New relief lifeboat arrives into Wicklow Harbour on Sunday
WICKLOW RNLI welcomes a new relief Shannon class lifeboat this Sunday as the Tyne lifeboat Annie Blaker is to be officially retired after 30 years of service.
The relief lifeboat named Jock and Annie Slater will remain at Wicklow Lifeboat Station until 2022 when Wicklow RNLI will be provided with their own Shannon.
Members of the Wicklow crew have already undergone training over in Poole on board the new vessel.
Sunday marks the start of a busy three-years for Wicklow RNLI, including plans to carry out work at the lifeboat station to accommodate the arrival of the permanent Shannon class lifeboat.
The departure of the Annie Blaker will be a bitter-sweet experience for the crew and station management as it has been the busiest all-weather lifeboat in the history of the station and has been involved in over 340 services, rescuing over 400 people.
Wicklow Lifeboat Station has the honour of being the last RNLI station with a Tyne class lifeboat in service.
Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Des Davitt said: ‘ The confidence displayed by the RNLI Council and Trustees, who have given the goahead for this major investment, is a testament to the service of all crew, committees and fundraising teams, past and present. History is in the making as the newest fastest state of the art lifeboat is about to arrive. Already our coxswains and mechanics have attended training in Poole and a crew from our station has been tasked with bringing the Shannon class lifeboat into Wicklow on Sunday where the rest of the crew will receive training from the feet staff coxswains.’
‘Over the next three years major work will be carried out on the station and slip to accommodate the arrival of our own Shannon in early 2022. None of this would be possible without the magnificent support of the people, businesses and organisations of Wicklow and environs. It is an exciting time for all involved and indeed for the people of Wicklow’.
The relief lifeboat will have a temporary berth at the South quay. Each lifeboat class has a unique slip to launch from and as the Shannon is very different to the Tyne class, this temporary mooring near the station will support it until Wicklow receives its permanent Shannon lifeboat.
Work will need to be undertaken to support the exciting changes at Wicklow and will be undertaken in full consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The Shannon class lifeboat is considered the fastest and most technologically advanced in the fleet.
The Jock and Annie Slater is due to arrive in Wicklow on Sunday at 2.30 p.m,