Formed in Poole, Dorset, in 1824 and granted a Royal Charter in 1860, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) currently operates 444 lifeboats from 238 lifeboat stations throughout the UK, Isle of Man, Chanel Islands and the Republic Of Ireland. Volunteers and staff provide vital lifesaving services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through seasonal lifeguarding across over 200 beaches, on-call lifeboat search and rescue, and domestic and international flood rescue.

As the early July morning sun rises across the half-mile sands of Saundersfoot beach, three lifeguards set up patrol across the length of the shore, discussing the bay’s tidal conditions and the daily weather forecast. Seagulls call in frenzied clusters overhead, swathes landing on the sands and picking at the seaweed and kelp mixed with the white foaming ocean spray left behind from the receding tide.

With the outpouring of day-trippers arriving soon to explore the coal-mined caves exposed at low tide, and local early-risers already surfing and swimming, this well-oiled machine is swift in deciding the best course of action to best-survey the scene ahead. Stood in a huddle around the station’s quadbike, the collective run through their itinerary, gathered on standby to set up the morning’s warning flags. With a final joyous laugh the group of friends disperse, each heading off in separate directions to fulfil their tasks, the helmet-clad young lady and quadbike meandering slowly along the shoreline heading North-East to the top of the beach.

Only Happy Days,

~ A ~