Skegness is a holidaymaker's town with tourism being by far the main industry. The winter population of just 15,000 rises to around 170,000 during the summer bringing major traffic problems - which can badly delay the crew on their way to a shout. Even launching the boat through the crowded beach can be difficult and, as soon as the maroons are fired, everyone crowds round to see the launch.

Skegness has a wide, flat beach and the carriage-launched Mersey can have quite a job steering its way through the crowds before it can be launched.

Recovery has similar problems, with people either reluctant to lose their chosen spot, or crowding too close in an effort to see what's happening.

Most of the crew come from the local area but few have a nautical background. Even coxswain/mechanic John Irving's only nautical background is local inshore fishing. Instead, they receive extensive RNLI training.

The biggest hazard for shipping in the area is the shallow water of the Wash, The sandbanks there move with every storm causing problems not only for the leisure yachtsmen but for the professional fishermen as well.

Ships aground on unsuspected sandbanks form a large part of the all-weather boat's work. The fishing fleet from Kings Lynn and Boston also account for around half of the ALB's work.

The inshore boat mainly services the tourists - searching for lost children and rescuing people from the dreaded inflatables. Despite a strong local campaign to highlight the dangers, the crew still spend a large part of the summer rescuing people drifting out to sea on inflatables (see below).

The fishing industry, leisure boat users and tourists makes Skegness one of the RNLI's busiest stations. It relies heavily on local support and also from fundraising events at the vast caravan sites and holiday camps that surround the town.One fine day Sunday, 29 July demonstrated the particular risks faced by the crew at the height of the season. It was a hot, cloudless day with a gentle offshore breeze and a calm sea.

The beach at Skegness was packed with holidaymakers. many of whom had brought with them lilos, rubber dinghys and other inflatables. Despite warnings, many of the inflatables were not secured to the shore and, with the prevailing offshore wind, the outcome was inevitable.

The first call came at around 1.15pm and the D class launched to help a dinghy drifting out to sea. This was the start of a fourhour shout in which almost 40 people were assisted.

Incidents included four brokendown jetskis, one speed boat, 30 or more inflatables drifting out to sea, an unconscious woman who was airlifted to hospital and one inflatable cow! The Mersey was also out, as were the lifeboats at Mablethorpe and nearby stations.KEY FACTS 1825 Station established 1864 Station joins RNLI 1928 Centenary Vellum 1975 150th Anniversary Vellum 1990 New Mersey class lifeboat MEDAL HISTORY Silver 1851,1854,18761x2) Thanks on Vellum 1996 King of Norway's Silver Medal: I912(x2) National Defence League Silver Medal 1954 THE BOATS Mersey class lifeboat ON-1166 Lincolnshire Poacher Buii! 1990 Funding John and Lucille Van Geest Charitable Trust and the Lincolnshire Lifeboat Appeal D class lifeboat D-460 Leicester Fox Funding Appeal by the Leicester branch Cox s wa i n/M echa n i c John Irving Plus 25 volunteer crew Honorary Secretary Pete Newsome MBE Chairman Joel Grunnill SERVICES IN 2000 17th busiest RNLI station Launches 59 lives saved 6 People landed 13 People brought in 5 AFETY SEA Remember.

A wind blowing oft the land can make the sea look calm, flat and apparently safe, but it can sweep an inflatable out to sea vary swiftly It only takes a slight breeze to blow an inflatable out to sea.

Surf conditions are particularly dangerous lor inflatables.

If an inflatable is swept out to sea. don't go after it. If someone is on the inflatable, call the Coastguard or tell the lifeguard.