose – to save those in peril on the sea.
By contrast, the much smaller (approximately 28 foot) Atlantic Class inshore lifeboat “Alexander” (a temporary replacement for “Mary Stanford”, currently undergoing servicing and repairs) operating from Rye Harbour, might seem, at first glance, to be simpler and more basic – but to think that would be a mistake. Designed as a rapid response boat for inshore waters, these little craft are capable of nearly 40 knots with their twin 115hp outboards. Nor do they lack the technology of their bigger brother: the crew may be exposed to the elements, but the same computer screens are there, giving the same navigational, positioning, technical information and communications as the larger boat. Altogether, an impressive demonstration of not just the boats, but also the men and women who man them. Those of us who go to sea in craft big or small should consider ourselves very fortunate that the RNLI and its amazing volunteers are there.
However, finding volunteers, particularly for sea-going duties, is still very much front of mind after an exercise earlier this year to get more. “We still need more – up to 55 years old”, said Richard Tollett, the Rye press officer “although we have got some, but mainly ground crew and fundraisers”. Also, although they need to come from the Rye area, they need not just come from Rye Harbour itself – the area goes out as far as Wittersham. “We always need volunteers and there are some good employers who are very helpful”. And, obviously, there are some employers with links to the sea. The need is not just for men. “We’ve got female crew too”, he said.
Training takes place on Sundays between 10am and 1pm and on Mondays between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Drop in or call Richard Tollett on 01797 223631 or Tony Edwards on 07979 703552. All the RNLI crews in Rye are volunteers – and the lifeboats are always needed, particularly in the holiday season. If you are between 17 and 45 years old, give it some thought – it is one of the greatest and most valuable of our emergency services and it needs you.
And then it got serious
Suddenly “Alexander” and her crew were needed. Just past midday on the Sunday, a call came through to go to the assistance of a dog and its owner who were reported to be in the River Rother, near the harbour entrance. The volunteer crew arrived on scene two minutes later where they landed the dog and owner safely ashore.
The visitors at the Open Weekend thought that it was a demonstration rescue. When they found out it was a real lifeboat shout there was disbelief. One visitor commented “They just stopped what they were doing and were gone. They went from laughing to serious in the blink of an eye”.
The afternoon visitors were also treated to another lifeboat shout, when two hours later ”Alexander” was again launched on service, this time to a speedboat that had broken down. When the crew arrived alongside the casualty, the owner had managed to restart the engine. However, he was given a tow off the bank on to which he had drifted and was escorted back to the public slipway at Rye Harbour.
Tony Edwards, acting Lifeboat Operations Manager at Rye Harbour said: “On behalf of everyone here at Rye Harbour, I would like to thank all the visitors and supporters who made this weekend a great success. Special thanks go to Dungeness RNLI Lifeboat Crew, Rother Responders and South East Coast Ambulance service for attending our Open Weekend. It was a great success, raising a total of £1131.57 for the RNLI.
Photos: John Minter and RNLI