RNLI Padstow Visit
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Mon 15 May 2017 22:57
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RNLI Padstow Visit
 Bear’s birthday. We woke to solid rain
falling at such an angle as to miss the roof of Maud completely, hammering the
side as if someone was throwing stones. All morning it went on until after lunch
things brightened a little and we were just left with a fine drizzle. After a
game of backgammon we gave a huge sigh as the sky cleared, just a bit, so we
thought we could brave the outside for a bimble. What would you like to do ???
I would love to go to RNLI Padstow and look
around. I checked the website, open from 10:00 until 16:00. Off we
set just as the finest of drizzle began once more. The bravely peeping sun gave
the award winning ‘shed’ a smart look at low
tide.
  We followed the long straight road and
passed Coastguard Cottage.
 Looking back from Coastguard Cottage, we
were pleased the typical Cornish hedging was keeping
most of the biting wind at bay.
  Mother Ivey’s
Campsite (now quite a way off) and a happy little
chap stops to say ‘hello’.
 Through the gate, down the hill and here we
are, at the lift station – the wall a testimony to
numerous acts of bravery, lives saved and a few lost.
 RNLI Padstow.
Sadly, the sign read Closed. Never mind, we might catch
a glimpse through the windows and down we went.
 The first Padstow lifeboat was built by the Padstow Harbour
Association in 1827 and kept at Hawkers Cove. The RNLI took over the station in 1856. In 1899 a new steam lifeboat was
provided and the station's first motor lifeboat was commissioned in 1929. A new
boat house and roller slipway were built at Hawker's Cove for a second motor
lifeboat in 1931. The original boat house became designated as the No 2 station.
The No 2 station eventually closed on 31st March 1962 because silting of the
River Camel prevented launching at low tide. A further boathouse and 73 metre
(240 ft) slipway were completed in 1967 at Trevose Head to the west of Mother
Ivey's Bay.
In 1984 the boathouse was adapted for the station's Tyne class boat. At the same time improvements were made to the cliff lift to enable it to carry a stretcher with a casualty and two attendants. Major concrete repairs to the substructures of both the boathouse and slipway had to be carried out between April 1991 and January 1992. Completion of the new award-winning boathouse slipway for Padstow and naming of its new £2.5 million Tamar class ON-1283 (16-04) Spirit of Padstow took place in 2006.   Bear leads the way as I pause to take in the craggy scenery.
   We only
managed sneak peaks at the Spirit of Padstow safely tucked up in her
nest.
  We stood
for a while taking in the launch slipway and
the bay.
   We watched
the gulls and then faced the
climb (128 steps) back up to the lift
station.
  We admired
the plaque on the bench at the top, John Gray...........and that impressive word ‘circumnavigator’ – we hope to join that
club............I was eight when The Duchess of Kent commemorated the opening of
The Padstow Life Boat House as the plaque
read.
   We took
the coastal path back to camp, we know they are only weeds but they do give
a lovely splash of colour on such a gloomy day. We
passed several once-used-by-pirate inlets. A beautiful cliff top home
with stunning views.
 So
Cornwall.
  Back at
Maud with ten minutes to spare before the fine drizzle went back to torrential
rain. Time for a game or two, but first, a cup of tea.....we certainly know how
to party.
ALL IN ALL SPLENDID BIMBLE
LOVELY TO SEE BUT SHAME THE STATION WAS
CLOSED
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