Lyme Regis: Lifeboat week promises to be action-packed (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: Lifeboat week promises to be action-packed

10:22am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Lyme Regis By Joanna Davis

SPECTACULAR sights are lined up for an action-packed Lyme Lifeboat Week.

Organisers are hoping for some long overdue sunshine during the week-long RNLI celebration and fundraiser.

More than 50 events and activities will take place in the town from Saturday, July 21 to Sunday, July 29.

The popular Red Arrows will end the week in style with a breathtaking display on July 29 at 4pm.

The RAF Falcons Parachute team will drop on to the beach at 3pm on Friday, July 27 and the Red Bull Harbour Reach will see wakeboarders jumping across the harbour wall on Saturday 21. Ahead of their exploits the Red Bull Matadors will fly a pair of single engine propeller-drive Sukhoi planes in a thrilling aerobatics display.

A new Lyme Regis Lifeboat, the Spirit of Loch Fyne, will be formally named in a ceremony on Sunday, July 22 at 4.30pm.

The Atlantic 85 Class lifeboat has already answered 15 emergency calls since it arrived in the town in March.

RNLI spokesman Richard Horobin said: “We’ve got a lot of outside events and we’re praying for some good weather like everybody is.

“It’s a big occasion for the RNLI and we’re expecting 250 people. The new boat is very popular with the crew.

“It’s named after the chain restaurant Loch Fyne which helped raise most of the money to buy it.”

The boat is due to be named by Douglas Wright, Loch Fyne executive chef.

A ‘Christening’ cake is being prepared by lifeboat helmsman and qualified baker Brian Street and will be cut after the ceremony.

Every evening throughout the week there will be live music in local pubs with other musical events in the performance area of the Marine Parade Shelters.

Youngsters will be entertained with sand sports, crab fishing, treasure hunting, sand sculpturing, pavement art, a teddy bears’ picnic and the traditional duck race for all ages.

There will be an art exhibition in the shelters, two separate displays of classic cars, the ‘illuminated boats’ display and the sailing club’s RNLI Pennant Race.

Adventurous visitors can enjoy taster sessions of windsurfing and stand-up paddle boarding, take part in the swimming race from Cobb Gate to the harbour or the fun run on Marine Parade, risk the Yard of Ale competition at the Cobb Arms or take on the lifeboat crew at skittles.

The Somers Day Parade, celebrating the life of former Lyme mayor and MP Sir George Somers, will be held on Wednesday 25, the wacky Bath Tub Race from Cobb Gate to the harbour on Saturday 28 and the firework display on the same evening.

Rescue services will be keeping crowds entertained with displays – a lifeboat rescue and coastguards’ mud rescue on Saturday 21, the fire brigade exercise on Monday 23 and the coastguards’ cliff rescue at the Shelters on Thursday 26.

See facebook.com and search for ‘Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week’ for more information.