The RNLI St Peter Port

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Welcome to the official web site for the St Peter Port lifeboat!

The Guernsey lifeboat station is one of only four in the Channel Islands. Operating for over 200 years, the crews of the Guernsey lifeboats have been honoured with several awards for gallantry.

A Lifeboatman being lowered to the deck of Spirit of Guernsey by Royal Navy Helicopter 05/06/09 - Picture by Tony Rive

The first Lifeboat Station on Guernsey was established at St Sampsons in 1803 following representation to the then States of Guernsey by the Douzaine (local parish council) of St Peter Port. The Station was taken over by the RNLI in 1861 and subsequently moved to St Peter Port, where it is presently based, in 1881.

The Station has seen a variety of lifeboats over the years and the current lifeboat is the Severn class 'Spirit of Guernsey'. The Island has always been proud to support the Lifeboat Station and crews; in 1973 a special appeal raised a considerable sum towards the cost of the Arun Class "Sir William Arnold".

Twenty years later an appeal was launched to raise £1 million to support the building of "Spirit of Guernsey". Thanks to the generosity of friends in Guernsey, Sark, Herm and further afield, the target was achieved within one year.

The RNLI relies entirely on voluntary donations.

Guernsey's safety and official fleet

Records show that the Guernsey Lifeboats have been launched over 1,330 times and saved almost 600 lives. Guernsey can be extremely proud of the many Coxswains and crew who have accumulated a most impressive number of RNLI gallantry awards with no less than 2 Gold Medals, 8 Silver Medals and 15 Bronze Medals being awarded since 1861. There were also 6 Silver Medals awarded before the RNLI took over the Station. In addition, the bravery and skill of local crews have been recognised by several foreign Governments with awards from France, Norway, Greece and Liberia. This show of bravery is almost unparalleled by any other RNLI Station in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Picture by Brian Green

Registered Charity Number 209603 - for the Official RNLI web site, please visit www.rnli.org.uk

Rescue services alerted for a Missing Diver close to St Martins Point

A call was received by St Peter Port Radio from a local dive vessel, “Stormdrift” that a diver from the vessel was 40 minutes overdue from surfacing from his dive.

“Red Dragon”Drifting off the West Coast

At 10:31 this morning (18th May 2010) St Peter Port Radio received a call from the fishing vessel “Red Dragon” returning to St Peter Port with engine problems off “Guernsey’s West Coast”.

The St Peter Port Lifeboat “Spirit of Guernsey” was launched at 11:19 and found the “Red Dragon” with (3) people on board drifting approximately 10nm West of Guernsey,

The Lifeboat was alongside the casualty at 12:22, towing the vessel back to St Peter Port Harbour, arriving at approximately 14:25.

Rescue close to Hanois Lighthouse

The St Peter Port Lifeboat was launched this evening at 2144 in response to a call from a 43ft sailing vessel becalmed & out of fuel close in to the Hanois lighthouse and being set down onto the reefs, an all ships call had resulted in a response from the local fishing vessel Janet V that proceeded towards the casualty. The Janet V arrived on scene first at 2206 and took the casualty in tow. The lifeboat arrived on scene 2215 and then escorted the casualty and the Janet V until the vessels cleared St Martin’s point when the lifeboat was released to return to St Peter Port, arriving at 2320.

Annual General Meeting 2010

At the Annual General Meeting on 20 April 2010, the local artist Jennifer Collas presented the station with a limited edition print of her fine painting of the ‘Spirit of Guernsey’ with the Platte Fougère lighthouse in the background. This piece of work had been used as the Station 2009 Christmas card and had sold some 3,700 copies. The print was gratefully accepted by Sir Fabian Malbon, the Lieutenant Governor, as president of the St. Peter Port lifeboat Station

'Hot Socks' Rescued

A Norwegian-owned yacht sailing from Southampton to St Quay-Portrieux had to be rescued off St. Martin's point.

The weather conditions proved to be too much for the boat and it's crew and resulted in The 'Spirit of Guernsey' towing it into St Peter Port Harbour.

An ambulance was called to check out one of the crew who appeared to be suffering from hyperthermia and dehydration

“ARCADY” Drifting off Beaucette Marina

At 1302 this afternoon (Wednesday 24th February) St Peter Port Radio received a call from the yacht “Arcady” drifting with engine problems off “Beaucette Marina” with two people on board.

The St Peter Port Lifeboat “Spirit of Guernsey” was launched at 1317 and found “Arcady” with two people on board drifting approximately 1/2nm Southeast of Beaucette Marina,

The Lifeboat was alongside the casualty at 1348, towing the vessel back to St Peter Port Harbour, arriving at approximately 1430.

M W Galliott
S.A.R. Co-Ordinator

Engine room fire on French Yacht 'Anita Bomba'

At 11:56 this morning St Peter Port Radio received a Pan call via Cross Joburg that the French yacht “Anita Bomba“ approximately 1nm East of St Peter Port Harbour had suffered an engine room fire, and the crew had taken to the Life raft.

The “Sark Venture” with skipper Gary Watson was first to arrive at 12:08 transferring the crew from the life raft onto the Sark Venture and back to St Peter Port Harbour.

The St Peter Port Lifeboat was launched and found the “Anita Bomba”at 12:08 towing the casualty back to St Peter Port with the engine room fire extinguished.

Royal Bank of Canada raise over £8000

A big thank you to everyone at Royal Bank of Canada who, last year, having adopted the Guernsey Lifeboat as their charity of the year, raised more than £8000

RNLI Annual Dinner and Dance

The Annual RNLI Dinner and Dance will be held on the 24th April at The Duke of Richmond Hotel this year starting from 7-7.30 and finishing late

With a four course meal and live entertainment provided by City Limits, tickets are priced at £45 each and are available from the Harbour Office

See attached document for a full menu and further details