Seahouses Lifeboats Online

(Formerly North Sunderland) Established as an RNLI Station on Aug 4th, 1859.

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- Callout Archives

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Station Notice Board
Updated 03/01/2010 23:57hr.

Seahouses Lifeboat Crew Present Award to local Sailing Club

Seahouses Lifeboats visited Beadnell on Sunday, 2nd August 2009, for the Annual Sailing Regatta held by Beadnell Sailing Club, at Beadnell Bay. Money raised by the event is donated to the RNLI Lifeboat Station at Seahouses. The Sailing Club have supported the RNLI in this way for many years, and this year, representatives of the station presented the Club with a framed Certificate on Vellum, highlighting their magnificent support. The actual money raised this year from various fund raising events, has yet to finalised, but an excellent sunny day helped make the event likely to exceed last year's amount. Cream teas at the Sailing Club House, an RNLI Souvenir Stall, Raffle and a variety of other fund raising events were all well supported.

Photo shows (L to R) John Hanvey (Snr) Seahouses Lifeboat Management Group Chairman, Ian Fisher Seahouses Lifeboat Fund Raising Chairman and 3rd Mechanic, presenting the Vellum to Lucy McGregor Beadnell Sailing Club Commodore, and Tom Clements Past Beadnell Sailing Club Commodore.

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The Last Maroons fired at Seahouses ?

The RNLI have recently withdrawn the use of maroons (exploding flares), which were fired by most lifeboat stations when their lifeboat(s) were called out on service. Once the initial call-out signal for a lifeboat crew, they were replaced by the radio pager or bleeper as a means of alerting the crew. However, they were still used (albeit in a quieter form) as a signal to local shipping and the local community that a lifeboat was launching "on service", and a backup to the pager system. They generated terrific public interest and support for the RNLI, and the public have complained profusely around the country since they have been withdrawn. The decision was made initially on Health and Safety grounds, due to some issues with their use. Latterly, there have been problems obtaining them from the manufacturers. Seahouses Lifeboat Station are currently researching the possibility of an external Alarm Siren Device, to replace the maroon rockets.

Seahouses Lifeboat Station has traditionally over recent years, fired two firework type rockets, similar to RNLI maroons, at 11am on 11th November, and again at 2 minutes after 11am, to mark the two minute silence for Remembrance Day. This year the local authority could not obtain these fireworks, and asked the RNLI if they could fire two RNLI Maroons in their place. At Seahouses, two maroons which were at the end of their operational shelf life, were available, and the Lifeboat Operations Manager agreed to have these fired as requested by Berwick Borough Council, particularly as this was the 90th Remembrance Ceremony.

For Seahouses, this was probably the very last time the "Maroons" would be fired from the station, marking the end of a Lifeboat Tradition there.

The photos show Deputy Launch Authority Terry Wainwright, Lifeboat Mechanic John Hanvey (about to fire the first maroon at 11am), watched by Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Clayton, then the moment of firing.

And Whooosh ............BANG !

Photos by kind permission of Local Photographer Bob Huggins of Embleton

The Station's wreath was laid by the Operations Manager, at a Ceremony at Seahouses War Memorial on Sunday 9th November.
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Station Internal Alarm Siren

Seahouses Lifeboat Station has today (16/10/08) been fitted with an internal siren/sounder with red strobe light. The unit is mounted in the main part of the boathouse, beside the Scrolling Board, and is connected to the Paging System.
Its purpose ? - To clear the boathouse of visitors, when our pagers are activated for an emergency call-out.
Red Strobe Light and Siren
While we welcome visitors, they do obstruct the crew entering the boathouse and getting to their equipment and clothing, so they can crew the boats. Now station staff, including the ladies who staff our shop, will be aware the second the pagers are activated, so that visitors who have not seen the notices, can be politely asked to speedily vacate the boathouse ! The siren/sounder is quite loud, and currently is set to sound for 2 minutes.

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Seahouses Lifeboat RNLB "Grace Darling" joins Amble Relief Lifeboat "Mary Margaret" at Craster for the naming ceremony of their new IB1 "D" Class Inshore Lifeboat "Joseph Hughes".

Gillian Smith names the boat Demo launch, Seahouses Lifeboat behind
D703 at sea
Craster's Crew putting D 703 through its paces
"Coxswain" Gillian Smith on Seahouses Lifeboat D703 with Seahouses & Amble LBs beyond
Gillian Smith enjoying taking the helm of Seahouses Lifeboat. D.703 launches with Seahouses and Amble Lifeboats beyond

D 703 "Joseph Hughes" has been funded by Gillian Smith in memory of her great grandfather - Joseph Hughes. Joseph was a serving Coxswain at Rhyll lifeboat station, as were some of his sons who were also on the crew (one of which was Gillian's father). D 703 was named on Saturday 11 October at 2 pm at Craster lifeboat station. The donors, Gillian and Roger Smith live in Dorset and many of their family members travelled to Craster the support the naming of the new lifeboat.

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BBC ONE SHOW CAMERA CREW FILM ABOARD SEAHOUSES LIFEBOAT

Left Photo. LOM Ian Clayton with Dan Snow, on Tues 5th August 2008. Right Photo. Dan Snow and camera crew.

BBC One Show's "Dan Snow" is shown above with Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Clayton, who was tasked to tell the Grace Darling story, with the Longstone Lighthouse and Harcar Rocks (where the S.S.Forfarshire was wrecked in 1838) as a background. Fortunately the fog lifted to allow the filming to go ahead. The programme is likely to be screened on the 170th anniversary of the Grace Darling Rescue, on 7th September. Watch the BBC listings for more information.

Screened on Friday 12th September 2008. Watch again at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dcydn/b00dcybg/. The feature is about 15 minutes into the programme.

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SEAHOUSES NEW INSHORE LIFEBOAT D-686 IS OFFICIALLY NAMED "Peter Downes" BY THE DONOR AND HER FAMILY.

Photos by courtesy of supporter Cliff Crone

Dr Cubie, RNLI Vice President, accepts the Lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI.

Newly named, the "Peter Downes" prepares for launch

The Seahouses Inshore Lifeboat, RNLB "Peter Downes", which arrived on station in January 2008, was officially named at Seahouses, at a ceremony in front of the boathouse commencing at 11am on Saturday 12th July 2008. With approximately 250 invited guests, and watched by a large crowd, Station Chairman John Hanvey (Snr) officiated over proceedings. Deputy Divisional Inspector of Lifeboats, Gareth Wilson, described the new boat, while RNLI Vice President Dr Cubie accepted the boat on behalf of the RNLI, and passed it over to the Station Operations Manager Ian Clayton, who accepted the boat on behalf of the station, and thanked the donors on behalf of the Station and Crew.

Catering was provided [donated] for the event by the well known local firm of

TROTTERS BAKERS, of Seahouses, and a truly excellent spread it was! RNLI Divisional and Regional Office Fund Raising and Press Staff served tea and coffee to the guests.

Local Photographers and Picture Gallery KICKASS IMAGES of 34 Main Street, Seahouses supplied a framed print of the new boat, which was presented to the donor, Mrs McLaughlin. Visit www.kickass-images.co.uk for a glimpse of their work. Images can be purchased from the site.

The Station Chaplain, Rev'd Jane Wood, Parish Vicar of St Paul's Church, led the naming service and prayers, assisted by Rev'd Pauline Fellows of Seahouses Methodist Church, and Father Tony Owen of St Aidan's RC Church. A vote of thanks was given by Station Fundraising Chairman and Station 3rd Mechanic, Ian Fisher.

The boat then launched, and provided a brief display off the harbour. Representatives from neighbouring Stations Eyemouth, Berwick upon Tweed, Craster and Amble, Local Coastguards, Fire and Rescue, station volunteers and supporters also attended and joined in the celebrations.

Named after the late Peter Downes, who died in a diving accident in the Channel, this boat was funded by his widow Carolyn McLaughlin, who has since remarried, from the result of a major fund raising programme. She comments ..."When my husband Peter died, his brother Michael came up with the idea of us raising funds for a lifeboat to commemorate not only Peter, but also their father, Leslie. Leslie had served in the Royal Navy and Peter had dived for over 20 years, in UK coastal waters and overseas. Michael dedicated the Leslie and Peter Downes D class lifeboat in April 2008 and it is based at Pwllheli in Wales. Fundraising and donations exceeded all expectations and it quickly became apparent that a second lifeboat would be feasible. Thus was borne the project for a lifeboat in Peter’s sole name.
Peter had always worked industriously at whatever he sought to achieve. As a schoolboy he represented his school, and then his county on the athletics field. He was a career banker who worked his way to become a Senior Project Manager. Whilst he was a particularly motivated person, he always had time for less experienced colleagues who welcomed his words of wisdom and support. This became apparent when his main recreational sport became scuba diving, and he had been an Advanced Instructor for many years. With Seahouses being a popular destination for divers over many years, given the close proximity to the Farne Islands, it has been an apt location for a lifeboat dedicated to Peter.
Peter had always been a very positive, forward thinking person. Because he had been such a popular and well respected person both at work and in the diving fraternity, so many people wanted to do something to contribute towards the project. Too many have participated to the successful outcome today to single out anyone particularly. Suffice it to say, their efforts have been varied and interesting! Corporate matched funding has also been much appreciated. Thank you one and all.
I believe the highly successful fundraising has been partly because of the love and respect so many people had for Peter, but also because the RNLI as a charity is funded purely by donations and legacies. Furthermore, the lifeboat crews are all volunteers. To put one’s life on the line to save others must surely be one of the most selfless acts known to man, reflecting total dedication, skill and bravery. D686 serves to demonstrate that they deserve the very best equipment available in their endeavours of saving lives at sea. Stay safe."
Carolyn McLaughlin

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JOHN CRAVEN AND THE BBC COUNTRYFILE TEAM FILM ABOARD SEAHOUSES LIFEBOAT

On Monday 28th April, 2008 John Craven and his Countryfile Team filmed a feature about Grace Darling and the Farne Islands, aboard Seahouses Lifeboat. Screened on Sunday 4th May 2008. . . . . .Missed it ? To watch again, try BBC iPlayer. Download the programme onto iPlayer for best results. (You will need to download/install iPlayer first)

John Craven with 2nd Cox Glen (Zeddy) Annison

Stn Mechanic John Hanvey (Grace Darling resident expert !), a bemused yachtsman in the back ground, ALB Crew Gary Annison, BBC Presenter John Craven, ALB Crew Paul Allison, Neil Adams and Neil Calvert, aboard RNLB "Grace Darling" (Seahouses Lifeboat).

Stn Mechanic (Emergency Coxswain) John Hanvey, who has a wide knowledge of the Grace Darling story, due to his family boat trip business, was selected to speak about the famous rescue to John Craven. In the background, is Inner Farne, the closest of the islands to the coast.
_______________________________________________________Photos by Alison Levett. Divn Press Officer

Please Note -
Our Station is open daily 8.30am - 5pm.
Visitors are welcome, parties by arrangement - call the Station on 01665 720370. Our shop is open 10.30am - 12.30pm and 1pm - 4.30pm subject to volunteer staff availability.
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Mersey 2006 Refit

Seahouses Lifeboat Webmaster - Email info@seahouseslifeboat.org.uk