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Monday 27 August 2012

Sea Rescue Demonstration

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Pictures by Judy Valentine
A blustery Sunday afternoon welcomed the local RNLI lifeboats & RIB inflatables from Lymington, Yarmouth (IoW) & Mudeford to Milford on Sea beach front, together with the Coastguard Search & Rescue helicopter.

The RNLI team then carried out a number of rescue exercise demonstrations in front of a large and enthralled crowd.

The sea itself was pretty choppy, and looked cold for the RNLI volunteers who were winched from the helicopter onto a moving lifeboat. This appeared a tricky manoeuvre in such conditions, yet each man hit his target each time.

The helicopter must have been feeling the might of the wind, the man dangling underneath was swirling around like a rag doll & the boat was bouncing up & down on the substantial waves. But, once the guys got there ‘eye in’ they had a man in the lifeboat from the helicopter in no time.

A crowd of several hundred emitted a loud cheer & applause every time they hit their mark.

Led by Margaret & John Pruden, the village supporters of the RNLI also had a gazebo raising funds from selling RNLI gifts, and a band of enthusiastic wandering volunteers picked up plenty of cash in their collecting buckets.

Watching a training exercise like this makes you really appreciate what the RNLI does for all of the sailors and bathers in the sea around the UK. These guys are skilful & face real danger, long may we all support them when we can.

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