Seven more days, seven more shouts for Appledore RNLI.

This year is proving ultra-busy for Appledore RNLI taking them up to 47 already this year when the recent yearly average has been around the early 60’s, and we haven’t hit the summer holidays yet!

Three of these shouts took place on the same day, Tuesday 24th June. Just after 3.30 in the afternoon the volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat, Glanely, following reports that a 12 year old boy who could not swim was holding onto a buoy in the River Torridge near Bideford New Bridge. As the lifeboat reached the scene, which turned out in fact to be Bideford Quay, they were stood down by the Coastguards as the casualty had just been rescued by the Fire Service who had also been called out to help.

As the lifeboat was making its way back to the station at about 4 pm it was diverted to the second shout of the day; this time to a yacht in difficulty off Instow Beach. The yacht with three people on board was located and the crew found that their cry for help was because they could not recover their anchor. However it was also found that the boat engine was also not working. The crew recovered both the boat and its anchor and towed the vessel to its moorings near North Devon Yacht Club and the lifeboat finally returned to the Station ready to go out in their normal weekly Tuesday night training exercise.

This was during this exercise that, just after 7 pm, Appledore's all-weather lifeboat, Mollie Hunt, was diverted to the report of a surfer seen a long way offshore at the north end of Saunton Beach. As the lifeboat was already in Bideford Bay it was on scene very quickly. A shoreline search was made and a surfer from the local Surf Club was located but he turned out to be assisting other emergency services in a different incident. Having completed a shoreline search, the lifeboat extended its search further off shore before being stood down by the Coastguards. However a few minutes later the crew were re-tasked to check a person seen on rocks at Down End. This they duly did, and were quickly able to report that the person was a fisherman who was not in need of assistance. The lifeboat then returned to station, its scheduled training to be completed another day.

At 8.30 in the evening of Friday 27 June, right in the middle of a PR training exercise taking place in the estuary in front of spectators on the Appledore RNLI fundraising cruise on the MS Oldenburg, the inshore lifeboat crew were diverted to help a lone foil surfer off Saunton Sands who appeared to be having difficulties in getting ashore on a ebbing tide. 999 calls had been received from concerned members of the public. Just as the lifeboat arrived on scene the surfer was seen to be leaving the water apparently unharmed. Croyde Coastguard Rescue Team was onshore and confirmed everything was now well.

Later that evening, just after 10.00pm, the crew of the inshore lifeboat were tasked again, following a PANPAN call, to carry out a search and rescue of a 21ft yacht reported approximately one mile off Baggy Point in a swelly sea. There were understood to be two youngsters on board who were unable to sail, they had lost power and had no lights aboard. PAN-PAN is an urgent call indicating a problem that is not immediately life-threatening but requires assistance or attention. It is the second-highest priority used to alert nearby vessels or authorities and highlights a potentially dangerous situation that could escalate.

When the coastguard and inshore lifeboat failed to establish communication with the casualty vessel, and the fact it was now completely dark looking for a boat with no lights, the all-weather lifeboat was also tasked to help.

The casualty was found after about an hour and due to condition of the vessel, the worsening sea conditions and the inexperience of the crew, it was taken under tow by the all-weather lifeboat to safe harbour at Clovelly due to the dropping tide on Bideford Bar. The inshore lifeboat returned to station but the all-weather lifeboat had to remain off Clovelly for a number of hours before returning to Appledore on suitable rising tide. It eventually arrived home at around 6 o’clock the next morning. A very long night.

Then around 7 pm, Sunday 29th June 2025, Milford Haven Coastguards received a call reporting three people who appeared to be in difficulty swimming at the North End of Saunton Beach. Milford Haven paged an immediate launch of the inshore lifeboat which launched within minutes, arriving on scene at 7.20pm. The Coastguard then informed the lifeboat crew that all three people had made it to the beach where the Coastguard Rescue Team were attending, handing the three casualties over to an ambulance team for further checks. The lifeboat was stood down and returned to the station.

Around midday the following day, Monday 30 June, a tasking request to launch the inshore lifeboat came in to the duty launch authority, to assist a hydrofoiler in the water and shouting for help. The incident was reported by member of public at Fremington Quay Cafe who had eyes on the person in distress. Due to the falling tide it was decided to launch the boarding boat to help but the shout was stood down a few minutes later when the casualty managed to make their own was safely to shore.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.