Poole - home of RNLI Headquarters - boasts the second largest natural harbour in the world. The station's lifeboats are situated off the quay - just by Poole lifting bridge, shown up in the main photo, on the crown of the turn.

The floating boathouse, known fondly as the 'pigpen', which houses the Atlantic 75 lifeboat can be seen at high tide in the photograph below, just left of the lifting bridge with the station's Brede class lying afloat beside it.

Until recently the crew used a D class boarding boat from the station (main building at the bottom-left) to get to the lifeboat, but since this photograph was taken a walkway has been erected directly to the 'pigpen' from the quayside.

Mam photo (left) Ref 649129 Detailed photo (below) Ref 649113.