Sunday saw Tenby Lifeboat Station hold its annual ‘Open Day’ - the only day of the year when people can actually tour the boat while chatting to the crew.
With around 2,000 people through the doors, over 600 of which actually touring the boat, it was a very busy day.
The doors were open from 10 am, with visitors able to tour the station, chat to the crew and go aboard the lifeboat, culminating at 5 pm, with the lifeboat launching down the slipway - an event which was watched by many 100s both in the station itself and on Castle Hill above.
“The Tenby Lifeboat crew would like to thank all those that visited to support us and help in making this year’s ‘Open Day’ another massive success,” said Tenby lifeboat crew member Ben James.
Later that day, the RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was in action as the ‘Summer Spectacular’ event on the Harbour took place, when the crew were requested to launch just before 9 pm following a report of a kayak possibly in difficulty off 2nd Bay, Tenby.
Whilst performing a search between 1st Point and Waterwynch, the volunteer crew discovered a large log floating in the water which they towed into the harbour in case it became a danger to vessels.
With nothing found and nobody reported missing, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.
The first shout of the weekend for the crew came on Saturday, when the all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 6 pm, following a report from a vessel that had broken down in a large swell somewhere on Carmarthen Bar.
As the volunteer crew were preparing to launch the boat, the coastguard received confirmation that the vessel was infact not on the bar, but was a lot further up the estuary than previously thought and that Ferryside IRB was now alongside.
The crew were stood down and returned home.
It was a busy start to the week then for the Georgina Taylor inshore lifeboat, with the first shout of the day on the Monday coming at 3.2 5pm following a report of a missing seven-year-old child on Tenby’s North Beach.
As the volunteer crew were preparing to launch, news came through from the RNLI Beach Lifeguards that the child had been found safe and well, and the crew stood down.
Later on at 5.15 pm, the inshore lifeboat was requested to launch again after a member of the public approached an RNLI beach lifeguard, believing that several children were cut off in the cave below St Catherine’s Island, alongside Castle Beach.
The lifeboat was soon on scene and joined the lifeguards and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Team in searching the Island.
A short time later, the first informant approached the Lifeguards again to confirm all the children were now safe and well on the beach and not cut off by the tide.
The third and final shout of the day came at 9.15 pm, this time after a report that two paddleboarders were in difficulty off Paragon Beach.
The lifeboat was quickly on scene and found that a local fishing vessel had gone to the aid of the four casualties on the two paddle boards. They had gone off the Paragon Beach and got taken out by the tide.
The fishing vessel had helped the boarders into the beach where they were met by Tenby Coastguard Rescue Team.
Pics. Gareth Davies Photography