The RNLI

[Mark Crame]

Evening chaps. I've had a bit of an interesting time of things this evening. And so I'm having a whip-round: If you have a spare cheque and a pen handy and would like to make a donation please send it to me - made payable to RNLI - to add to the donation I shall be taking to the lifeboat station tomorrow. Mark Crame, 35 Grosvenor Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0BW. Text of the letter sent to my local newspaper by email a short while ago follows:

 

Thanks chaps.

 

This evening I went for a paddle a few hundred yards out from the south beach on my sea kayak for a short while to do a spot of fishing and to wind down for the day, during which time I tried out the sail I have just fitted. I was close to the harbour mouth when I saw the Lowestoft Lifeboat come through and assumed that they were carrying out a training exercise – but it was nothing of the sort. A well-meaning and conscientious member of the public had been concerned that I was in distress (presumably through the sail being mistaken for a distress flag) and had placed a call to them to report what could have been an incident.

 

I would like to publicly thank the RNLI for their sterling efforts in ensuring that no harm had in fact come to me and the speed of their response which, in a distress situation could have been vital to my well-being. I would also like to publicly thank the concerned member of the public who reported what they thought might have been someone in difficulties as they could have saved my life had they been correct. It is incredibly comforting for someone who uses the water frequently to know that people care enough and that others are ready to place other people’s welfare before their own home life. I would also like to apologise for wasting their time!

 

The RNLI is a charity which receives no government funding and relies solely on charitable donations to do their work, 24 hours of the day and 7 days a week. With the summer approaching this is a timely reminder that many of us residents and many more visitors will be using our wonderful beaches for a range of leisure pursuits and might perhaps be in the position of needing the help of the lifeboatmen - we are fortunate indeed to have them so close. Founded in 1801, the Lowestoft Lifeboat Station is one of the oldest in the country, covering the Broads and rivers as well as the sea, and the Lowestoft crew, who have received 45 awards for gallantry during their history, responded to 61 incidents in 2006. That’s more than once a week. To support them you can telephone 0845 121 4999 or visit www.rnli.org.uk

 

I would like, once again, to sincerely thank them for ‘being there’, and to thank the member of the public who made the call.

 

Mark Crame

[maidstonemike]

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Edited July 6, 2007 by maidstonemike

[Mark Crame]

I most likely will. I'm going to head down to the station tomorrow. See if they can use me for fundraising or anything seeing as my summer starts tomorrow at noon. In the meantime, I'll try and get some donations in - i've emailed most people in my contact list and posted on the regular forums I go on. If I can raise a hundred quid - or even £20 - extra it's gotta be worth posting eh? I think i was a junior member some years ago, and my kids were in their magazine last year.

 

Tell you what, they were very friendly and courteous, as was the castguard chap who popped down to get my particulars when I came ashore - even if they did probably think I was a twatt for going fishing in a yak. Made sure I had a PFD but surprisingly didn't ask about other safety stuff. Decided I will get a VHF and the course now - if anything it'll save them some fuel maybe if soeone thinks I'm in trouble and I'm not.

 

Just a pity they had to waste their time for nothing.

[maidstonemike]

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Edited July 6, 2007 by maidstonemike