CHEERED on by crowds at the start and finish, a long cavalcade of nearly 100 volunteers and supporters successfully completed a 13-mile trek from Lynmouth to Porlock Weir in eight hours to recreate an epic feat in lifeboat history.
The celebration of the 125th anniversary of the legendary overland launch of the lifeboat Louisa from Lynmouth to Porlock Weir in January 1899 has raised almost £1,500 for the RNLI and Lynmouth Boathouse Fund.
Encouraged by shanties and folksongs, the volunteers left Lynmouth at 7.30am to haul the Lynmouth Sailing Club’s safety boat Gilby through the early-morning mist to negotiate the winding A38 and Countisbury and Porock hills, both 1-4 gradients.
Organised by Lynmouth Sailing Club, Lynmouth Flood Memorial Hall and the local RNLI, the celebrations began the previous evening with a lantern procession to St John’s church and a concert featuring stories, songs, music and poetry.
There was also a reading of the original telegram which triggered off the 1899 overland launch.
The re-enactment began with local children pulling the boat up the pedestrian shopping street where it was taken over by the volunteer team.
Tony Piper, of the Lynmouth Shanty Crew, said: “This was a small boat on an easy-to-move trailer. The original crew had a massive trailer loaded with a ten-ton lifeboat. The road was just an earth, stone and dirt track. Now we were moving along a lovely tarmac road.”
Sally Minoli, of the Lynmouth Sailing Club, said: “This celebration was to focus on the strength and tenacity of those whose one imperative was to save lives.”
The volunteers making the commemorative overland haul were remembering the story of the bitter winter’s night in 1899 when the Lynmouth lifeboat crew received a distress call from the 1,900-ton sailing vessel Forrest Hall, in difficulties in Porlock Bay but violent seas made it impossible to launch at Lynmouth.
It was decided to take the unprecedented step of hauling the lifeboat overland at night to launch at Porlock Weir. To get the seven-foot wide boat through the narrow lanes hedges were dug up, ditches filled in, and walls and a cottage demolished. Four of the 20 horses used in the launch died.
Finally launched, the rowing lifeboat stood by the stricken vessel and escorted her across the Bristol Channel to Barry. The crew was credited with helping to save 18 lives.
Rear Admiral Peter Sparkes spoke at a celebration to mark the success of the event which was held at the Bottom Ship Inn, Porlock Weir. It also featured the shanty punk group Skinny Lister - who performed their song “13 Miles” about the overland launch - the Bridgwater Sea Cadet band and Lynmouth Shanty Crew.
The organisers thanked everybody involved in the successful event, including Lynmouth Sailing Club, Lynmouth Shanty Crew, Skinny Lister, Lynmouth Coastguard, Bridgewater Sea Cadets and the Bottom Ship Inn.
Porlock Weir Gig Club was out in force to take part in the haul - and raised £765 for the charities.
Club member Naomi Cudmore, editor of Exmoor Magazine, said: “The service at St John’s was a beautiful event, which nobody will forget. How lucky we are to live in a place which keeps this story alive and to see it honoured in such a beautiful way.
“Our Gig Club was thrilled to play a small part in the event and we were proud to raise almost £1,500 between us for the joint cause (the Lynmouth Lifeboat House and the RNLI). Special mention goes to Latoya and Alex (back row, left, in photograph), who between them raised a whopping £765!
“There were so many special moments during the weekend, too many to mention, but the absolute best for me personally has to be the sight of the well-known faces in the doorway of the Top Ship in Porlock,” pictured.
Naomi said: “The huge, multi-generational welcome in the village said it all and those smiles encapsulated everything about this event. Shared stories matter. They make people feel connected and bring joy that lasts a lifetime. What is community without that?”