Page 9 - Hunstanton Town & Around - February 2016

Tel: 01485 533422 email: editor@townandaround.net Hunstanton Town & Around February 2016 9
Hunstanton Lifeboat Station

Geoff Needham
From all at the station we thank you for your support given to
Hunstanton RNLI.
After a quiet period of no call-outs we kicked off the New Year with
two shouts in 24 hours. Crew paged to assist persons in water just two
hours before they were due to sit down to their annual Christmas
Dinner, arriving back at station with just a half hour to get home and
change ready to sit down to their meal.
Saturday 9th January at 5.30 p.m. Humber Coastguard requested
launch of Hunstanton Lifeboat to go to the aid of persons in the water
off Hunstanton. Humber Coastguard received a report that two persons
were in the water trying to recover a Jet Ski and were in difficulty.
Hunstanton Lifeboat arrived on scene, it was confirmed that the two
were ashore and were being treated for hypothermia. The recovery
vehicle they were using had become stuck on the beach, completely
submerged by the tide, the jet ski had floated off by the tide and was
drifting out to sea. A search of the area was carried out, and
illumination flares were fired to light up the area, nothing was found,
and it was confirmed that no other person was in the water, the lifeboat Robin then presented a certificate and Statuette to Dr. Ian Charles. Dr.
was stood down to return to station arriving back at 7.00 p.m. The Charles has been the station medical officer for the last 25 years.
owner’s vehicle and trailer were recovered later. Any person finding Michael Darby, senior helmsman then asked all to stand and raise their
the Jet Ski is asked to report it to the Coastguard. H.W. 6.03 p.m. glasses to Dennis Stevens, Steve, as he was known to the crew, had
Wind SE3. Weather cloudy. Vis. Good. Sea-state slight. managed the collection boxes around the area, and his efforts had over
Sunday 10th January at 3.50 p.m. Humber Coastguard requested the years raised over £80,000 pounds, sadly no longer with us he
launch of Hunstanton Lifeboat to a report of a kite surfer in trouble off bequeathed in his will that the crew enjoy a drink with him, from all
Hunstanton. On arrival at search area a kite was recovered and it was at the station Cheers Steve, and Thank’s to Biddy his widow.
one that had been reported by its owner some two hours earlier as
having blown out to sea. After establishing that no person was in
trouble, the kite was taken on board the lifeboat and brought back to
the station, to await its recovery by the owner. This was a call from a
member of the public, who did the right thing and our crew carried out
a quick response in daylight. H.W. 6.40 p.m. Wind SW 2 Weather
Blue sky/cloud Vis. Good Sea state slight
As stated after the shout, and the boat was re-housed and made ready
for the next shout everybody went home to get ready for the Christmas
Dinner, this year the crew chose to go to Caley Hall. An excellent meal
and the staff worked hard to make the evening a huge success.

After the dinner, Robin, Operations manager of Huntstanton RNLI
presented to Tim Richardson his certificate for his twenty-two years
of service and commitment to the RNLI, he was also presented with a
clock from the crew. Picture shows Tim and his son Sam holding the
clock.
Sam is a crew member and is following on in his fathers steps.