Stromness RNLI

RNLI Longhope

A lifeboat station was established at 
Longhope in 1874. The first boathouse was
built on a neck of land connecting North
and South Walls, known as The Ayre. It was used until 1906 and is still standing at the side of the road from Lyness to Longhope.

The Pentland Firth is regarded as the most dangerous channel in the world. The crew of the Longhope lifeboat T.G.B. were well known for their dangerous rescues on this stretch of water. 

However, on 17 March 1969, the station suffered one of the worst tragedies in British lifeboat history. The T.G.B. was lost with all hands after answering a mayday call during one of the most severe storms in the islands. A memorial to the eight lifeboatmen lost on service stands in Kirkhope Cemetery at South Walls.

Longhope’s tradition of slipway-launched lifeboats came to an end in September 1999 when the Tyne class lifeboat was replaced in the interim by an Arun class lifeboat, which was moored alongside a pontoon in Longhope harbour. 

In 2009 the Arun was replaced with a state of the art Taymar Class lifeboat. New crew facilities, including a shop, are nearby.

The old boathouse, built in 1906, has been purchased by the community and is now home to the Longhope Lifeboat Museum with the 1933–62 Longhope lifeboat Thomas McCunn forming the centrepiece.

Sixteen Medal for Gallantry have been awarded, 13 Silver and 3 Bronze, the last being in 1973. 

RNLI Kirkwall

Officially established in 1972 the Kirkwall Lifeboat station is a relatively recent addition to Scotland's coastal rescue services.

The first 30+ years have seen long and arduous rescues carried out to leisure craft, fishing vessels and larger commercial vessels.

In 1988 The Arun class lifeboat, Mickie Salvesen was placed on service.

A new mooring berth was dredged during 1989 as the old berth, used by the Clyde lifeboat, was unsuitable for the Arun class lifeboat because of the lack of depth.

The new Severn class lifeboat Margaret Foster ON 1231 (17-13) was placed in service on 26 March 1998.It carries a Y Class inflatable boat, which can be deployed by an on-board crane for use in shallow water.

3 bronze medals have been awarded to the Kirkwall Lifeboat Station.

RNLI Thurso

Thurso is the RNLI's most Northerly lifeboat station on mainland Scotland and was established in 1860 and a boathouse was built at a cost of £103.

In 1906 a new boathouse and slipway were built just outside Scrabster Harbour.On 10 December 1956 the lifeboat Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) and lifeboat house were totally destroyed by fire.

A new boathouse and slipway were built the following year. This boathouse was adapted in 1970 for the new Solent class lifeboat, this in turn was replaced in 1989.

In 2004 the new Severn Class lifeboat, The Taylors was placed on service and a new pontoon pier for the new lifeboat completed.

Today's Severn class lifeboat like its predecessors, launches into the often turbulent seas of the Pentland Firth. 

Over the years he crews have been presented with 17 awards for gallantry, the most recent in 2004

RNLI Wick

The Wick lifeboat station was established in 1848 by the British Fishery Society, which provided three lifeboats between 1848 and 1895. In 1895 The RNLI took over the station from the Harbour Trustees. 

The station was temporarily closed in 1913 while a new lifeboat station was built. A new lifeboat house and slipway were completed by 1916 but due to delays caused by the First World War, the motor lifeboat did not arrive until 1921 and the lifeboat station was re-opened.

In 1988 The boathouse was adapted for the Tyne class lifeboat and a crew room and toilet facilities were built in the boathouse the following year. The lifeboat was placed on moorings in the inner harbour in 1994 and a new shore facility completed in 1997.

A commemorative Vellum was awarded to the station during 1998 to mark the 150th anniversary of the station. 

Today Wick RNLI operates an all weather Trent class lifeboat from its base in the harbour on the east coast of northern Scotland.

During its history the crews have been presented with 11 awards for gallantry some stretching back before the Wick lifeboat facility was established. At the Wick lifeboat station the following

awards haave been received:-  3 Thanks on Vellum, 2 Bronze Medals and 6 Silver Medals.