West Wales – Cardigan Bay
- Allan & Helen
- Jul 4, 2025
- 5 min read
Our third day in Wales started drizzly and a little windy after some overnight rain. However, another amazing breakfast from our lovely hosts at Brynhaul B&B set us up for the day.
We headed north today along the Cardigan Bay coast to New Quay.
New Quay Lifeboat Station
We were a little late arriving which we hate doing but the visibility across the hills from our accommodation was just a few metres and the going was slow. Having found a convenient street parking space we hurried down to the station on the beautiful New Quay Beach.
We were greeted by Coxwain Huw who welcomed us to the station and showed us around. New Quay has a Shannon Class lifeboat, one of many adorning the name of Roy Barker. Mr Frederick Roy Barker, who was known as Roy, left his entire estate to the RNLI, with the request that the income received from the fund be known as the Roy Barker Memorial Fund. Roy, had made his money from farming and livestock, retired to the Channel Island of Jersey and was a keen seafarer and great supporter of the RNLI. Income from the fund has funded three Trent class lifeboats, a Tamar and two Shannon Class boats. Roy admired the dedication, skill and bravery of the volunteer crews and, indeed, their families who support them.
The New Quay Shannon is 13-48, Roy Barker V and joined service in 2023 replacing a Mersey class. The first noticeable challenge was just how snuggly the boat fit in the station. With barely inches either side and at the top, it takes a very skilled SLRS driver to launch and recover this boat. The station was not modified at all to accommodate the Shannon.
Established in 1864 following several wrecks in the area, the station was originally located in the harbour. IN 1904 a new boathouse was built to the south of the harbour and in 1992 the current boathouse was built with a slipway to house the Mersey.
Huw very kindly showed us around the boat and took some photos for us. He then showed us their D-Class, Will Morgan (D-886). We chatted for a while and learned that his son and wife, the station Press Officer, were taking part in a 24 hour Row-athon fundraiser outside of the sailing club. Before we left for our next visit we popped over to see them in action.
Cardigan Lifeboat Station
Back down the coast, we arrived at Cardigan Lifeboat Station. We had been in contact with Station Administrator, Gill, who had advised us of their exercise launch that morning and we hoped we would make it to the station in time to meet the crew. We were in luck as when we arrived the crew were just hosing down the Atlantic 85 and its Talus launch tractor.
We were welcomed to the station by all of the crew and met newly appointed Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul. The crew were very busy with debriefs and tidying up so we chatted to Gill for a while. Just as we were heading up to the crew room, some pagers went off. Was this a shout? With surprised looks on the crew faces it was soon established that there was indeed a request to launch and so the doors reopened and everyone swung into action. To escape the rush and to keep out of the crews way, Gill hurried us up to the crew room where we enjoyed a lovely cup of tea and a beautiful view over the sandy beach and coastline from the station balcony. Here we stood and watched the action unfold.
The crew were requested to launch by the coastguard to assist 2 persons and a dog. As we watched the launch from the balcony we saw the boat head towards a small yacht across the bay. We then watched through binoculars as the crew set up a tow and slowly escorted the boat up the river Teifi towards Cardigan and a safe mooring. After a lovely chat with the shore crew and Gill, we heard a further call come through to prepare for recovery. This was the first time we had been visiting a station and witnessed a launch on service. So we were extremely fortunate to also witness the recovery as well.
The lifeboat station at Cardigan was established in 1849 for pulling and sailing boats but closed in 1932. The RNLI took over the operation in 1851 with new boathouses being built in 1876 and 1905. The current boathouse was completed in 1987 for inshore lifeboats. It was upgraded in 1998 to house Atlantic and D-Class lifeboats. Their current boats are an Atlantic 85, Albatross (B-871) and a D-Class, John Darbyshire (D-845).
As the crew washed down for the second time that morning we said our farewells and headed off to our final visit of the day before someone provided us with a hose pipe and some wellies.
Fishguard Lifeboat Station
Following our posts on social media about our visits, we had contact from Coxwain Gemma from Fishguard Lifeboat Station informing us that the station would be unmanned on the day of or visit. So we headed to the station with the knowledge that it would be an evidence photo and leave visit.
We arrived in Fishguard a little early and so took the opportunity to visit the RNLI shop in an artisan shop in town. Unfortunately this was closed as were most of the shops as it was Sunday. We found a lovely place for a bite of lunch called The Shack overlooking the bay and the harbour. We then headed towards the Lifeboat Station which is located at the north end of the port. We had to have our wits about us as we drove towards the Ferry Port entrance and two pairs of eyes, and the lack of a ferry, certainly avoided the possibility of ending up in Rosslare.
We arrived outside of the station and headed over to take our evidence photo. We noticed the door to the station was open as was the balcony door and so we shouted “hello” up the stairs and was met with a reply. A puzzled crew member came down stairs and welcomed us and we explained what we were doing at his station. Greg was a relief Coxwain and was based at the station for a few days to cover leave. Relief Coxwains are generally full time RNLI employees and cover a region of stations where they can be posted to cover the crew during periods of holiday etc. Greg explained that he was covering a large part of Wales and was based in the Isle of Man. He very kindly showed us the D-Class lifeboat house in the station and we could see the Trent Class moored in the harbour. Access restrictions meant that he could not take us down to the boat.
Fishguard Lifeboat Station claims the title of being the oldest station in Wales being founded in 1822, two years before the formation of the RNLI. However, the RNLI took over the station in 1855 and built a station on the beach opposite where we had lunch. A further station with a slipway was built in 1908. The current station was completed in 2000 housing their D-Class, Edward Arthur Richardson (D-789). As part of the Blue Peter “Pieces of Eight” appeal in the 1990s, six inshore lifeboats were planned to be provided from the fundraising. Such was the success of the appeal that in 1994 the Trent Class, 14-03 arrived on service in Fishguard and was named Blue Peter VII.
We thanked Greg for his time and wished him well on his future postings with the hope that we would meet him again when we visit the Isle of Man.
Another fantastic day of visits filled with amazing stories and drama. After leaving Fishguard we headed to the nearby headland and lighthouse at Stumble Point, just 55 miles from Rosslare across the Irish Sea. It was a beautiful spot and we enjoyed a stroll around the cliff tops admiring the scenery before heading back to the B&B.
Comments