Pennod 3 Bad Achub Porthdinllaen

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-Porthdinllaen

-is on Lleyn's northern coast.

-It has been an RNLI lifeboat station

-for almost 150 years.

-It's the focal point

-of the Morfa Nefyn area.

-Builders, carpenters,

-a postman and even a milkman.

-The volunteers

-put their lives at risk...

-..when the call comes.

-It's been an exciting year

-of changes...

-..a new home and a new boat.

-This is the first time...

-..that a milestone for the RNLI

-Porthdinllaen is chronicled.

-Subtitles

-A new lifeboat, the John D Spicer,

-has arrived in Porthdinllaen.

-A new boathouse

-is being built for her.

-Mike the coxswain and chief engineer

-Alan are emptying the old boathouse.

-I didn't think it would take long

-to empty the boathouse.

-But there was more than we thought.

-It's good to know

-we'll have a new boathouse.

-It's cramped and damp here.

-Remember that cold winter?

-The crewroom was the only warm spot.

-These were frozen solid.

-Everything stuck to your hands.

-It was like being in a fridge!

-The boathouse is 100 years old.

-It has been extended over the years.

-A couple from China

-thought it was a museum.

-"Is the museum open?" they asked me.

-They were adamant it could not be

-an operational lifeboat.

-The boathouse will be built

-on the same site.

-It will be bigger and modern.

-We're using local Trefor stone.

-The roof is copper.

-There's cedar wood above the stone.

-It will age after being exposed

-to the elements.

-It will blend into the landscape.

-At present, we come down

-the hill and through the back.

-From now on,

-we'll enter where the window is...

-..and come into the changing rooms.

-We can use the changing rooms

-as a meeting place.

-I can see who's here when I arrive.

-Another feature is a viewing

-platform above the boat.

-It's a public gallery.

-People can see the boat going out.

-We need a new slip.

-The old one has been redone

-to adapt to the various boats.

-The concrete is old.

-We'll have showers

-for the first time.

-They're basic improvements, but

-we have been living in a shoebox.

-It will take a year

-to build the new boathouse.

-A temporary home

-is needed for equipment...

-..as well as a meeting point

-when the call comes.

-The lifeboat crew

-are building a temporary compound.

-They are local

-builders and carpenters.

-Back in the boathouse,

-Mike and Alan are still clearing.

-Even members

-of the Porthdinllaen crew...

-..have summoned its lifeboat.

-The shaft coupling came off.

-It happened once or twice before.

-We had tools on the boat.

-A spanner snapped

-when we loosened the bolt.

-We couldn't do anything.

-We had to call the lads out.

-They had already been out.

-They had only just made it

-back on the slip.

-They couldn't believe

-we needed help.

-Pete the coxswain

-thought it was a joke.

-When Alan's work is done,

-his interest in engines goes on.

-This is my Escort.

-I enter six or seven rallies

-every year.

-It's not as much as I'd like.

-I only go as far

-as the Dolgellau area.

-There are championships throughout

-Wales but I can't afford to enter!

-I recently came home with

-three trophies, which isn't bad!

-It's the first race

-for the car to complete!

-I've liked cars since I was a lad.

-My other passion was fishing.

-I worked on fishing boats.

-They invited Dad to join the crew

-and I joined the same time.

-After a few years, this job came up.

-I've been the full-time engineer

-in Porthdinllaen...

-..for almost 10 years,

-and on the crew for 20 years.

-Let's move this stuff.

-Let's take it out.

-We'll put him in the front seat.

-Mike and Alan finish clearing

-for the time being.

-The new boathouse will cost money.

-The community is expected

-to contribute towards the costs.

-Eleri is an enthusiastic fund raiser

-for the RNLI Porthdinllaen.

-She's a member of

-the Coastguard Search and Rescue...

-..who works closely with the RNLI.

-I joined the coastguard...

-..because my father is an officer

-at the Porthdinllaen station.

-I became inspired

-when he was called out.

-I decided that's what I would do

-when I was older.

-I've been doing it for six years.

-Her husband and daughter are members

-of the Porthdinllaen crew.

-Raising money is very important.

-We hold open days in Porthdinllaen.

-We're very busy on open days.

-People flock to our open days.

-We want to put our stamp

-on the boathouse.

-We can say that we raised funds

-to make this happen.

-Crew members and their partners...

-..are happy to give their time

-to raise more money.

-We check what the others are doing.

-It's all intertwined.

-I live in the village

-and it bonds everyone.

-As well as organising events...

-..there are other ways

-of raising money.

-Sheila has ran the RNLI shop

-in Porthdinllaen...

-..as a volunteer

-for the past eight years.

-That's the old one.

-We have to wait for the new

-boathouse before it's launched.

-How long will that take to build?

-How long will that take to build?

-

-I think they say about 18 months.

-Originally from Norfolk...

-..the area and the Porthdinllaen

-lifeboat are close to her heart.

-The turnover

-in the shop last year...

-..was a few pennies under 16,000...

-..which actually raises over 9,000

-for the cause.

-I equate that to nine launches.

-It's about 1,000 every launch.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-He'll drop it.

-He'll drop it.

-Back in the boathouse,

-the crew help with the emptying.

-The builders have arrived.

-Because of the location...

-..it's impossible to bring

-the machines and equipment by road.

-Every single brick will arrive

-by sea...

-..on a large and fast landing craft.

-It can carry a lot of weight

-and land on the beach.

-They hope to achieve

-two or three ship loads a day.

-It'll be winter soon.

-The old boathouse

-will be demolished.

-By the spring,

-things will be shaping up.

-By the summer,

-it'll be well on its way.

-This time next year,

-the boat will be inside.

-Hopefully.

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-Subtitles

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-Now that the building work

-is complete...

-..Robat, the second coxswain, makes

-his way to their new temporary home.

-This is the container we use to keep

-lifeboat maintenance equipment.

-We have oil and tools

-to repair and maintain the boat...

-..the trailers and Land Rover.

-This is the shed

-for the inflatable boat.

-We've got cleaning material

-and lights.

-There's electricity

-to charge the engine.

-This is the container

-for our clothes.

-It's double the size of

-what we had in our old boathouse.

-Everybody has their own peg

-and lifejackets.

-Our names are on pegs.

-There are dry suits

-for the D-class crew.

-The old boathouse was cramped.

-This temporary home

-is superior to our old boathouse.

-It's only a temporary home.

-We'll have a brand new boathouse

-on the same location.

-For 66 weeks...

-..the Bam Nuttall

-construction company...

-..will build a boathouse

-and slipway for the lifeboat.

-But despite the upheaval...

-..the crew continue

-to exercise regularly.

-This is difficult

-because the boat is on water.

-It's time-consuming

-and everybody is on edge.

-We have to do it right

-and not rush things.

-If we don't reach the boat,

-nobody gets saved.

-If the tide is with us,

-we'll reach high speeds.

-If we're six minutes longer, we'll

-gain six minutes the other side.

-It's only for a year - and the end

-result will be worth the hassle.

-In wintertime, the crew exercise

-twice a week in all weather.

-But things don't always go smoothly.

-The crew are instructed

-to get the Y-boat ready.

-They can't start the engine.

-Mali,

-tell him to bring it alongside.

-Hywel starts the engine

-after several attempts.

-Every engine is temperamental.

-This one has been on its side.

-They took everything off

-and kept trying.

-It paid off. Perseverance!

-As well as the little boat...

-..there are many ways

-a life can be saved.

-Open the bottom rail, Mali.

-This is the Jason's Cradle.

-It's used to lift people who are

-injured or unconscious from the sea.

-Let go.

-Mind his head.

-Slide forward.

-Slow!

-OK.

-Mali joined the crew ten months ago.

-What sort of teacher has Mike been?

-He has pushed me, but not just me.

-He encourages people

-who want to get ahead.

-Every member receives

-the same encouragement.

-We've had new members recently.

-The youngsters need to be trained

-and pushed forward.

-He's a good leader.

-Hywel is a new member.

-The local lad's father is also

-a member of the RNLI Porthdinllaen.

-Dad has been on the lifeboat

-for a few years.

-I wanted to continue the tradition.

-I expect my two brothers will too.

-Loosen it.

-I'm studying plumbing in college.

-I hope I'll pass the course soon.

-I'll be helping out on the boats

-in a week's time.

-I can take boats to the moorings

-and work on the little boats.

-I'll do whatever needs to be done.

-OK, we've finished.

-The exercise ends and John

-D Spicer returns to her mooring.

-Over the coming year...

-..regular exercises

-are more important than ever.

-The crew is coming along well.

-I want us to go up a gear.

-It's the exercises on water

-that teaches them the most.

-You can read a book.

-But out at sea

-is the best way to learn.

-Mike has been involved

-with the RNLI for over 30 years.

-He knows how much it means

-to the local residents.

-The crew jump out of bed at 3am...

-..for no pay.

-They'll go out no matter

-what the conditions.

-It takes guts to do that,

-a lot of guts.

-I joined the RNLI Abersoch crew

-when I was 17.

-My first boat was

-a small boarding boat.

-It was fun to bomb around in it.

-After a couple of good rescues

-I realized how serious it was.

-Saving someone for the first time

-brought it home to me.

-But I've seen another side.

-When I was 17, I was witness

-to a 7-year-old losing his life.

-That hurt. There are two sides.

-That's what pushes me on.

-They are not all like that.

-There are many calls for us

-to be used as a taxi or AA.

-Thank goodness

-there aren't many bad ones.

-If I only saved one life a year,

-it would be worth it.

-A recent incident has been

-etched on the memory...

-..of the RNLI Porthdinllaen crew.

-BBC RADIO CYMRU NEWS BULLETIN

-NOVEMBER 27 2011

-A huge rescue operation

-is underway...

-..to save a crew

-20 miles off the Lleyn coast.

-The Russian crew

-were on board the Swanland.

-She was taking stones

-to the Isle of Wight.

-It was 2.15am when the Swanland call

-was received.

-We had the call to go.

-The boat was sinking

-20 miles away from Porthdinllaen.

-Half a dozen of us

-went to the boathouse.

-The coastguard phoned us

-from Holyhead.

-The ship had sunk...

-..before the lifeboat

-touched the water.

-It was terribly stormy.

-There was a Force 8 to 10 gale.

-It took us two hours to reach her.

-We were looking

-for the eight crewmen.

-We didn't know if they were

-in the water or in a life raft.

-We had no idea.

-The coastguard provided us

-with search patterns.

-All we could see was a wall of sea,

-20 foot high.

-We were being tossed around -

-I was thrown off the ship's wheel.

-A wave come from somewhere,

-to the front and side.

-I couldn't see the coxswain.

-I didn't think we'd make it back.

-The search for five men

-lost at sea off the Lleyn coast...

-..continued all afternoon.

-Of course it's terrifying.

-You put your faith

-in the boat and the crew.

-You can't help but be afraid.

-It's a comfort to know

-the boat is safe.

-The RNLI did everything they could

-to make sure we were safe.

-Only a fool would be unafraid.

-The sea demands our respect.

-We can't take anything for granted.

-The sea is unforgiving.

-The RAF Valley helicopter

-saved two people.

-Tragically, the rest drowned.

-One body was recovered.

-To this day, five are missing.

-Nobody will forget that night.

-It's a shame we can't return

-the bodies to the families.

-We do save lives 99% of the time.

-We fail 1% of the time.

-After being home to

-the Porthdinllaen lifeboat...

-..for 100 years...

-..it's the end

-of an era for the boathouse.

-It's sad to see it come down.

-But we'll have

-a brand new boathouse.

-It'll be nice to see the progress

-from month to month...

-..to the day when she finally

-goes down the slip.

-We see something new every day.

-The big difference is seeing

-the old boathouse coming down.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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