Monday 22 December 2008

The Dover Lifeboat

There's been a lifeboat at Dover in most years since 1837. The current Lifeboat, 17-09 'City of London II' arrived in March 1997 and is Dover's 16th lifeboat, succeeding the Thames class lifeboat 'Rotary Service'.

Full details of the Dover Lifeboat can be found on their WEB site. I was watching the world go by at Langdon Cliffs when she came by at a good rate of knots.

Although it was a calm day at that speed she disappeared in the spray each time she went through a wave. The average number of "shouts" each year has been 38 for the last 20 years, although so far this year it is up yo 60. Martin Collins, the admin officer, tells me that there will be a fund raising event in January and I'll find out about that later.

While I was there I watched the Jackdaws flying round the cliff face. Although they are not as spectacular as Choughs, they certainly are masters of the air.

With Ravens beginning to reappear in Kent, and Choughs now back in Cornwall, it is possible to at least dream of a future when all our native crows breed in the area.

No matter what the angle and even in poor light, the white eye stands out like a small torch.

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