Pennod 1 Bad Achub Porthdinllaen

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-Porthdinllaen

-on Lleyn's northern coast...

-..has been an RNLI lifeboat station

-for almost 150 years.

-It's an integral part

-of the community in Morfa Nefyn.

-It's like cement in the community.

-Taid and Dad

-were members of the lifeboat crew.

-It runs in the family.

-I'm proud that Porthdinllaen

-is a Welsh-speaking station.

-I'd had numerous invitations

-to join, and then I became hooked!

-People ask if I have a boat.

-I reply, "Yes.

-"It's white, blue and orange and

-I never know where it'll take me."

-Builders, carpenters,

-a postman and even a milkman.

-The volunteers

-put their lives at risk...

-..when the call comes.

-They jump out of bed at 3am

-for no pay.

-They'll go out

-whatever the weather.

-You need guts to do that -

-a lot of guts.

-It has been an exciting year

-of changes.

-A new home and a new boat.

-This series chronicles

-an important chapter...

-..in the history

-of RNLI Porthdinllaen.

-We only live once.

-I've had the chance

-to be a member of the lifeboat crew.

-Nobody can take that away from me.

-It's very, very special.

-Subtitles

-August 2012.

-The RNLI Porthdinllaen crew...

-..prepare lifeboat the Hetty Rampton

-for her last open day.

-After 25 years of patrolling

-the sea off North-west Wales...

-..a new boat

-is coming to Porthdinllaen.

-Today is important...

-..like every open day.

-It's the last one

-for Hetty and this station.

-I'm up and down.

-But I'm looking forward

-to the future.

-It's a huge change for us.

-It's time to move on.

-She can only manage 15 knots,

-or 19mph, so she's slow.

-They are looking to reduce

-the different types of lifeboats.

-They'll be cheaper to run,

-and any amendments will be easier.

-The Porthdinllaen lifeboat

-serves a broad area...

-..fifteen miles to the north...

-..and 25 miles west

-towards Ireland...

-..down to Bardsey Island and beyond.

-It's a tough area.

-We're on our own,

-so we need a proper boat.

-It'll be a sad day when she goes.

-I haven't been here

-as long as some of the boys.

-She has done a lot for me

-and she has always brought us home.

-We've been out

-in horrendous weather conditions.

-I want to ensure

-she looks fantastic when she leaves.

-Ten years ago,

-after 25 years at sea...

-..Mike became

-the RNLI Porthdinllaen coxswain.

-This is Ruby. She's a one-man bird.

-I'm the only one who can handle her!

-You can be nasty, can't you, Rubes?

-Mmm?

-Come on. You're a good girl.

-I learnt how to handle a boat as

-a five-year-old on Abersoch beach.

-Abersoch beach was my playing field.

-He left school at 16.

-Like many local boys,

-a career at sea beckoned.

-He travelled all over the world.

-But after long periods

-away from home...

-..he was thrilled

-to come home to Lleyn to work.

-It's a fantastic job.

-I already had a good job.

-This is the icing on the cake.

-We're on call 24-7.

-Every day is different.

-It's up to me what I want to do.

-It's not a job for the idle.

-The days are always long.

-The present Porthdinllaen station

-is too small for the new boat.

-They will embark on the process

-of building a larger one soon.

-It will be built

-on the same location.

-This one is being demolished.

-It will be far more modern

-and much bigger.

-We have to move on.

-We have a new boat.

-It's cramped

-because 24 of us use this crewroom.

-It'll all be finished

-once this is done.

-Open days are an important part

-of the RNLI calendar in Britain.

-It's a chance to meet the crew

-and raise funds.

-The 24-strong crew

-faces a year full of changes.

-Luckily, we're all friends.

-We get on.

-There are characters of all ages.

-A lot of leg-pulling goes on.

-A lot of leg-pulling goes on.

-

-We're all different.

-But on the lifeboat, we learn

-the same thing and we're a team.

-Without the teamwork,

-it could be dangerous.

-Caryl Thomas became the first girl

-to join the crew seven years ago.

-She's from Morfa Nefyn.

-She's from Morfa Nefyn.

-

-It means a lot to me.

-I'm part of the crew.

-I don't see myself

-as the first girl.

-Three other girls

-have joined after me.

-It made a difference.

-I don't have to talk

-to the men all the time...

-..about boat engines and cars.

-Mali, also from Morfa Nefyn,

-is one of those new girls.

-Over the years, I've had

-numerous invitations to join.

-This year, I was invited

-to go out on an exercise.

-I thought, "Why not?"

-I went along and really enjoyed it.

-I enjoyed it more than I expected,

-to be honest. I was hooked!

-The Porthdinllaen crew is unique...

-..because they're all

-Welsh speakers.

-We'd like to keep it that way,

-but not through force.

-Potential volunteers know

-it's a Welsh-speaking boat.

-We won't change that. It's going

-to be like that forever, I hope.

-They are more comfortable

-in Welsh than English.

-When they speak English,

-they have to ask a question twice!

-A maritime background isn't

-necessary to join a lifeboat crew.

-The current Porthdinllaen crew

-is a mixed bunch of people.

-Builders, carpenters,

-plumbers and engineers.

-Years ago, the crew

-consisted of local fishermen.

-Nowadays...

-..to get a fisherman

-or someone who works at sea...

-..is almost impossible.

-We're all volunteers

-except the coxswain and mechanic.

-They are the only full-time members.

-It takes a special person

-to be a coxswain or deputy coxswain.

-It takes good man management.

-Mike is unique.

-He has pushed me

-over the past few months.

-I think it was a gamble

-to take me on.

-He must have seen something in me.

-Some glimmer of potential.

-I've learnt a lot from him.

-He treats everyone as equals.

-He has to tell us what to do

-as well as be our friend.

-I'm happy to go out on the boat

-with him.

-He's in charge of the boat

-and we do what he says.

-I insist on a certain standard.

-I want a good station and crew.

-It is a special job.

-I'm proud because there aren't

-that many full-time workers.

-You can't beat it.

-Soon, Mike will have

-to get used to a new boat.

-I've waited nine years for this

-and Christmas is here at last!

-Everyone's excited

-because it's so close.

-It's like going

-from a Robin Reliant to Formula 1.

-It's a change for the crew as well.

-There are major changes afoot.

-I can't describe it to them.

-They have to see the boat

-for themselves.

-It has the wow factor.

-It'll take time for it to sink in.

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-The Porthdinllaen lifeboat station

-is on Lleyn's northern coast...

-..where the sea

-has moulded the people.

-Lleyn is similar to Guernsey.

-It's more of an island

-than a peninsula.

-The 60 miles of coastline

-is only seven miles across.

-Farmers go out fishing.

-There are several harbours.

-We have the visitor population.

-It's part of life.

-This is evident

-in the locals' relationship...

-..with the lifeboat.

-The people of Nefyn...

-..Morfa Nefyn...

-..and the whole area

-think highly of the lifeboat.

-It's like cement, if you like...

-..in the community.

-As this 1960s film

-of RNLI Porthdinllaen shows...

-..the whole community knew

-when the lifeboat was called out.

-It was an explosion.

-It was the same idea

-as mortars used by the army.

-The coastguard fired them years ago.

-Then the coxswain.

-We all had maroons.

-Whoever was in charge...

-..fired them.

-Whoever was on call fired them.

-As children,

-when we heard the explosion...

-..we ran to see the boat

-going down the slipway.

-We cycled down to see the boat.

-It attracted people from Ty Coch

-to collect money.

-We had collection boxes...

-..and people donated money.

-Nowadays, people don't know

-if the boat is going out.

-The RNLI headquarters is in Poole

-on the south coast of England.

-It is also a college.

-The Porthdinllaen crew

-are training on their new boat...

-..the John D Spicer...

-..before bringing her back

-to her new home in Porthdinllaen.

-The new boat is a Tamar.

-It cost 2.7 million to build...

-..bequeathed by the late John

-Dominic Spicer from Oxfordshire.

-We've waited a long time for this.

-We want to take her back.

-There's a lot of work ahead of us.

-I'm ecstatic.

-Seven of us were there

-from Monday to Friday...

-..to get used to the new boat.

-We were at sea for 12 hours a day

-with two RNLI college instructors.

-We learnt all sorts of things

-about the new boat.

-It wasn't hard.

-Our instructors

-knew what they were talking about.

-They were so good...

-..a monkey could have picked up

-how to sail a lifeboat.

-The training went well.

-Mike is thrilled with the new boat.

-It's far more powerful

-and comfortable.

-The navigation gear is amazing.

-If you add it all up,

-we've got a fantastic boat.

-The two boats are very different.

-We can work off a screen

-with a mouse on the armrest.

-The coxswain stays put.

-He can see what the radar operator

-or navigator are doing.

-We talk through headsets.

-Everyone is happy,

-but the learning process isn't over.

-It was a tough week,

-physically and mentally.

-We boarded the boat

-for the first time.

-We all started at the bottom.

-It was new to everyone.

-The training week

-soon came to an end.

-It was time to take the boat

-to her new home in Lleyn.

-Robat and Gareth

-drove back to Porthdinllaen.

-Five of us and two inspectors,

-Colin and Mark...

-..sailed home on the John D Spicer.

-The 400-mile journey from Poole

-took four days.

-They called at Brixham,

-Plymouth and Falmouth...

-..then crossed the Celtic Sea

-to Rosslare and Arklow...

-..before reaching Porthdinllaen.

-The crew became accustomed

-to the new boat.

-Three days after leaving Poole,

-they'd made it to Arklow in Ireland.

-Ahead of them

-was the final leg back to Lleyn.

-The big day finally arrived.

-It was the last chance

-to see the Hetty Rampton...

-..after 25 years of service

-in Porthdinllaen.

-This is the Hetty Rampton's

-last day.

-We're expecting the John D Spicer

-at five o'clock.

-We'll launch Hetty

-half an hour beforehand...

-..to lead her in.

-It's fantastic to see the support.

-Dad's bringing the new boat in.

-As the coxswain's son,

-I'm supporting him and the team.

-In Arklow, Mike was busy

-preparing the lifeboat.

-With the boat looking its best,

-they set off for Lleyn.

-Ta-ta, Arklow. We're going home.

-Lleyn next.

-It was early afternoon

-in Porthdinllaen.

-As they prepared

-to welcome the new lifeboat...

-..Hetty received her final call.

-Four miles up the coast,

-near Nant Gwrtheyrn...

-..a pleasure boat was in trouble.

-Of the eight people on board,

-only one had a life jacket.

-We've been called out

-to a spot about four miles away.

-A boat has broken down.

-There are eight passengers

-and only one life jacket.

-There are seven children on board.

-It could have been a tragedy.

-The sea is rough there.

-The summer months are the busiest

-for the Porthdinllaen lifeboat.

-Such calls are common.

-In the summer,

-we get emergency calls.

-Someone may be lost

-or may have fallen overboard...

-..or suffering a jet ski injury.

-Usually, the boats

-have broken down.

-If we weren't here to save them...

-..they'd drift onto rocks.

-They aren't the same as RAC calls.

-They can't park in a lay-by

-to wait for the AA.

-These Manchester visitors

-were lucky this time...

-..thanks to the Hetty Rampton

-and her crew.

-In the meantime, the John D Spicer

-was crossing the Irish Sea.

-We knew that it was a big day.

-It built up during the day.

-The first to spot Bardsey Island

-won a Kit Kat.

-We didn't realize

-Bardsey was so far away.

-Back in Porthdinllaen...

-..Robat, the deputy coxswain,

-is aware how important today is.

-I was here when they brought her in

-25 years ago...

-..when I was six years old!

-It's an incredibly important day.

-We won't see a new lifeboat again.

-As five o'clock approached...

-..the Hetty Rampton set off

-to meet the John D Spicer.

-I remember seeing the Hetty Rampton

-like a dot on the horizon.

-There was something quite touching

-and emotional about it.

-She led us in to Porthdinllaen.

-It had been her bay for 25 years.

-As we approached,

-I could see people on the headland.

-When we came around

-Trwyn Porthdinllaen...

-..we saw the crowds!

-We didn't expect it.

-I remember waving for hours.

-I felt like the Queen.

-It was a privilege to be one

-of the crew. I'll never forget it.

-Once in a lifetime.

-The Hetty Rampton and

-the John D Spicer came bow to bow...

-..for the traditional maritime

-blessing by the local vicar.

-Mike took the lifeboat around

-the bay to demonstrate her speed.

-He was a proud man that day.

-He was totally chuffed.

-It's indescribable.

-When we approached,

-there were tears in my eyes.

-But no-one saw behind my sunglasses!

-The girls were tearful as well.

-Everybody has worked hard.

-Mali has only been with us

-for four months...

-..but she did a great job.

-We've got a brilliant team.

-We've waited nine years

-for this day.

-And for today to finally arrive...

-..I'll never forget today, never.

-With the John D Spicer

-anchored in the bay...

-..there are many challenges ahead

-for Mike and the crew.

-They are beginning

-a new and exciting chapter...

-..in the history of the RNLI

-Porthdinllaen lifeboat station.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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