Hampshire features
Hayling Island's RNLI
Above: Andy Peasley
Above: Carol Carter
Above: Chris Bull
Above: Graham Raines
Above: Ian Harris
Above: Laura Harding 2
Above: The Atlantic 75 and crew in action
Above: The new station
Above:
It’s a dark, cold, winter evening with high winds and lashing rain and you’re tucked up warmly in bed. Then a pager sounds and you have six minutes to get into your car, drive to the lifeboat station, don nine kilos of kit, board a lifeboat and launch.
“The reality is that when that bleeper goes off you don’t have long,” said Chris Bull, one of the newest members of Hayling Island’s lifeboat crew.
He founded the Hayling Island Kitesurf School 10 years ago and is chairman of the organisation which regulates kite surfing on Hayling. But even Chris, when he was younger, had reason to thank the RNLI.
He now puts his experience of the sea to use for the community as a member of Blue Watch, as well as fundraising for the RNLI with a round the Isle of Wight kite surfing marathon.
Girls who like buoys
You don’t have to be a man to save lives on the water with the RNLI, as petite Laura Harding proves. Laura stands just 5ft 4in but dons nine kilos of kit when she goes out on a rescue.
“You don’t think of the kit as heavy, my handbag weighs a ton!” she said. “The other day we launched in four minutes...
For the full article, buy the May issue of Hampshire Life.
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