PICTURES: Lifesavers buoyed by success of Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI Maritime Day
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THE first Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI Maritime Day in four years left the local lifesavers on the crest of a wave with a large crowd showing its support during the group's biggest fundraiser of the year.
Events ranged from a raft race and kayak and rowing club taster sessions to a Kyleakin to Kyle swim and tractor pull challenge.
The Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band got the day off to a stirring start with Kyle and Mallaig lifeboats both in attendance, allowing people to get aboard and look around the different vessels. The contrasting vessels also put on a display for the crowd.
The UK Border Force and a UK Coastguard tug were also on hand allowing visitors to explore these larger vessels.
The local kayaking club and Lochalsh Rowing club invited people to take to the water, both come and try sessions proving very popular.
The local Coastguard team had equipment and vehicles on show for people as did police.
In the tractor pull, teams of six had to compete to pull Kyle RNLI’s launching tractor over a 20-metre distance in the quickest time. The highly competitive event saw the Kyle RNLI crew narrowly retain their title from the last competition held in 2019.
The Lochalsh Leisure Centre Kyleakin to Kyle swim saw the largest field for many years with over 20 competitors taking on the challenge between the two slipways.
The day was rounded off with the annual Kyle Fire Brigade raft race – slightly delayed due to the fire brigade responding to an incident. All the competing teams were supplied with the same pieces of basic equipment and had to build their rafts on
the slipway before then taking to the water and trying to get around the course. The weather had picked up by the time the teams took to the water, with many struggling to make it around the course against wind and tide.
It was Kyle RNLI's team who again took the honours.
A spokesman for the crew, who depend on donations to provide their lifesaving service at sea, said: "A great day was had by all and Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI would like to thank everyone who took part, came along to support us and helped to make it such a success."
