Thursday 13 August 2009

Llandudno Lifeboat

One of the charities I admire the most is the RNLI. They provide a 24-hour lifesaving service around the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland. Funded by charitable donations and manned by volunteers, the lifeboat crews and lifeguards of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution have saved over 137000 lives at sea since 1824.

Lifeboats by you.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davellandudno/3805461072/

Llandudno is fortunate enough to have had its own Lifeboat since 1861 and the RNLB Andy Pearce is presently stationed here (arrived 1990):


Llandudno's Lifeboat is a little unusual in that it is stored about half a mile in town and is towed out to the Promenade by the tractor for launching when required.

You can see the Lifeboat on display on Llandudno promenade every Sunday
from May Bank Holiday weekend until early October (subject to weather and service calls). They also have a small stall selling souvenirs, all in aid of the RNLI. Please consider buying something if you happen to be passing.

More information here:
www.llandudnolifeboat.org.uk

3 comments:

Iolo Morganwg said...

Whatever happened to that old anti-shipping naval mine that used to be on the pier?

It was painted red and used as an R.N.L.I. 'collection box' if I remember corectly.

I always wondered how much money it held........

DD said...

I remember it well, as one of my jobs on the pier was to empty it (you'd have been disappointed, Trojan, as it never had much in it!) It was in aid of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society (what a great name for a charity!) and you'll still see quite a few of them at seaside resorts around the UK. There's one in Conwy on the Quay.

I was told that one day, the pier staff decided to get rid of it by tipping it over the side. The next day, all hell broke loose when someone reported a World War II mine drifting by the beach and the Bomb Disposal Squad was called out! It was recovered from the sea and now stands in the front garden of Llandudno Museum on Gloddaeth Avenue.

Iolo Morganwg said...

Ah, the "Shipwrecked Mariner's Society" - I have visions' of a lone sailor stranded on a desert island, putting a note into a bottle, before throwing it into the ocean.
That's a funny story regarding the mine. Wern't you a member of the pier staff at one time.......?
Shame about the amount of money that was put into the mine.
The wishing well near the pier gates always had lots of cash inside.......so I've been told.

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