Caister Lifeboat

05/06/2026

Here are a few stills from the lifeboat following the service to the yacht Roede Orm. It shows the conditions Assistant Coxswain Aaron Thurlow was faced with, making the vessel safe to tow back to Gt Yarmouth.

04/06/2026

03/06/26, 1500 hrs HM Coastguard requested the Caister ALB 'Annette Thurlow' for an immediate launch to a sailing yacht calling Mayday 20nm ESE of the station.
The crew of four onboard the yacht Roede Orm were dismasted and disabled in the strong Southerly winds and 3-4m seas.
The 'Annette Thurlow' was launched at 1520 and proceed to the casualty positon via the Holm Channel.
The commercial vessel Contship Top was standing by the stricken yacht to provide assistance if required.
The Caister lifeboat was 16nm from the scene when Humber Coastguard informed the lifeboat that the Contship top had taken the four people from the yacht due to the conditions. It was agreed that the lifeboat would proceed to the yacht to access the damage with the view of saving the vessel before transferring the crew from the Contship Top and returning them back to the safety of Gt Yarmouth. Once on scene and alongside, the crew reviewed the condition of the vessel but to get a better understanding of her condition it was decided to transfer Assistant Coxswain Aaron Thurlow onto the Roede Orm to access the damage. With considerable skill and excellent seamanship Coxswain Owen Nutt got the lifeboat alongside the stricken vessel from A Thurlow to get onboard. A feat that was carried out multiple times to pass equipment over, following A Thurlow's assessment that he could make the vessel safe enough to tow back to Gt Yarmouth.
Working through the broken rigging and fallen mast in extreme conditions A Thurlow secured the vessel and prepared a bridle ready to be be passed the tow rope from the lifeboat. The four crew from yacht were then transfered from the Contship Top onto the Caister lifeboat before returning to the yacht Roede Orm to connect the tow.
At 1740, after two hours on scene the lifeboat start the slow tow back to Gt Yarmouth with the yacht crew safely onboard with their vessel in tow. Due to the weather conditions and drift during the operations the lifeboat took the more familiar route of setting a course to the North Scroby buoy and back to Gt Yarmouth.
The Roede Orm was tied alongside South Quay at 2240hrs with the ALB 'Annette Thurlow' safely secured back at the station at 0100am.

31/05/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported our Beach BBQ at Caister Lifeboat. It was fantastic to see so many people there enjoying the day, and your support means so much.

A special thank you to our brilliant live entertainment:

🎵 Felix Simpson
🎵 The Floating Greyhounds
🎵 The Lee Vasey Band

We'd also like to thank all of our sponsors and supporters who generously donated prizes, supplies, services and funding to help make the event possible:

• YMT (Yarmouth Meat Traders)
• Grange Smokehouse
• Adnams Brewery, Southwold
• Uptown Bar
• Lacons Brewery
• Garden House (Jonathan)
• RWE – our major sponsor
• Jamie's Smith for the lorry & trailer as our stage
• Caister Storage
• NR Marine

Thank you as well to everyone who donated raffle prizes. If we've missed anyone, please know that your contribution was greatly appreciated and helped make the day such a success.

We couldn't do it without the incredible support of our community. Thank you all for helping us raise funds and awareness for Caister Lifeboat.

30/05/2026

The THE FLOATING GREYHOUNDS have just started their set at Beach BBQ at Caister Lifeboat.

30/05/2026

The stage is set up and the boats are out ready for our Beach BBQ at Caister Lifeboat today from 13:00.

25/05/2026

Here are some upcoming events at Caister Lifeboat that are not to be missed!

🔥 Beach BBQ at Caister Lifeboat
Saturday 30th May | 1:00pm - 8pm

🛍️ Caister Lifeboat Table Top Sale
Sunday 28th June | 10:00am - 2:00pm

🚤 Lifeboat Day at Caister Lifeboat
Sunday 2nd August | From 10:00am
(Always held on the first Sunday in August!)

We look forward to seeing you there and thank everyone for your continued support.

12/05/2026

Helm’s-eye view aboard CVLS 45-01 Annette Thurlow while standing by for tractor recovery.

11/05/2026

Another amazing job by all the team from Norfolk Beach Cleans. Thank you for keeping our beaches clean and safe.

05/05/2026

Everyone at Caister Lifeboat is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of three people, two of which were crew members from Marine Rescue NSW attending the emergency call.

Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and all those at the station during this incredibly difficult time. As a mark of respect, our flag has been lowered to half mast.

From one lifeboat station to another, we stand with you. 🧡

Last night was the darkest night ever experienced by Marine Rescue NSW.

Marine Rescue NSW volunteers answer the call for help 24/7 and last night six members from Marine Rescue Ballina did just that. They launched with a single mission, to save lives on the water and assist a yacht, reported to be in difficulty off the South Ballina break wall.

Tragically, two of our volunteers lost their lives during the response.

Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Todd Andrews said the devastating loss is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by volunteers who serve their communities.

“These two men were serving their local community and have made the ultimate sacrifice to help others.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, their fellow crew members, the brave radio operators who handled the difficult communications during the incident, the entire Marine Rescue NSW family and the wider Ballina community during this incredibly difficult time.

“We are supporting our volunteers and their families through professional counselling and chaplaincy support.

“We ask that the privacy of those involved and their families be respected during this difficult time,” Commissioner Andrews said.

05/02/2026

Hunters Chicken Loaded Fries! 😋
Now on the Specials Board!