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.

Recent Services

9 April 2013 19:38	ILB	A launch request for the ILB was paged at 19:38 to three persons reported cut off by the tide on sand dunes in Holkham Bay. The local auxiliary Coastguard team was on scene but unable to assist the stranded persons due to the depth of water. The crew were paged at 19:41. The ILB launched at 19:50 and arrived on scene at 20:00 where the helm initially attempted to reach the casualties from the seaward side of the dunes. Due to lack of water, the lifeboat was taken into a deeper channel to the west, reaching the persons from the south side of the dunes at 20:15. The three casualties were taken onboard and brought ashore where they were handed into the care of the Coastguard team at 20:22. Returning to station at 20:30 the ILB was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 20:53. Visibility: Poor. Wind: NE 3-4. Sea: Slight/Moderate
9 March 2013 15:08	ALB ILB	Yarmouth coastguard requested a lifeboat launch to join a search for a kayak reported overdue out of Kings Lynn. The kayak had departed from Lynn on 6th March and had last reported in on 7th March, position unstated. Hunstanton lifeboat and hovercraft and local Coastguard teams were already carrying out a search in the Wash and along the North Norfolk coast. Sea conditions were unsuitable for an ILB launch to sea. The all-weather lifeboat launched at 15:28 and proceeded west towards Scolt Head, close inshore, searching for a dark blue hulled kayak with fluorescent stripes and one person wearing a red buoyancy aid. The ILB launched at 15:30 to conduct a search, within the harbour, of the foreshore and creeks to the east of the boathouse. A 16:03, a report was received that the casualty had been located safe and well, ashore at Gore Point. Both lifeboats were stood down and returned to station for recovery. The boats were re-housed, re-fuelled and ready again for service by 17:30. Weather: Sleety snow. Visibility: Poor. Wind: N4-5. Sea: Moderate.
17 February 2013 13:35	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of the ILB at 13:33. The local Auxiliary Coastguard team had been searching for a missing eighty four year old male suffering from dementia that had last been seen in the vicinity of Wells quayside and there was a possibility that he may have fallen into the water on the ebbing tide. The crew were paged at 13:35. The ILB launched at 13:44 but almost immediately information was received that the casualty had been located safe. This was confirmed at 13:46 and the ILB stood down. Returning to station at 13:49, the ILB was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 14:05. Wind: SW2. Sea: Calm
9 February 2013 16:39	ILB	An ILB launch request was received from Yarmouth Coastguard at 16:37 to assist a teenage boy who had suffered a leg injury and reported to being cut off by the tide. The crew were paged at 16:39. As the ILB was preparing to launch the local Auxiliary Coastguard team on scene reported that the casualty had managed to reach safety but still required medical treatment. With the Air Ambulance on route the ILB was stood down at 16:46.
23 December 2012 14:33	ILB	Yarmouth Coastguard had been informed by the Wells NCI lookout that a vessel with 3 persons onboard had become stranded on the east side of the harbour channel near the harbour entrance and was lying stern to in a slight to moderate westerly swell. A launch request was received at 14:31 with the crew being paged at 14:33. Launching at 14:42, the ILB proceeded to the casualty's position to find the 10 metre historic oyster smack Primrose aground on the dredged berm between the harbour's No 2 and No 4 buoys. The crew of the Primrose had managed to deploy a kedge anchor over the stern of the vessel to prevent it being driven further onto the lee shore. Once alongside. an ILB crewmember was transferred to assist with setting a tow and to release the kedge anchor. With careful manoeuvring of the ILB and the release of the kedge anchor, the Primrose was towed over and to the northern end of the berm into the deeper harbour channel. The tow was released at 15:00 with the Primrose then making her own way to the Outer Harbour pontoons where she was secured alongside at 15:11. In the meantime, the ILB returned to recover the casualty's anchor and warp. Returning to station at 15:17 the ILB was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 15:36. Wind: W4. Sea: Slight-Moderate
		Former Oyster Smack CK273 Primrose, built in 1892, sailing off Wells earlier in the year.
21 November 2012 19:16	ILB ALB	Yarmouth Coastguard paged for an ALB launch at 19:01 to attend the wind farm support vessel Island Panther with five persons on-board, following a collision with a turbine tower at the Sheringham Shoal offshore windfarm. The initial information received was that one crew-member had suffered arm injuries and required hospital attention. After discussion between the station LOM and coxswain it was decided, due to the state of the tide, that the ILB should be launched to transfer the casualty ashore. The crew were paged at 19:16. With just sufficient water in the harbour channel, the ILB launched at 19:24 to rendezvous with the Island Panther at Wells leading buoy. Further information was then received from Yarmouth Coastguard that it was possible that all five crew-members could be suffering spinal injuries and that Cromer lifeboat had also been launched with a doctor onboard to attend. The ILB was alongside the Island Panther at 19:40 where a first aider was put on-board to assess both the casualties and the vessel's integrity. Following the assessment, it was decided, with the possible injuries suffered, to wait for the Cromer boat and the opinion of the doctor before taking any further action. Meanwhile the Wells ALB had been put on standby to assist if necessary. At 20:15 the ILB reported that the WSW wind had increased and requested to be released from scene to enter the harbour channel for shelter while remaining in the vicinity on standby until Cromer lifeboat arrived. With the Cromer lifeboat alongside at 20:21 and the doctor transferred, it was decided the safest action was for the casualties to remain onboard to await the flood tide and to be met by ambulance and paramedics once alongside the Outer Harbour pontoons. The ILB returned to station at 20:22 but was requested not to recover and to remain on standby. The Island Panther entered Wells harbour at 20:44 under her own power with both the Cromer doctor and ILB first aider on-board. Berthed safely alongside at 21:04 the casualties were met by paramedics for onward hospital treatment. The ILB was re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service at 21:10. Wind: WSW 5. Sea: Slight/Moderate
7 November 2012 21:45	ALB	At 19:58, Yarmouth Coastguard requested a lifeboat launch to assist Prestige, a 39ft Motor Sailor vessel with three people on board. She was on passage from Grimsby to Dover but had lost power due to fuel problems. It was decided to bring her into Wells on the flood tide as soon as there was enough water for her 1.8m draft. The casualty was advised to make way under sail towards the Wells fairway buoy and to await the launch of the lifeboat. The ALB launched at 21:45 and was alongside the casualty at 22:15. A crewman was put on-board and a tow passed. The Prestige was brought into the Outer Harbour and made fast at 23:40 and the ALB was re-housed, re-fuelled and made ready again for service at 00:40. Wind: WSW 4-5. Sea: Slight/Moderate

News

Original crew photograph presented to station
3 March 2013

Following a practice launch, the station was presented with an original photograph of the last rowing and sailing lifeboat to serve at Wells. The picture shows the Baltic and her crew taken circa 1918. Rebecca Tindall-Stevenson who presented the framed picture said it was originally found in the 'Cloisters' wool shop in Staithe Street owned by her mother and father Jean and Brian Tindall. After the closure of the shop, f the picture travelled with Rebecca to Yorkshire, Devon and Cambridgeshire before she thought it should be returned to its rightful home in Wells. The image itself is familiar but Rebecca's original framed print shows a slightly wider view than other copies at the station and on this website.

Folksong "Survivor of the Wells Lifeboat"
26 February 2013

Poet and songwriter Charlotte Peters Rock has written and recorded a traditional folksong based on the story of the loss of the Eliza Adams. You can hear the song at her MySpace website: Survivor of the Wells Lifeboat.

A Fairway To Go... fundraising event
21 February 2013

On 19 May 2013, Wells sailor Simon Neale plans to row a small boat from Wells Sailing Club to the Wells fairway buoy and back, a distance of about 6 nautical miles against the tide. Funds raised by the challenge will be split between the RNLI, Homes for Wells and Rescue Wooden Boats charities. The Wells Inshore Lifeboat will be on the water to monitor Simon's progress. The event will start around 11am at Wells Sailing Club. For more information, please see the Fairway To Go website.

Exercise with Skegness and Hunstanton Lifeboats
30 December 2012

Lifeboats from Wells, Hunstanton and Skegness met up on exercise off Thornham on 30 December in crisp winter sunshine, the occasion being to mark the departure of Skegness Coxswain John Irving, who is moving to join the Humber lifeboat crew. Skegness's Mersey class lifeboat 12-008 Lincolnshire Poacher was anchored and the Wells boat rafted alongside in a reasonable swell from a fresh westerly breeze. We wish John all the best in his new post...

Christmas Carol Service at the boathouse
20 December 2012

Crew, families, local residents and visitors made their way on a cold evening down to the boathouse on 16th December for a festive annual carol service, the boats being temporarily displaced to the beach to make room for a Christmas tree, the audience and Fakenham Town Band. The short service was led by Revd. Neil Woodruff and Revd. Andrew Good, with readings by the Earl of Leicester (Station President), coxswain and crew members. We hope to see everyone again next year...

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a registered charity, number 209603.
The Wells-next-the-Sea Station Website is maintained by local volunteers not the RNLI. All text and images copyright (C)2005-2013 RNLI Wells Lifeboat Station or as indicated and may not be downloaded, copied or reproduced elsewhere without prior permission of the station or the relevant copyright holder.