Clovelly’s lifeboat heroes are set for national fame this week, as they celebrate 200 years of the RNLI by appearing on Saving Lives at Sea.
As the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) marks 200 years of lifesaving, the volunteer lifeboat crew of Clovelly are set to take to the nation’s television screens on 16 April, as they feature in the ninth series of popular TV show Saving Lives at Sea on BBC Two and iPlayer.
The new series comes in the wake of an incredible milestone for the RNLI, as the charity marked two centuries of lifesaving on March 4.
After a special first episode which took a closer look at RNLI crews’ involvement in the Second World War, nine further episodes in the series focus on the lifesaving work of today’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards, featuring footage captured on helmet and boat cameras including Clovelly RNLI. Viewers will be able to watch dramatic rescues as they unfold through the eyes of RNLI lifesavers, as well as meeting the people behind the pagers and hearing from the rescuees and their families who, thanks to the RNLI, are here to tell the tale.
This forthcoming episode, on April 16, sees Clovelly RNLI battle against 50 miles per hour wind speeds as Storm Mathis battered the South West coast of the UK. Hours before, volunteers from Appledore RNLI had been paged to assist a lone yachtsman whose vessel had lost power and sustained damage to its sails.
After a long search they finally located the stricken yacht managed to attach a tow rope with the aim of reaching the shelter of Bideford Bay. However, the strain of the difficult conditions parted the tow rope twice before they reached calmer water off the coast of Clovelly. After the tow broke for the second time, Clovelly’s inshore lifeboat crew launched as the safest option was to anchor the yacht and take the sailor off.
Although in calmer water, the strong winds continued to make the sea conditions challenging for Clovelly’s volunteers as they came alongside the yacht to rescue the casualty.
"It's fantastic to see our station featured on such a popular television show," said Suzi Marsh, lifeboat press officer at Clovelly RNLI.
"Our volunteers work hard all year round to train and save lives at sea, but this rescue was particularly dramatic. The footage captured by our helmet cams shows just how bad the conditions were that day - it really puts into perspective what our volunteers can face when the pagers sound. We hope that our little moment in the spotlight will help to highlight how important the RNLI is to the local community."
Filming took place over the past year, with lifeboat crews and lifeguards carrying special cameras and welcoming film-makers into their day-to-day life. Rescues from the RNLI’s archives are also revisited, and we get a glimpse into the everyday lives of the thousands of men and women who give up their time to save lives. Saving Lives at Sea is broadcast at 8pm on Tuesdays on BBC Two and iPlayer.
