We made it to the RNLI open day! It was a fantastic display with both the Shannon class lifeboat and a D class lifeboat from another station What a great day! The pride of Dungeness RNLI station is the new Shannon class lifeboat (RNLI Lifeboat 13-02) ‘The Morrell’.
At precisely 14.00 the demonstration began with the lifeboat being launched using an impressive tractor track vehicle. A small fishing boat - the ‘Sea Otter’ - had caught fire and there was a man overboard. The Morrell was assisted by the D class lifeboat (RNLI Lifeboat B-766) ‘BBC Radio Cleveland’. Both raced to the scene of the disaster with plenty of impressive swerves causing lots of spray on an almost millpond calm English Channel!
The D class lifeboat came in to rescue the man overboard, hauling him on board and then The Shannon took over and employed hoses and seawater to put out the fire. The Sea Otter was then attached by a line and towed for a short distance.
Amazing the Sea Otter recovered to be motored away from the scene! The Morrell then gave a demonstration of exactly how manoeuvrable she is using her twin water-jet engines enabling her to literally rotate 360 degrees.
A brilliant display by what must be our 4th Emergency Service.
We also enjoyed a really nice barbecue afterwards with our friend and I ate and drank too much, lucky the B&B is only a 5 minute walk away!
