RNLI Walmer Lifeboat

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RNLI Walmer Lifeboat

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Providing the local community with a 24hr lifeboat search and rescue service. Saving lives since 1856. People who post such comments may be banned from the page.

Our page is an open and welcoming community of RNLI supporters and volunteers all coming together to help save lives at sea and we want to hear from you about your experiences. As a charity funded by your generosity, we welcome your feedback and are always happy to discuss aspects of our lifesaving work. However, to ensure our page remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone, we reserve the right to remove comments, eg, those that are offensive or abusive towards others. Thank you for your support.

02/11/2026

🛟 Below are the tide times for Deal for the next 7 days in GMT.

🧭 Remember: Always check local tide times before you plan a coastal walk.

⛵️ Remember: Different states of tide will affect the sea in different ways.

29/10/2026

🧑‍🎄 Next Saturday, 7 November sees the Annual Lifeboat Christmas Fair, organised by Sylvia Main and the Walmer Lifeboat Fundraising Group at The Kings Head, Upper Street in Kingsdown.

🧑‍🎄With Christmas cards, souvenirs, jams and preserves on sale, plus a raffle it’s the perfect chance to get ready for Christmas whilst supporting your local lifeboat station.

🎄All welcome. Hope you can make it.

29/10/2026

⚓️ Throwback Thursday ⚓️

This week we have an old postcard showing the Walmer lifeboat ‘Charles Dibdin’ (Civil Service No.32), stood in readiness on the launching turntable, which was situated on Walmer beach.

This lifeboat became the 32nd RNLI lifeboat to be provided by the Civil Service Lifeboat Fund. The vessel had been built at the Littlehampton yard of William Osborne, as a 42 feet, beach Watson class, non-self-righter, with two 58 h.p. Gardner 4LW diesel, to produce a top speed of 8.5 knots.

📍Colin Varrall

28/10/2026

🛟Under the RNLI’s Operational Competence Framework (OCF) structured training programme, all volunteer crew wishing to go afloat must complete a mandatory Crew Emergencies Procedures (CEP) course.

🛟This week, two of our volunteers, Bab and Freya were among ten other crew members from around the coast who undertook the two day residential training at the RNLI College in Poole.

🛟The course combines practical training in the College’s pool, and theory-based training to develop essential emergency response, survival, capsize escape and life raft skills. It must be retaken every five years.

🎉Both Freya, on her first visit, and Bab on his revalidation passed the training successfully and we offer them our congratulations.

🛟Other Walmer volunteers will be undertaking their revalidations at the College in the coming months.

📸 Walmer RNLI

22/10/2026

⚓️ Throwback Thursday ⚓️

This week we have a photograph that was taken at the official naming ceremony of the Walmer lifeboat ‘Charles Dibdin’ (Civil Service No.32), which took place at Walmer lifeboat station on 25th July 1959.

The new £30,000, 42 feet ‘Beach Watson’ non-self-righter lifeboat had initially arrived at Walmer in March 1959. The lifeboat was officially named and christened by Dame Evelyn Sharp, Permanent Secretary to the Minster of Housing and Local Government.

📍Colin Varrall

15/10/2026

⚓️ Throwback Thursday ⚓️

This week we have a photograph, which was taken during the official naming ceremony of the Walmer inshore D class lifeboat D514 ‘Lord Kitchener’.

The official naming ceremony of the lifeboat took place on 11th May 1997, after arriving on station for trials in January 1997. The lifeboat had cost £11,000 and was provided by the efforts of the Lord Kitchener pub in Welling, Kent, along with the Welling Branch of the RNLI, Bass Taverns and Securicor. The dedication was made by Rev Bruce Hawkins, Miss Barbara Hopkins and licensee of the Lord Kitchener pub.

14/10/2026

🛟 Following their return from exercise on Sunday, Walmer crews assembled to celebrate Long Service awards to three volunteers with over 90 years combined service, presented by Launch Authority Tony Evans.

🥇 D Class helm Max, one of Walmer’s casualty care trained volunteers, was presented with a Ten Year Commemorative Pin badge acknowledging his service.

🥇 Atlantic helm Dave, also a trained casualty carer was presented with a Commemorative Medal marking his 20 years’ service at Walmer.

🥇Volunteer Andy’s award for his service was in the form of a Commemorative Medal with a 60 Year bar.

⚓ Since joining as a volunteer shore crew in 1966, he has held numerous roles at the station, from being crew on the station’s all-weather lifeboat and helm on the inshore boats, assistant winchman, winchman, tractor driver, head launcher, launch authority, training co-ordinator, admin officer and ultimately boathouse manager.

🙏 Speaking at the ceremony, Launch Authority Tony praised dedication of all three volunteers and thanked them for their work and support for the continued success of the station.

📸 Walmer RNLI

12/10/2026

🛟 Below are the tide times for Deal for the next 7 days in BST.

🧭 Remember: Always check local tide times before you plan a coastal walk.

⛵️ Remember: Different states of tide will affect the sea in different ways.

08/10/2026

⚓️ Throwback Thursday ⚓️

This week we have a photograph that appeared in the East Kent Mercury newspaper in March 1974. The photograph shows Dr. James Hall on the left, stood beside the former Walmer lifeboat Coxswain Joe Mercer.

Dr James Hall had become famous for his efforts of helping casualties at sea in the Downs off Deal during WW2 and was awarded an OBE. He would became known as the Sea Surgeon. He has also recently retired when this photograph was taken. Coxswain Joe Mercer had been responsible as Coxswain of Walmer lifeboat during WW2, having been appointed as Coxswain from 1935 to 1945.

📍 Colin Varrall

07/10/2026

📟 Taskings 43 & 44.

📟 Walmer’s D Class lifeboat Duggie Rodbard II was paged at 6.37am this morning and launched ten minutes later to a report of a person seen entering the water opposite North Street in Deal but not returning to the beach.

🛟 Our Atlantic lifeboat Hounslow Branch was requested to launch at 7.05am to assist, with HM Coastguard helicopter also being tasked to back up the search, along with Coastguard Rescue teams.

🛟 Crews carried out a shoreline search through and around the pier head and on towards Sandown Castle and the Cinque Ports Golf Club.

🛟 The lifeboats extended their evenly spaced search south towards the Downs Sailing Club and the Zetland Arms up to one mile offshore.

🛟 After an exhaustive search, nothing untoward was discovered. Duggie Rodbard was stood down by the Coastguard at 8.35am, followed by the Atlantic at 9.00am.

⚓ Both lifeboats were recovered ashore, washed down by shore crew and made ready for service.

📸 Walmer RNLI

Address

Walmer Lifeboat Station, The Strand
Deal
CT147DY

Website

http://www.rnli.org.uk/

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