I am lucky enough to have good friends in the lifeboat service. Over the years I have met great Coxswains and their crews, enjoying their friendship and admiring with deep respect what they do – marvelling at the rescues they have carried out.
I remember too the onshore supporters, at the stations and in fundraising and the times when rockets were set off before the pagers alerted crews.. and of the changes amongst the structures of crews themselves as men and women without a family seafaring tradition joined the RNLI.
There was a time, passing Courtmacsherry on the South Coast when the wind had died and on my Sigma 33 we were depending on the engine for power and it wasn’t going as well as it should… requiring attention which wasn’t pleasant as I had to do it below decks in a rolling seaway….. Sanctuary was reached in Glandore and, retelling my story later the lads in Courtmac said they would have been glad to come out and help – and pleased to tow the Marine Correspondent ashore….!!! Glad I avoided that embarrassment….I have a new engine since….!!!!
One of my good friends is Coxswain Kieran Cotter in Baltimore, West Cork, who has urged me to remind all RNLI supporters that they must “opt-in” as a lifeboat supporter before the end of the month so that the RNLI can continue to make contact with them from next month onwards…...
It’s part of the new approach for charities in communicating with supporters as they aspire to best practice.
A letter has been sent out to supporters, so do respond to it positively and show your continued support for the RNLI. If you don’t, the RNLI won’t be able to contact you in future. You can do it online at rnli.org/savelives or contact their Supporter Care Team…
