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Falmouth bids farewell to lifeboat after 23 years

Seb Noble
BBC News Cornwall
Reporting fromFalmouth
Anoushka Williams
BBC News Cornwall
RNLI/Simon Culliford Dressed in a fuchsia coat and hat and carrying a yellow and white bouquet Queen Elizabeth II is pictured beside the lifeboat. She is being followed by a naval officer.RNLI/Simon Culliford
Queen Elizabeth II launched the lifeboat in May 2002

A lifeboat which is "retiring" after 23 years of service was launched more than 500 times, saved 12 lives and helped hundreds more, the RNLI said.

The Falmouth-based Richard Cox Scott was sent off in style from the town for the last time on Friday.

She was named by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 during her Golden Jubilee celebrations and was called out within 24 hours after she came into service.

Falmouth lifeboat operations manager Nick Lewis said it was emotional to see her go and added that the boat had "served the town immensely well over the last 23 years".

RNLI/Simon Culliford Richard Cox Scott on exercise in Falmouth Bay in February 2002. There is sea spray beside her but the sea is otherwise calm in the picture.RNLI/Simon Culliford
Richard Cox Scott on exercise in Falmouth Bay two months after she was brought into service
Seb Noble/BBC RNLI lifeboat crews dressed in red or yellow jackets and life-jackets prepare the distinctive orange lifeboat for her final voyage from Falmouth. It is a bright sunny day and there is a ferry and a naval vessel on the sea in the background.Seb Noble/BBC
The Richard Cox Scott on her final voyage from Falmouth

She was launched 537 times, saved 12 lives and helped 718 other people in distress over her 23 years of service.

In 2005 the lifeboat was involved in the rescue of eight people from the cargo vessel Galina which lost power in storm force conditions five miles south east of Dodman Point.

Ovaltine drink

The lifeboat was given as a bequest from Ruth Marygold Dix Scott and was named after her late husband who was a banker.

Mrs Scott worked for a time as a commercial artist and designed the Ovaltine drink label.

The couple had retired to Cornwall in the 1950s.

Mrs Scott swam and canoed on the Helford River and asked for the lifeboat to be stationed near her Mawnan Smith home.

Seb Noble/BBC Deputy second coxswain David Nicholl stands in front of the retired lifeboat Richard Cox Scott. He is dressed in a yellow jacket with the RNLI logo on it. Seb Noble/BBC
The lifeboat was given to the community as a bequest
Seb Noble/BBC The image of the orange Richard Cox Scott is reflected in the sea in front of her.Seb Noble/BBC
The outgoing lifeboat is heading off to Poole

Deputy second coxswain David Nicholl said: "We didn't know that she was leaving the money to us.

"That money has really been used to benefit the community."

He said crews had an affinity with the lifeboat.

"You trust the boat - it's the boat that takes you to sea in all weather conditions.

"You have quite a close bond to it."

'End of an era'

The Richard Cox Scott was sent off in style on Friday.

Lifeboats from Fowey, Lizard and Penlee and dock tugs, pilot boats and passenger ferries wished her farewell at Pendennis Point.

Mr Nicholls said: "It's nice that she is being taken back up to Poole to retire.

"Hopefully she may develop another life after that. For us it's the end of an era and we move on."

The Richard Cox Scott has been replaced by a temporary lifeboat from the relief fleet and the station's own Shannon lifeboat will arrive later this year.

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