March 26, 2021
6 min read
For over 150 years, Girvan has had a lifeboat launching off the south-west coast of Scotland providing search and rescue cover for both commercial and leisure mariners. Today’s station operates an all-weather Shannon class lifeboat.
We caught up with two inspirational father-daughter volunteer duos, who told us their stories and experiences as RNLI volunteers.
Luciana McGarvie: A little over 2 years with the RNLI Girvan lifeboat station
Gary McGarvie: 25 years' service, this year.
Chloe White: Coming up to 2 years with the RNLI Girvan lifeboat station
John Tait: Joined the RNLI as a trainee crewmember in 2004
Luciana: From a young age I was always in and around the station with my father (Gary McGarvie) who is also a volunteer, helping in any way I could such as gala days, crew BBQs, and any fundraising event. I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and get a pair of yellow wellies for myself.
Gary: Living in a small sea-side town I was always interested in being different from the others in my age group. I always challenged myself to be part of different organisations, including the local canoeing club. This was where I met some of the current lifeboat crew and was asked if I was interested in joining the boat, and this is where I started my career.
Chloe: I decided to volunteer at Girvan lifeboat because my dad (John Tait) was a crew member who inspired me, and I thought it was a good thing to do to give back to the community.
John: I am originally from a village 7 miles inland from Girvan, so I wasn’t brought up around water. My aunt went around the village every year collecting for the RNLI, which I found inspiring. When I moved into Girvan later in life, the opportunity arose for me to join the lifeboat crew.
I never thought that I would be able to join the RNLI. My father knows what it’s like and the dangers involved, he just wanted to keep me safe but after months of debating, giving him reasons why it was the best choice for me and showing resilience, he finally signed the papers.
Luciana: The part I love most is being a part of the crew because it is like one big family; you always have someone to rely on even if it's just everyday things like getting a lift somewhere.
Chloe: I love being able to give back to people and learning new skills.
Gary: It’s not until you consider stepping down and allowing others to develop within the station and on the boat that you soon realise that there is something about seeing the boat leave the harbour that sparks your emotions. Even after all my years on the boat when I am slightly disappointed when working and the pager sound, knowing that I cannot make the call out.
John: There are so many things about the RNLI I admire and am proud to be part of. The fact we are funded solely through donations and legacies gives you an insight into how special the charity is. Coupled with the fact that we have unpaid volunteers who are willing to race to the aid of others in all manner of situations 24/7, many of which are in horrific conditions. That’s special!
Regardless of the training, boat, or equipment that is provided, I see the trust that each crew member has during training or callout when the conditions are more challenging and from the helm, you can see each other holding on to the boat, setting the tow line and holding onto each other’s lifejacket straps ensuring no one falls overboard.
Luciana: At Girvan, we train together every Monday and some weekends during the summer, this helps us to get to know each other and see how we work together when situations become stressful. We also have annual family BBQs, because it’s not just the crew that need to trust each other, the family members need to trust us to bring their husband, wife, or kid back to them.
Gary: When any trainee crew first walks through the doors of the station, they are walking into a readymade family who is recognizable within the community. The trainee that attends every training night even though not necessarily getting on the boat, volunteering to attend community visits, generally being around the station and crew making attempts to “fit-in”. This is where you see the crew pulling the trainee under their wings. So, I feel the more that you put into the station, the more you will get out. It just takes time.
Chloe: In some aspects of the training, I struggled to grasp and remember certain things that were important but with the persistence of my crew and trainers I have been able to overcome the fears of not remembering my training in the event of an emergency.
John: In addition to the RNLI, I am also a first responder for the Scottish ambulance service. Attending patients who have suffered cardiac arrest for the first time is quite a daunting experience and you’re never sure how you’ll react until it happens. You have to trust your own ability and that the training you have received is effective.
Gary: Over the years I have been in command of the lifeboat in many different situations with crew members of various skills and experience. One of the most important aspects of being a coxswain is having the trust in the boat’s capabilities and the training that the crew has. On more challenging callouts it always amazes me the crew’s ability to pull together and complete the task at hand and I need to trust each crew member to complete the task I set them; this allows me to maintain my focus on the casualty.
John: During a 140-tonne fishing boat shout, we had to work closely with our flank station Troon. Due to the weight of the boat and the sea state, we had to work together to get that boat safely into harbour. My trust that day lay with Gary and Joe who were the coxswains of the two boats. As crew, we trust our own ability in performing tasks, but we need to have faith in others and to that end, I have 100% faith in my colleagues and that day, in particular, proved that for me.
Having correct clothing is very important to me. I trust when I put my all-weather clothing on that I am going to be safe, I trust my life jacket the most to keep me safe at sea.
Luciana: It's important to trust your clothing because you don’t have time to worry if you’re going to be cold or tripping over your boots. The most important piece of kit is my lifejacket, I need to be able to trust that it's going to work if I fall in the water and I need to be able to trust that the person that packed and checked it has done it correctly because it can be a difference between life and death.
Gary: The environment in which the lifeboat crew operates can change dramatically during the callout. I always advocate to the crew that it is important to maintain their own body temperature as feeling too hot can contribute to feeling ill at sea. The Helly Hansen layering system allows more options on how to dress for the conditions. Having this trust in the new kit is one less thing for the crew to be worried about.
All photos by Nigel Millard.
If you want to help fund the amazing work of the RNLI and the heroes like Luciana, Gary, Chloe, and John please visit the RNLI.org
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, and Alderney.
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