Hunstanton and Skegness RNLI crews team up for special exercise

Lifeboat crews from Norfolk and Lincolnshire joined forces for a special exercise at sea on 29 December.

Hunstanton's fast inshore lifeboat and the station's search and rescue hovercraft joined Skegness RNLI's all weather lifeboat for practice drills in The Wash.

The Norfolk crew launched their Atlantic B-Class lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk at dawn before making their way across to the Lincolnshire side of the estuary where the Skegness crew were launching their Shannon Class lifeboat Joel and April Grunnill.

Volunteers on both vessels then set a course for Norfolk, where they met up with the hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer.

Crews took part in exercises as well as boarding each other's craft to find out more about their capabilities and quiz their colleagues about how they operate them.

Hunstanton crew member David Coggles at the wheel of Skegness lifeboat Joel and April Grunnill. Credit Hunstanton RNLI

Paul Stewart, one of the launch authorities at Hunstanton, said: 'We normally link up with Skegness at this time of the year.

'It's all about familiarisation and working together, so we can see the capabilities of their craft and they can see the capabilities of our craft.

'It's getting to know the other crew as well and how they work.'

Volunteers from Hunstanton and Skegness on board the hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer 

Credit RNLI/Chris Bishop

Hunstanton crew members enjoyed a tour of the Joel and April Grunnill, while their counterparts were welcomed on board both Spirit of West Norfolk and Hunstanton Flyer.

The three RNLI craft, together with Skegness's D-Class inshore lifeboat The Holland Family cover The Wash, along with swathes of the north Norfolk and south Lincolnshire coastline.