New Years day idea

C2 RIBS · 31 December 2012, 12:03

If you close to Portsmouth- Southampton
GAFIRS support them . also on twitter @GAFIRS

C2 RIBS · 01 January 2013, 13:47

What a fantastic turnout, hope you collected loads of money
Here are some images for you, weather bright blue skies and great for sailing and boating. Mad swimmers!
Facebook

I am sure the lifeboat guys will post the swimmers but there were hundreds! Could not get too close
http://www.facebook.com/GAFIRS

Hightower · 01 January 2013, 14:36

I normally get to go to this. However I'm taking advantage of the lovely weather today and had my head under the bonnet of my truck trying to fix it all morning.

Glad they had their normal turnout.

treerat · 01 January 2013, 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

What a fantastic turnout, hope you collected loads of money
Here are some images for you, weather bright blue skies and great for sailing and boating. Mad swimmers!
Facebook

I am sure the lifeboat guys will post the swimmers but there were hundreds! Could not get too close
http://www.facebook.com/GAFIRS

According to my email there was 300 swimmers registered for 42 charities

C2 RIBS · 01 January 2013, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by treerat

According to my email there was 300 swimmers registered for 42 charities

Yep well done to them all, I managed to get some cash into the collectors GAFIRS boxes, were you there today?

treerat · 01 January 2013, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Yep well done to them all, I managed to get some cash into the collectors GAFIRS boxes,

Thank you - always welcome

Quote:

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

were you there today?

Unfortunately not. Three out of four of us are poorly and have spent Xmas on the sofa or in the little room, due up the weekend but can't see it happening

Event pics look good and the video should be out tomorrow.

treerat · 02 January 2013, 11:26

And ready to day it is

GAFIRS 2013 Annual New Year's Day Charity Dip in The Solent - YouTube

Mikeallenuk · 02 January 2013, 20:13

300 hundred swimmers/dippers registered with GAFIRS for the Annual New Years Day, most were in fancy dress. Monies were being raised for 42 different charities. Literally thousands of people lined the waters edge at Stokes Bay. The Coastguard helicopter from Lee on Solent took part in an exercise with the Gosport Independent Lifeboat prior to the start of the "Dip"

On the day, almost £3000 was raised for GAFIRS, with even more money being raised for the other 41 charities, the day was indeed a great success.

The Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service is an Indpendent Lifeboat Service. As a declared facility with HM Coastguard the service is oncall 24/7.

First call of the year came within an hour of the New Years Day Dip, the coastguard helicopter, both Gosport Lifeboats & the Portsmouth RNLI Lifeboat were tasked to a report of a person in the water off Southsea seafront, fortunately it was a false alarm with good intent.

Please visit the GAFIRS website :- GAFIRS - Home

mister p · 02 January 2013, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeallenuk

300 hundred swimmers/dippers registered with GAFIRS for the Annual New Years Day, most were in fancy dress. Monies were being raised for 42 different charities. Literally thousands of people lined the waters edge at Stokes Bay. The Coastguard helicopter from Lee on Solent took part in an exercise with the Gosport Independent Lifeboat prior to the start of the "Dip"

On the day, almost £3000 was raised for GAFIRS, with even more money being raised for the other 41 charities, the day was indeed a great success.

The Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service is an Indpendent Lifeboat Service. As a declared facility with HM Coastguard the service is oncall 24/7.

First call of the year came within an hour of the New Years Day Dip, the coastguard helicopter, both Gosport Lifeboats & the Portsmouth RNLI Lifeboat were tasked to a report of a person in the water off Southsea seafront, fortunately it was a false alarm with good intent.

Please visit the GAFIRS website :- GAFIRS - Home

How much did the heli cost to get up in the air?

C2 RIBS · 02 January 2013, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister p

How much did the heli cost to get up in the air?

Not sure but their training schedule means training every day and that invest this type of work, regulars on Solent see them doing this with yachts, tall ships, ferries tugs etc . Has to be done at all costs in every weather type so this event raised loads for rescue services

mister p · 02 January 2013, 20:34

I know they need hours but I also know that training hours are not the same as duty hours. But they can be if tweeked. Esp. if it's for charity.

mister p · 02 January 2013, 20:38

Have to say though, the heli's earn their money

Mikeallenuk · 02 January 2013, 23:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister p

I know they need hours but I also know that training hours are not the same as duty hours. But they can be if tweeked. Esp. if it's for charity.

The winching exercise with the helo was a pre arranged evolution and was conducted whilst the helo was returning from another exercise which it had been conducting south of the Isle of Wight.

The helo crew regularly train with numerous craft including Lifeboats. It is important that Lifeboat coxswains practice and retain the skills required to formate with the helicopter during winching. There are also other types of winching scenarios that may be utilised when transfering the winchman or casualties between Lifeboat and helicopter or vice versa.

In short, all training with the helo is a very valuable and worthwhile use of resources.