The RNLI St Peter Port

A Look Back on the Past Year

This year so far (2009), St Peter Port has already had a total of ‘34 shouts’- against a ten year rolling average of 25. Although some of these have been medical cases from Sark, which tends to distort the picture somewhat, a period of eight days in May provided a snapshot of what has become routine for the Guernsey lifeboat.

Latest edition of Shout!

The latest edition of Shout! the Lifeboat Association Newsletter has been published.

Click here to download a copy

New RNLI Calendar

The new 2010 Lifeboat calendar is on sale now from various places around the harbour and from lifeboat crew members. The calendar is priced at £5 with all proceeds going towards the Ladies Lifeboat Guild and Guernsey's Lifeboat Station

Events

GU 10 Concert at St. James

On Saturday 16th April, GU 10 and other groups will be performing at St. James. Arrive at 7.30 for an 8 O'clock start. A Ploughman's supper will be provided

Flag Day

RNLI south west annual rescue statistics released on the charity’s SOS Day

30 Jan 2009 - There are four lifeboat stations in the Channel Islands, which last year housed 6 lifeboats. In 2008 they launched to 103 emergencies (106 in 2007) and rescued 204 people (138 in 2007). The volunteer crews spent 162 hours at sea on emergency call outs alone.

The St. Peter Port lifeboat launched a total of 21 times in 2008, twelve times for pleasure craft, six times for fishing vessels and twice for commercial vessels. It launched three times, but performed no direct service, where the casualty was attended by other responders. The total number of persons on board vessels to which the lifeboat was called and thus ‘at risk’ was 105 and it is heartening to report that no lives were lost in respect of the calls to which our lifeboat responded in 2008.

Applauding an amazing rescue feat

7 October 2008 - Guernsey Press comment

READ between the lines and it is clear that the weekend rescue of sail training vessel Alva was something quite out of the ordinary and it was down to the skill and bravery of a number of people that an incident did not escalate into a tragedy.

When lifeboat and tug crew talk about ‘difficult conditions’, they actually mean gale-force winds, driving spray and terrifying swells, the sort of maelstrom that no sensible person would contemplate putting out to sea in.

Schooner’s crew feared they would be wrecked

5 October 2008 - CREW members on the Swedish vessel Alva feared they were about to run aground on Sunday, until it was towed to safety by the St Peter Port lifeboat.

And it only emerged yesterday that before the Guernsey authorities came to its rescue in the early hours of Sunday morning, the 44-metre three-masted maritime school for Swedish teenagers had been in difficulties since about 4am on Saturday.

The Alva’s captain, Mattias Nyman, 62, hailed the skill and bravery of the six-man crew on relief lifeboat Roger and Joy Freeman, for their response. ‘They did an excellent job. What they did, they did perfectly and I was very impressed with their work.'

First lives saved by RNLI’s MOB Guardian

18 July 2008 - The Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s satellite based MOB Guardian sea safety system has recently played an important part in saving the lives of three fishermen after their vessel sank off the Channel Islands.

When the 36ft Brixham registered fishing vessel Guyanacapsized and sank suddenly off Sark the three man crew were initially left floundering in the water. They were able to board their liferaft after it was released automatically from the sunken vessel.

Sir Jock’s station tour takes in Guernsey

29 May 2008 - RNLI chairman Sir Jock Slater, left, with cox Buz White and some of the St Peter Port Lifeboat crew. RNLI chairman Sir Jock Slater visited the Guernsey lifeboat crew yesterday as part of his tour of Britain’s stations.

Sir Jock also gave a talk at the Guernsey Lifeboat Luncheon, where he presented a certificate of appreciation to Edward Fattorini, chairman of the local RNLI supporters’ association, for his work in that role and for the Train One, Save Many appeal.

Nine saved as engine of cruiser catches fire

12 May 2008 - NINE people were rescued when the engine of the Sunseeker, Scorpion II, caught fire. Two of them needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

The boat’s owner and skipper, Graham Beck, put out a Mayday call at about 7pm on Friday when smoke was spotted coming out of the bulkheads. ‘I want to thank everyone who helped in the rescue effort – the lifeboat, fire brigade and Buz White,’ said Mr Beck, 46.