Later that day, we visited the Longhope Lifeboat Museum over on Hoy. There are three lifeboat stations near each other – one that had a sailing & pulling (e.g. no engine) lifeboat, the one with the museum which is a classic slipway launch, and round the corner the current boat lives afloat at the village itself.
Back in 1969 the then lifeboat, T.G.B (a 47′ Watson), overturned attempting a rescue in horrendous conditions. It was found afloat, but none of the crew survived. After it was towed back to Scrabster, the bodies of seven of the crew were recovered. However, the eighth crew member, James Swanson, was missing, and his body was never recovered. Ironically the previous sailing & pulling lifeboats were self-righting, but the Watsons were not.
The current boat in service is a Tamar, an all-weather, self-righting boat. The boat now at the museum is Thomas McCunn, a 45′ 6″ Watson. She is sea-worthy and on rare occasions is launched down the slipway.
- Shutter speed: 1/50s
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- ISO: 400
- Focal length: 23mm
- Camera: PENTAX K-3 Mark III