Welcome to Wells RNLI
Wells-next-the-Sea RNLI Lifeboat Station houses an all-weather lifeboat and an inshore lifeboat to save lives and assist with emergencies around Wells and off the North Norfolk coast. Manned by volunteer crews, the boats are ready to launch within minutes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This website will tell you more about the station and give you a taste of what we do and the traditions of the lifeboat service.

Notices

Recent Services

26 June 2009 10:17	ALB and ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard paged for an immediate launch of both boats at 10:17 after receiving a Mayday transmission from the RIB Kiwi on a handheld VHF reporting that the vessel had capsized east of Wells harbour in thick fog, leaving four persons in the water. At 10:30, as both boats were launching, Yarmouth Coastguard received a transmission from the RIB Jakey Boy, owned by Wells RNLI crew member James Betteridge, saying that he was alongside the casualty, having heard the Mayday, and had taken the four persons off the upturned Kiwi. James gave a Lat/Long for the casualty's position, approximately 1.5 miles east of the Wells leading buoy. The ILB arrived on scene at 10:40 where the four casualties were immediately transferred to the lifeboat to be brought ashore. The ALB arrived at the casualty's position at 10:45. The ILB arrived back at the boathouse at 10:55 where the casualties were met by the station's Lifeboat Medical Adviser who, after a brief examination, said the four were slightly shocked but non-the worse for their ordeal. In the meantime the ALB had made several attempts at righting the Kiwi, finally succeeding at 11:02. The ILB was requested to return to the position to collect various items that had washed from the RIB. Once the task had been completed, the ALB with the Kiwi in tow, along with the ILB and Jakey Boy, proceeded to the harbour before arriving at the quayside at 11:35 where the casualty vessel was safely moored alongside. Both boats returned to station at 11:50 and were re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 12:25. Wind: NE2. Sea: Slight.
19 June 2009 13:47	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of the ILB at 13:47 after a member of the public reported seeing a man at the water's edge on the west side of the harbour stuck in a hole with the tide flooding over him. The ILB launched at 14:01 arriving on scene at 14:03. As the ILB approached, the reported casualty ran from the scene towards the pinewoods where he was intercepted by the local Auxiliary Coastguard who established that the person had simply been playing in the water but thought he would be in trouble when he saw the lifeboat arrive. The ILB was stood down at 14:10 and was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 14:24. Wind: W2. Sea: Slight.
9 June 2009 04:38	ILB	Following the stranding of Dutch yacht Dreefleant the previous evening, crew members mustered at the boathouse at 03:00. It was decided to ferry out, using the station's 8 wheel Argo vehicle, six crewmembers to assist righting the Dreefleant once she began to lift on the flood tide. The first group left the boathouse at 03:22 and arriving at the vessel at 03:27 began to check for any damage to the casualty while the Argo returned to collect the remaining three crew. At 04:29, with all six crew onboard and the tide flooding, the yacht began to lift to a more upright position in a slight swell. Launching at 04:38 the ILB arrived on scene at 04:42. Passing the tow at 05:30 and assisted by the casualty's engine the ILB held the yacht's head to wind and sea but at 05:58 it was reported the vessel's engine had failed due to overheating but finally, at 06:00, the Dreefleant was towed clear of the sands into clear water to begin the passage into the harbour. As both vessels approached the harbour entrance, the yacht's engine had managed to be restarted and, with the ILB escorting the Dreefleant to the quayside, she was moored alongside safely at 06:30. The ILB returned to station at 06:42 and was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 06:56. Wind: NNE 3. Sea: Slight.
8 June 2009 22:27	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard had received a VHF message from the skipper of the Dutch yacht Dreefleant saying his vessel was aground and taking on water to the west of Wells No. 1 buoy on an ebbing tide. A launch request was received at 22:25 with the crew being paged at 22:27. The ILB launched at 22:35 and proceeded to the casualty's position. Arriving at 22:39, it was clear that the vessel had begun to dry out and to attempt a tow was pointless with the yacht already lying with a 40-degree list to port. After checking the two occupants were safe and that the vessel had not taken any water into the accommodation and engine room, Dreefleant's anchor was run out to seaward ready for an attempted recovery on the next tide. At 23:15 with the two persons from the yacht onboard the ILB started to return to the boathouse. The harbour channel was drying out quickly by then and the lifeboat had to be walked over the shallow patches in the vicinity of the bar. The ILB eventually made it back to the boathouse at 23:22 and was re-housed, re-fuelled and made ready for service at 23:45. The crew were stood down with forward arrangements made to muster at the boathouse at 03:00 to attempt to ensure the yacht lifted on the incoming flood tide and then tow the vessel to the safety of Wells quay. Wind: NNE 2. Sea: Slight.
5 June 2009 09:58	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard requested the ILB to launch to assist the skipper of the Wells based fishing vessel Ma-Freen after he suffered an injury to his hand whist hauling crab pots, the crew being paged at 10:04. While the ILB was being made ready for a low water launch in Holkham Bay, arrangements had been made to convey another local skipper to the casualty vessel to take command and to await the next flood tide. The ILB left the boathouse for Holkham Bay at 10:12, launching and proceeding to the casualty at 10:28, arriving alongside at 10:32. The relief skipper was transferred to the Ma-Freen and the ILB, with the injured skipper aboard, departed for a low water recovery. Arriving back in Holkham Bay at 10:40, the casualty was transferred to an awaiting vehicle to be taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn. The ILB was recovered, returning to the boathouse at 11:03, and was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 11:22. Wind: NNE 2 Sea: Slight.
29 May 2009 15:54	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard paged for an immediate launch of the ILB at 15:54 after receiving a 999 call reporting a 4-year-old child missing at Brancaster. The ILB departed the boathouse at 16:03 for a low water launch in Holkham Bay but at 16:06 Yarmouth Coastguard stood the boat down after establishing the child had been found and re-united with her parents. The ILB returned to station, re-housed and ready for service at 16:15.
27 May 2009 19:21	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard paged for an immediate launch of the ILB at 19:21 after receiving information from a member of the public who had observed two young boys cut off by the tide to the south of the lifeboat house waving their arms and up to their waists in water. They had attempted to cross the channel but returned to the sand bank because of the strong current. The ILB launched at 19:30 just as information was received that the owner of the yacht Topo, moored close by, had gone to the aid of the two children using the vessel's tender and now had them safely aboard. The ILB arrived alongside Topo at 19:32 and transferred the two casualties from the yacht to return to the boathouse at 19:37 with the two lads non-the-worse for their ordeal. The ILB was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 19:49. Wind: E2. Sea: Smooth.
26 May 2009 21:08 and 21:35	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard initially paged for an immediate launch of the ILB at 21:08 after receiving several 999 calls from members of the public reporting a person stranded in the marshes at Stiffkey. In the meantime and before the crew could assemble, they also received another 999 call saying that four windsurfers were stranded on Bob Hall's Sands north of the boathouse. As the crew arrived, one windsurfer had managed to swim ashore against a strong ebbing tide but said the remaining three were exhausted after attempting the same. The decision was made to assist the windsurfers first and deal with the stranded person second. Launching at 21:18, the ILB arrived on scene at 21:20 to bring the first windsurfer and his gear ashore, this was followed by a further two trips until all were safely ashore at 21:31. At 21.35, the local Wells coastguard reported that they had sight of the stranded person on the northern side of Garborough Creek. The ILB departed immediately in fading light to enter the creek system from seaward. The coastguard reported making contact with the casualty at 21:52 who had stated that he was in no need of assistance, knew the marsh area and was awaiting a further drop in the tide before crossing the creek. As the ILB arrived on scene, the coastguard reported that person had crossed the creek to shore. The ILB was released at 22:01, arriving back at the boathouse at 22:34 and was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 22:52. Wind NE3. Sea: Slight.
24 May 2009 06:18	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard contacted the Lifeboat Operations Manager after receiving a phone call from the police saying they had seen an unmanned tender adrift at the east end of Wells on the incoming tide. Their concern was whether any occupants had fallen into the water. The crew were paged at 06:18. The ILB launched at 06:32 and proceeded to Stonemeal Creek, arriving at 06:37 and located the tender belonging to the dive boat Tuvvag. After it was established there were no persons on board the vessel the ILB began a search of the immediate area. In the meantime the station's 2nd mechanic and Deptuty Harbour Master contacted the Tuvvag's owner who said he was unaware the tender had been taken or used. After completing the search and recovering the tender, the ILB made a further sweep of the area and found a second dinghy adrift which was also recovered. The conclusion from both the police and coastguards was that the two vessels had been deliberately set adrift. The ILB returned to station at 07:11 was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 07:30. Wind S2. Sea: Smooth
23 May 2009 06:50	ILB	At 06:45 Yarmouth Coastguard received a VHF message from the owner of a 5m RIB Elliss stating he had suffered engine failure approximately one mile east of Blakeney Fairway buoy and was drifting unable to get his anchor to hold. With no other vessels in the vicinity, Yarmouth paged for a launch request at 06:47 with the crew being paged at 06:50. The ILB launched at 07:00 and arrived alongside the Elliss at 07:17 where further attempts were made to restart the engine but without success. A tow was attached and at 07:22 the ILB proceeded to take the casualty to Morston Quay arriving at 08:05. Once the casualty had been safely secured alongside, the ILB was released to return to station. Arriving at 08:35, the ILB was refuelled, re-housed and ready for service at 08:50. Wind S2. Sea: Slight
3 May 2009 11:59	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard requested an ILB launch at 11:52 after receiving a report from a member of the public that two people and two dogs were stranded on a sand bank in the entrance to Burnham Overy harbour on a flooding tide. The crew were paged at 11:53 and the ILB launched six minutes later from the boathouse and proceeded toward Overy harbour in a moderate NW wind, arriving on scene at 12:21. The casualties were located and taken on board the ILB where they were transferred ashore and handed over to the local coastguard unit at 12:24. Departing at 12:25, the ILB returned to station at 12:44 was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 13:00. Wind W5. Sea: Slight/Mod
25 April 2009 17:56	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard paged for an immediate readiness of the ILB at 17:46 after receiving a report of two people cut off by the tide in Wells marsh. The ILB launched at 17:56 but with conflicting information as to the location of the casualties the helm asked for 2 further crewmembers to be got ready so as to be placed at vantage points on the marsh side of the harbour channel. Returning to the boathouse at 18:02 the two additional crew were taken onboard and put ashore at the marsh side by 18:06. The ILB proceeded to the town to enter the creek system and to the first position given for the casualties. On arrival two people were spoken to and they informed the crew that they had a small dinghy and required no help but had seen two other persons walking towards the Stiffkey end of the marsh. A report from the local Auxiliary Coastguard was received stating they had visual contact with two persons in the vicinity of Airplane Creek approximately one mile east of the ILB's position. Once on scene at 18:17 it was confirmed the two persons were the original casualties and, although wet, had managed to wade through the creek to safety. After establishing no further assistance was required and the two casualties knew their way off the marsh the ILB returned to station at 18:48 having collected the additional two crewmembers en-route and was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 19:15. Wind S2. Sea: Calm

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a registered charity, number 209603.
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