It costs the Lifeboat (which is a registered charity and publicly funded) thousands of pounds each time someone ignores the warnings and gets stranded. A meeting was held in August to discuss ways in which this kind of incidents can be stopped, but as of yet there doesn't appear to be a plan that everyone can agree upon. One thing is for sure, there needs to be some kind of solution found, be it barriers (which the local residents of the island vehemently oppose) or some kind of light warning system. I have to admit that I don't necessarily understand fully the argument against installing some kind of barrier system. From what I understand the local opposition is based around the need for emergency service access at 'risk times' before the causeway is completely flooded and for those residents who understand the tides more fully than visitors. While I agree this could be an issue, with today's technology the emergency services could surely have an over-ride system like the retractable bollards that Fire Engines can activate - a similar system clearly already exists. As for the residents who think that they understand the tide and can take risks, I would argue that they should be discouraged from doing this at all! I fail to see why the Seahouses Lifeboat station should bare the financial brunt for at best people's ignorance or arrogance against the power of the tide, and at worst their plain stupidity.
The Seahouses Lifeboat are constantly fund raising and are currently looking for volunteer all weather and inshore Lifeboat crew. I wonder how many of the rescued show their gratitude by helping to raise funds to cover the cost of their rescue?
Visit the Seahouses Lifeboat Website for more information about the incredible work they do on a daily basis. You can read the BBC news article about the incident here.
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