Baltimore Lifeboat Station


Baltimore Lifeboat Station is located at Bull Point, near Baltimore, a town approximately south west of Cork, on the south-west tip of County Cork, on the south coast of Ireland.
A lifeboat station was established at Baltimore by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1919.
The station currently operates a All-weather lifeboat, 16-22 Alan Massey, on station since 2012, and a Inshore lifeboat, Rita Daphne Smyth, on station since 2018.
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History

Having considered the report of the deputy Chief Inspector of Lifeboats, following his visit to the south-west coast of Ireland, a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on Thursday 10 April 1913 resolved to establish a motor-lifeboat station at Baltimore.
A local branch of the RNLI was established at Baltimore, with the Venerable Archdeacon John Richard Hedge Becher, MA appointed Honorary Secretary of Baltimore Lifeboat Station. The lifeboat was due on station in 1916, but by 1917, she still hadn't arrived, due to difficulties encountered with the supply of engines during World War One. However, the lifeboat was to be funded by the United Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England, in commemoration of the safe return from Canada of H.R.H. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, seventh child of Queen Victoria, and was to be named Duke of Connaught.
On 29 December 1916, the steamship Alondra ran aground on Kedge Rock. 16 crew got away in one of the vessels lifeboats, but the boat capsized, and all were drowned. With no lifeboat available, Archdeacon Becher brought together a crew, and set out in a local boat. Twice they were unsuccessful in reaching the Alondra, and with failing light, put ashore. The following day, with the rocket apparatus, and the assistance of two Royal Navy Trawlers, 23 crew of the Alondra were rescued. Ever since its founding in 1824, the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, later to become the RNLI in 1854, would award medals for deeds of gallantry at sea, even if no lifeboats were involved. Archdeacon John Becher and Lt. Arthur Sanderson, RNR, of H.M. Trawler Indian Empire, were each awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.
Just 3 days later, four fishermen were each awarded the RNLI Silver Medal, for their efforts to save some of the crew of the steamship Nestorian, on passage from Galveston to Liverpool, when she was wrecked on Cape Clear Island. A further three medals for gallantry were awarded in the area before 1918.
On 17 August 1919, a 45-foot Watson class motor-powered lifeboat, Duke of Connaught, costing £6,013, arrived at Baltimore. The following year, with a westerly gale blowing, a service of dedication and official naming ceremony took place on 19 April 1920. The ceremony was led by Baltimore RNLI Honorary Secretary Archdeacon Becher, with music provided by the Brass and Reed Band of the Baltimore Fishery School. When handing over the lifeboat to the care of the Baltimore RNLI branch, Commander Stopford Douglas, RN, explained that "the lifeboat was a non-self-righting Life-boat of the Watson type, 45 feet by 12 feet 6 inches, fitted with a 'Tylor' engine, able to develop 60 B.H.P., and that she could stow away 69 people in comfort and 96 at a pinch".
However, in the intervening years since a lifeboat for Baltimore had been announced, the political landscape between the United Kingdom and Ireland had changed following the Easter Rising. Whilst no official record can be found, it is thought that naming an Irish lifeboat after a member of the British royal family may have been unacceptable in 1920. Lady Coghill of Castletownsend broke a bottle of champagne over the lifeboat, and named the lifeboat Shamrock. A different 45-foot Watson-class lifeboat, funded by the United Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England, and named Duke of Connaught, was placed on service at in Scotland in 1921.
A masonry lifeboat house and slipway had been constructed at Bull Point, at a cost of £2,765. This was used for all of the station's lifeboats until 2012, being adapted and upgraded over the years for newer lifeboats.
Much has been documented elsewhere about the disastrous Fastnet Race, the 28th Royal Ocean Racing Club's Fastnet yacht race, usually held every two years since 1925 on a course from Cowes to the Fastnet Rock, and then to Plymouth, via south of the Isles of Scilly.
The race started on 11 August 1979 in force 4 conditions. But from midday on 13 August, the weather quickly deteriorated.
  • 13:55: "Sole, Lundy, Fastnet – south-westerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time, veering westerly later. Occasional rain or showers. Moderate, locally poor, becoming good later."
  • 16:05: "Sole, Fastnet, Shannon – south-westerly gale force 8 imminent."
  • 18:30: "Finisterre, Sole, Fastnet – south-westerly gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 imminent."
  • 23:00: "Fastnet – south-westerly severe gales force 9, increasing storm force 10 imminent."
Baltimore's 47-foot Watson-class lifeboat The Robert was the first to launch, at 22:15 on 13 August. The yacht Regardless was found south-east of Fastnet Rock. The yacht with nine crew was towed into Baltimore at 08:15 on Tuesday morning, the lifeboat having been at sea for 10 hours. The lifeboat crew remained on board on standby, and at 09:05, was tasked by the Marine Rescue Control Centre at Shannon, to the aid of the to the Marionette. It would be 14:45 before the yacht was found, rudderless, south west of Galley Head. The vessel with 12 crew was towed back to Baltimore, arriving at 22:30.
In October 1985, the lifeboat rescued the Irish Leader of the Opposition, Charles Haughey, when his yacht sank at the Mizen Head.
In August 2011, the Baltimore lifeboat Hilda Jarret was involved in the rescue of the yacht Rambler 100, that capsized south of the Fastnet Rock when taking part in the 2011 Fastnet Race. 21 crew, including its skipper, George David, were recovered either from the upturned hull, or from the water.
With the arrival of the new All-weather lifeboat in 2012, the decision was taken not to rebuild the boathouse to take the larger boat. Instead a mooring pen was dredged alongside the boathouse, and the lifeboat is kept afloat. The boathouse has been reconfigured to provide enhanced crew facilities.

Notable rescues

Baltimore lifeboat was called to the fishing vessel Japonica, 13 miles west of Fastnet Rock, at 17:00 on the 30 October 1991. After battling storm Force 10 conditions for over 2 hours, the lifeboat arrived on scene, and after a tow was finally established, the boat was brought to the shelter of Bantry Bay just after 06:00.
Putting into Castletownbere for repairs, the lifeboat was once again tasked to the 60-foot sailing boat Atlantic Adventurer south of Fastnet Rock. Setting out at 13.25, into Force 9 conditions, the lifeboat arrived on scene at 16:00, and after setting up a tow, arrived back to Baltimore at 18:50. Coxswain Kieran Cotter was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal

Station honours

The following are awards made to the crew of Baltimore Lifeboat Station