Members of the Heron Model Boat Club and some of their exhibits during the show at Whitstable RNLI on Sunday. Credit: RNLI/Chris Davey
It was a very busy day on Sunday at Whitstable RNLI for along with the lifeboat assisting with a search the station hosted the annual show by the Herne Bay based Heron Model Boat Club, was visited by a classy motor and members of the crew took part in the Oyster Festival Mud Tug.
For the second time this year Lewisco the Whitstable B-Class Lifeboat found herself ousted from her boathall when the space was occupied by numerous smaller craft.
Having earlier this year filled the hall with a selection of model lifeboats the Herne Bay based Heron Model Boat Club returned on Sunday with a selection of model boats and ships for their annual exhibition at the RNLI station.
Chairman Robin Graham said,
“A great day was had by all with 25 models on display, and we had 1120 people come into the boat house. As ever we asked visitors to vote for the best model and the vote was very close this year, Tim Pearce with his incredible Mississippi Hunters shack, a fully operational radio-controlled boat, not just a model.”
During the morning a married couple in a Porsche 911 attempting to visit all the RNLI stations of the UK and Ireland met volunteers from Whitstable Lifeboat as they continue their journey around the coast.
Belinda and James Richardson, from London, are travelling 8,500 miles in their Porsche 911, hoping to visit all 238 lifeboat stations in 911 hours. After starting in Morecambe on Friday 23 August, the pair called in at Whitstable Lifeboat Station.
Later in the afternoon several members of the crew took part in the Oyster Festival Mud Tug held at low tide on the Long Beach.
Around seven teams took part in this annual trial of strength and we are pleased to report that those representing the station emerged from the mud victorious and the trophy has returned to the station for the second time.