Just before the storm

Yesterday, after a lot of practice docking and positioning the lifeboat, stuff we hadn't had much chance to practice as a team over the summer, because we were too busy on call outs, we were rewarded with a bit of a bounce, out in the bay. The wind was from the south east, so strong and whipping up quite a chop. For the first time with me aboard, everybody was in the wheelhouse, and the watertight door and hatches were all battened down, in case of capsize. Enjoy the video full-screen.

Fun, especially when the lookout shouts back "Big one coming, hang on". The boat needed a good rinse afterwards, including a going over with scotchbrite pads all over the railings, which were caked with salt and chalk.

Once back in harbour, the wind really began to howl, and sure enough, around eleven at night, the beeper went. But I got a phone-call before I was able to leave the house: another false alarm.