Brictlington coxswain Fred Waikington follows in the wake of some former RNLI lifeboats that have travelled some 12,000 miles to a new home in the land of kiwis, sheet), volcanoes... and almost 10,000 miles of coastline.red and Carol Waikington had been planning a holiday to New Zealand for many years. They had friends and family out there that they hadn't seen for a long time. But somehow the trip kept being put off. Then with their 30th wedding anniversary approaching, they decided that the perfect way to celebrate would be to set off on the longdelayed journey.

Fred has been Coxswain at the Bridlington lifeboat station for 25 years, having joined the RNLI as a voluntary crew member in 1965, and he hoped to renew acquaintances with more than family and friends. Fred's first boat was the Liverpool Class Tiltie Morrison Sheffield II, which was stationed at Bridlington from 1953 to 1967.

She then briefly joined the RNLI relief fleet before being sold to Sumner lifeboat station in New Zealand in 1968. She served at Sumner until 1991, when she retired from active service and moved north to New Plymouth. After some weeks arranging details, the trip was booked and Fred and Carol departed on their once-in-a- Itfetime journey.

They flew into Christchurch, on the South Island, where they were met by Walter Baguley, Sumner lifeboat station's Honorary Secretary. First off was what Walter called a 'ticky tour' of Christchurch - a good luck tour that Fred and Carol found highly informative and interesting. Then it was straight on to the lifeboat station, where they were introduced to Coxswain Peter MacDonald.

Coxswain MacDonald gave them a tour of the station and then took Fred out on the fast inshore lifeboat Caroline Nicholson. A quick trip around the bay helped Fred to feel at home, although the number of surfers enjoying the warm weather and strong swell helped to remind him that he wasn't in Yorkshire anymore.

Before moving on, Walter and his wife treated Fred and Carol to lunch at his home, where they sat in the garden sipping drinks in the shade of lemon trees.

This was typical of the wonderful hospitality that they were shown throughout their trip. After lunch they travelled a short distance along the coast to Lyttelton where the offshore lifeboat is stationed. This was another former RNLI boat, the Thames Class Helmut Schroder of Dunlossit, now renamed P&O Nedlloyd Rescue.

Helmut Schroder of Dunlossit was built in Lowestoft in 1976-78 and after extensive trials, use as a training ship and appearances at the Southampton Boat Show, she eventually became the station lifeboat at Islay in 1979. She remained at Islay until 1997 when she was reallocated to the relief fleet and relocated to Poole. She was sold to New Zealand in 1998.

Fred and Carol were introduced to the Bosun, Kathy Kerr, who joined the lifeboat crew in 1988, and then took a trip around the coast to Continued over...experience the superb views. She told them that the lifeboat couldn't afford to work exclusively at search and rescue, but takes on other jobs to raise funds. On another day, they might have found the boat water sampling, towing or piloting to help fund itself. As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, Fred and Carol agreed that they had had a very good first day in New Zealand.

The next day they set off to travel around 100 miles north along the coast to the village of Kaikoura. As the road dropped down into the village, Fred's experienced eye spotted another UK lifeboat. Further investigation revealed this to be one of six Waveney Class lifeboats that were sold to New Zealand. The Kaikoura boat had been renamed John Barton Acland Rescue and was still in active service.

It was now time to travel to the North Island, to New Plymouth on the Tasman Sea. This was the final home of the Tillie Morrison Sheffield II. At the age of 47, she no longer works as a search and rescue boat, but instead takes tourists on trips to Seal Island, as well as hosting weddings, christenings and champagne cruises. On arriving at the boathouse, Fred and Carol were met by the skipper David Chadfield, known as Chaddy to his friends. He welcomed them warmly and gave them free run of the boat.

It was an emotional moment for Fred as he inspected the boat with a keen eye. The brasswork still shone as though it was new and Fred could remember the many hours that he had spent over 30 years ago shining up the brasswork at Bridlington. The rest of the boat brought back a flood of memories, from the old flare store box in the forward bulkhead to the wooden axe stowage, all still in place and immaculately maintained.

He also remembered the many fellow crew members and friends that had manned the boat during his time as a young crew member in the 1960s. It was on board the Tillie Morrison Sheffield It on 6 January 1967 that Fred had helped his lifelong friend Brian Bevan onto the boat for his first launch as a member of the lifeboat crew.

This was the end of Fred and Carol's busman's holiday, and they went on to visit family and friends around New Zealand. But this long-planned holiday was made even more special for them by the opportunity to revisit this old friend who had served Fred so well during his early years as a lifeboat crewman. Fred retires later this year and it is fitting that he has had the opportunity to revisit the boat where everything started for him, way back in 1965.