Lives Saved Since 1851= 590
+ 3Dogs

Launches since 1851 = 510

Weather for August 2003
Hot and sunny was the best way to describe the majority of the month particularly early August. However the last week of this month was more unsettled and even some overnight rain fell. The heat at times reached a balmy 85 degrees and even the fog which came with this didn't hang about. The last days of August 2003 were noticeable due to the fresh northerly, a rough sea and a distinct feel of autumn.

Exercises.
Exercises were held on the 10th, 24th and 31st.

Services.
There were five service calls during the month ranging from actual launches to crew musters and one shoreboat service. The details are as follows;

Tuesday 5th August, 2003
Shortly after midnight a couple were walking along the promenade after a visit to the local public house. It was a very fine and warm summer night and a combination of factors led to a disagreement leading to the female member of the group entering the sea. The resulting disturbance led to a call to the local police who once on scene requested the launch of Newbiggin lifeboat. At about 00.30 hours after the pagers were activated and maroons fired the lifeboat was launched and headed to the area arriving less than a minute later. With the female now been helped from the sea the lifeboat stood by until all were confirmed as safe then returned to station. The lifeboat was then refueled, washed down and made ready for service at about 01.30 hours. A footnote to this incident concerns myself in that I didn't respond to the call. Firstly my pager failed to activate. Secondly I slept through the maroon and my wife heard a noise but thought it couldn't be maroons, as the pager hadn't gone off! Finally the incident took place right outside my bedroom window with blue flashing lights going, searchlights scouring the area etc. - perhaps it was a really good sleep.

Thursday 7th August, 2003
At about 16.30 hours whilst visiting the boathouse I was alerted by some of our shorecrew that an inflatable shark was blowing out to sea in Newbiggin Bay. Having contacted Humber Coastguard a small fishing boat returning to the shore was requested to recover the shark and search up wind from it. Meanwhile after enquiries with various groups on the beach the owner was found and they confirmed there was nobody missing. The shoreboat landed the shark was returned with a recommendation in future it is kept to swimming pools. The skipper of the small boat confirmed it was his best catch that day!

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The First 150 Years - The Book.
Newbiggin Lifeboat History Book Launched. After some nine years of research the comprehensive story of Newbiggin Lifeboat over the last 150 years is launched.
Priced at £6 the book is available from the lifeboat station with postal orders costing an extra £1.50 for post and packing.(Post orders to RICHARD MARTIN, 3 WINDSOR GARDENS, NEWBIGGIN-BY-THE-SEA, NORTHUMBERLAND,NE64 6UN) Richard J Martin April 30th, 2001.
For more details contact Richard Martin
0191 2192553

Saturday 9th August, 2003
A group of jetskis had been out on a fine and sunny afternoon when thick fog came in and quickly engulfed the area. Concern was felt onshore for the group and enquiries were made with the coastguard. However the group had landed south at Blyth returning to Newbiggin by road and confirming their group was fully accounted for .

Saturday 16th August, 2003
At about 21.45 hours the lifeboat secretary was contact by the coastguard asking if the lifeboat could be made ready for a person threatening to jump into the sea. The crew pagers were activated but moments later the incident was closed after the police talked the person down.

Thursday 28th August, 2003
Local fishing boats had put out to sea for a morning's fishing in the local area. One of the fishing cobles 'Crystal Sea' developed propulsion problems and with no other cobles in the immediate area a call for lifeboat assistance was made. At about 09.51hours the pagers were activated and shortly afterwards the lifeboat was launched. Once the casualty was located a tow was made and a passage back to Newbiggin begun. The casualty's tow snapped three times during the journey due to swell conditions but after an hour all were safely ashore.

Town Fair 2003
The Ladies Guild held another successful day providing refreshments from the boathouse during the Town Fair. After eight hours in the boathouse over £500 was raised for local funds.

BBC Radio Newcastle visit to Newbiggin On Thursday 7th August, 2003
Newbiggin hosted a visit from BBC local radio. The conditions were perfect for the visit and the village did itself proud. Invited Newbiggin residents had an opportunity to talk about their role in our community as on this programme which has a focus on local history and is heard across the north east of England. I was invited to go on air and talk about the work of the lifeboat volunteers at Newbiggin as well as some of the historical stories to come out of the place.

Newbiggin Pageant 2003
The Pageant and St. Bartholomew Fair took place over the Bank Holiday weekend with lifeboat volunteers donning period costume for the event. The two day pageant was well subscribed and photographs of the event can be seen on www.newbigginbythesea.co.uk - the Newbiggin website.

Legacy Calendar
At the end of the month photographers employed by the RNLI visited the station to take some photographs for the forthcoming RNLI Legacy Calendar. Volunteers had their photographs taken next to the lifeboat as well as at sea over a two hour period.

RJM Richard Martin - 31/08/2003.

Newbiggin by the Sea RNLI Video
We are pleased to annouce the issue of a exclusive
VHS video about Newbiggin RNLI station featuring high-lights of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations with the Duke of Northumberland in attendance.

To receive a copy contact Stan Green at-
Newbiggin@rnli.org.uk

Newbiggin by the Sea R.N.L.I. Website
Special thanks should go to Richard Martin, Stan Green and former Newbiggin Branch Chairman John Robinson, for providing much of the material used in the lifeboat website.
If anyone has any additional material or stories that they think would be of interest and would like to contribute to the site please contact:-

Paul Hooper tel.01670 521289
e-mail- drumhoops@btinternet.com

Or contact can be made via:-
www.newbigginbythesea.co.uk
Newbiggin@rnli.org.uk