“….we could have our own gym up here!” before the realisation of what I’d just said sank in.
Both John and Tom’s eyes lit up at this point. John because he is already fit and would love the opportunity to put us all through lots of fitness training (He’s ex-commando or something like that and a warm up to him was a 12 mile jog!) and Tom, well he’s got a few weight benches and a rowing machine he wants to get rid of. (He used to play for Wasps-Rugby)
At this point Austen was in the background waving his hands frantically -but in what appeared to be slow motion - while mouthing the word ‘nooooooooo’! Brian just shook his head ever so slightly smiling nervously.
So the question is should the team get in training for the Swanage 12 mile run or not?!?
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Friday, 27 February 2009
The Station Officer Returns
Just to remind the team that I'm back from tomorrow morning.
I hope the station is clean and tidy?
I hope the station is clean and tidy?
Baby
Text message 07:43- From Austen to Team
'Team wonderful news, Claire had a wonderful baby boy, 8 lb ish? both doing well."
Well done Claire from the Swanage Team!
(For those of you who don't know Claire she was a Coastguard Rescue Officer with the team for a number of years)
'Team wonderful news, Claire had a wonderful baby boy, 8 lb ish? both doing well."
Well done Claire from the Swanage Team!
(For those of you who don't know Claire she was a Coastguard Rescue Officer with the team for a number of years)
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Kit Night and Colouring Books
The first Kit Night tonight down at the new station. It was great to be able to get the kit out and check and clean it in the warm for a change. This allowed us to complete the task in 1 hour rather than the usual 2! This gave more time for tea and biscuits ...and as we all know our tea is much nicer than that made by the Lifeboat chaps. (P.S. Don't tell the boss but we found out where the posh biscuits are stored - not the cheap ones we usual get - the coconut macaroons were very nice, as were the custard creams.)
In our new pigeon holes – kindly bought by Cllr Alison Patrick was a pressie for each of us all wrapped up! – again bought by Cllr Ali (as we call her). We've had her total support from day one of the station and it is easy to see why she won a district council seat last year!
In our new pigeon holes – kindly bought by Cllr Alison Patrick was a pressie for each of us all wrapped up! – again bought by Cllr Ali (as we call her). We've had her total support from day one of the station and it is easy to see why she won a district council seat last year!
FANTASTIC - a colouring book and crayons! Thank you.
(Above- US Coastguard colouring book - we don't actually fight crime much)
What! I hear you say ‘colouring books?’ Yes!!! . Now I’m 35 but it made me smile and it was a lovely thought. John has said I can use his crayons if he can colour in the boats on page 4. The Boss has got some colouring pens – he’s obviously better qualified so we have crayons while he gets grown up felt tips.
Brian had a go at colouring in a dog on page 5, he's out of colouring book practice and scribbled in crayon over the lines - the dog now looks more like an electrocuted grizzly bear with 6 legs; it is also blue.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Mamma Mia!
Sadly Austen wasn’t at the public opening of the new coastguard station. He had a good excuse as he was going to London for the weekend to celebrate his mother in law’s 60th birthday. What a nice chap he is.
We asked jokingly whether he was going to see a show. In response Ian, and I heard a little murmur from Austen.
“Sorry Aus’ we missed that, what show?” said Ian
another murmur…
“No we still can’t hear you!” said I.
“MAMA MIA” shouted Austen!
We asked jokingly whether he was going to see a show. In response Ian, and I heard a little murmur from Austen.
“Sorry Aus’ we missed that, what show?” said Ian
another murmur…
“No we still can’t hear you!” said I.
“MAMA MIA” shouted Austen!
Rather than start the cheap jokes, Ian just said, ' I hear it's a good show, you'll enjoy it !'.
No doubt at kit night on Wednesday we’ll all take a chance and be singing Abba tunes at him!
Monday, 23 February 2009
Open Day
Can I just add to Deputy Blogs comments from yesterday, a very big thank you to every one that came up and had a look. A special big thank you to all those who came to help and make the day a success.
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Sadly someone was upset they could'nt fit into to a Coastguard Vehicle (Its Ok you can lay down on the back seat!)
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Sadly someone was upset they could'nt fit into to a Coastguard Vehicle (Its Ok you can lay down on the back seat!)Sunday, 22 February 2009
Open Day
The open day yesterday was well attended, about 250 people I reckon in total. It was good to see everyone getting involved. Lots of interested people, lots of tea, lots of biscuits and lots of questions.
The top five questions of the day were:-
Q1. Will you still be operating the Lookout at Peveril Point?
A. No and Yes! The lookout at Peveril Point will stay; manned by the volunteers of the National Coastwatch; http://www.nci.org.uk/ a fine group of hard working people who give up their time for the community. Many visited yesterday, and thanks to them for coming over. (Don’t worry chaps we’ll still be over to see you!)
Q2. How many full time Coastguards are there in Swanage?
A. None. We are all volunteers. Two team members are on Immediate Response (The IRT- Team) while the other 11 are there as a Back-Up Response Team – (BURT). Under Coastguard rules we are not officially allowed to work to a rota, so we work to an ‘agreement’ amongst the team, this produced monthly.
Q3. Will you still keep your boat down at the Lifeboat Station?
A. Well we don’t have a boat, the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) http://www.rnli.org.uk/ - http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/ - http://lifeboatscrapbook.blogspot.com/ are a separate charitable body that are requested by the Coastguard Operations Room to respond. We work in close contact with them and will continue to do so. The main difference between us and them is that we make better tea. – I hope I haven’t started a tea war now!
Q4. How much do you get paid?
A. Well we receive a small amount for our time, it’s basically the national minimum wage, so £5.73 an hour. This covers training and kit maintenance and of course rescues; extra hours such as Carnival week and the open day yesterday are normally unpaid. No one on the team does it for the money! Last month I took home just under £35. One chap has asked not be paid and this allows us to run with 13 team members rather than the normal 12 – I won’t name him, but he’s a damn good bloke.
Q5, (A 5 year old lad sitting in the Rescue Vehicle) ‘What does the ‘Alert’ button do?... and can I press it?’
A. Well from the grin on his face I think he already knew what the alert button did ! (Blue Lights and Sirens!!!!) and the fact that he asked probably indicated he already knew what I’d say. ‘Best not Adam - it’s a bit loud!’
The top five questions of the day were:-
Q1. Will you still be operating the Lookout at Peveril Point?
A. No and Yes! The lookout at Peveril Point will stay; manned by the volunteers of the National Coastwatch; http://www.nci.org.uk/ a fine group of hard working people who give up their time for the community. Many visited yesterday, and thanks to them for coming over. (Don’t worry chaps we’ll still be over to see you!)
Q2. How many full time Coastguards are there in Swanage?
A. None. We are all volunteers. Two team members are on Immediate Response (The IRT- Team) while the other 11 are there as a Back-Up Response Team – (BURT). Under Coastguard rules we are not officially allowed to work to a rota, so we work to an ‘agreement’ amongst the team, this produced monthly.
Q3. Will you still keep your boat down at the Lifeboat Station?
A. Well we don’t have a boat, the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) http://www.rnli.org.uk/ - http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/ - http://lifeboatscrapbook.blogspot.com/ are a separate charitable body that are requested by the Coastguard Operations Room to respond. We work in close contact with them and will continue to do so. The main difference between us and them is that we make better tea. – I hope I haven’t started a tea war now!
Q4. How much do you get paid?
A. Well we receive a small amount for our time, it’s basically the national minimum wage, so £5.73 an hour. This covers training and kit maintenance and of course rescues; extra hours such as Carnival week and the open day yesterday are normally unpaid. No one on the team does it for the money! Last month I took home just under £35. One chap has asked not be paid and this allows us to run with 13 team members rather than the normal 12 – I won’t name him, but he’s a damn good bloke.
Q5, (A 5 year old lad sitting in the Rescue Vehicle) ‘What does the ‘Alert’ button do?... and can I press it?’
A. Well from the grin on his face I think he already knew what the alert button did ! (Blue Lights and Sirens!!!!) and the fact that he asked probably indicated he already knew what I’d say. ‘Best not Adam - it’s a bit loud!’
Friday, 20 February 2009
Tomorrow's the Open Day
SWANAGE COASTGUARD
Open day!
Saturday 21st February
13:30 to 16:00
Swanage Coastguard Station
De Moulham Road,
Swanage.
Come along to our new station, built for our community in a partnership between the Maritime Coastguard Agency and Swanage Town Council.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Read all about it...read all about it...
The Swanage Advertiser shot through the door a few moments ago. As ever I thanked the delivery person for leaving the gate wide open. “Thanks very much I said”- without any element of sarcasm whatsoever! Next time I’m going to spring load it so that it closes at 100mph, that’ll teach ‘em including that postman. Sorry readers I’ve digressed.
Anyway Swanage Advertiser is the local rag, and we made page 9 , yes folks page 9!!!!. The newest Coastguard Rescue Station in the country, Head of Coastguard down and we make page 9. Still the advertising feature on cane furniture on page 2 was a jolly good read, apparently there’s a extra 10% of this weekend.
Did I mention on page 4 there’s some great offers in local restaurants 2 steaks for a tenner, and page 7’s Lonely Hearts Column sees a Lady 61 Easy-going thoughtful likes country pubs, cinema and eating out.
While the front page reports a robbery at the Swanage Cake Shop
Anyway Swanage Advertiser is the local rag, and we made page 9 , yes folks page 9!!!!. The newest Coastguard Rescue Station in the country, Head of Coastguard down and we make page 9. Still the advertising feature on cane furniture on page 2 was a jolly good read, apparently there’s a extra 10% of this weekend.
Did I mention on page 4 there’s some great offers in local restaurants 2 steaks for a tenner, and page 7’s Lonely Hearts Column sees a Lady 61 Easy-going thoughtful likes country pubs, cinema and eating out.
While the front page reports a robbery at the Swanage Cake Shop
Anyway we made page 9. More details of the story here:-
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/purbeck/4112463.Coastguard_HQ_is_all_ship_shape/
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/purbeck/4112463.Coastguard_HQ_is_all_ship_shape/
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