A WHALE OF A TIME (Part 1) The RAF Rescue Team

We were supposed to doing a Whale Watching Trip last Saturday 10th, but we decided to cancel it due to bad weather and I was so pleased we did as we rescheduled it for Saturday17th and trip and weather were just amazing.

We had S.E. Winds on Friday so there was a heavy slow swell in the water, but as the day went on the swell disappeared.

Dunstanburgh Castle

We steamed slowly down towards Craster we passed a Great Skua and a Arctic Skua flying north and about 30+ Wigeon also flying north. On arriving at Craster we encounter 5 Harbour Porpoise showing really well. After spending a little while watching them, we steamed out towards the deeper water.

While we were steaming out the deeper water the RAF Boulmer Helicopter flew passed our port side and flew over an Angling Boat, then all of a sudden it turned around and headed towards us. The next thing I heard was my boats name being called on channel 16 on the VHF.
 It was the RAF Helicopter asking me if I could turn to channel 67. On doing so they asked me if it was OK to lower someone on the boat for some practice. After agreeing they give me a compass bearing of 280 degrees and told me to go 6 knots.
 Keith told all of our customers to gather there bags and move closer towards the wheelhouse. When all of our customers were beside the wheelhouse they started to lower the first person, and then the other came down. The second person was a dentist, who was being trained by the RAF. (I don't think he enjoyed it very much)

When the Helicopter was above the boat the noise, wind and spray are unbelievable. Bud, my dog was shaking like a leaf in the wheelhouse, but the customers loved it.

Just before they were about to leave one of the men came to the wheelhouse and said thank you very much for helping him with the excercise. As we shook hands he turned and said to me........................................

To be continued