Naming Ceremony and Service of Dedication of Spirit of Juniper
The CRG lifeboat Spirit of Juniper was officially named on 21st May 2005 during a ceremony at the Littlehampton Lifeboat Station.
(Click on any image below to open slideshow view)
The blustery day opened with a “shout” at 08:20 when coastguards observed an unmanned dinghy drifting off Littlehampton. Because Spirit of Juniper had been polished and prepared for the ceremony, the crew took Blue Peter 1 out to investigate. By 08:47, they had recovered the dinghy and returned to harbour and could resume preparations for the naming ceremony.
As the crowds and press assembled for the 11:30 start, so did the grey clouds…
After a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, the Station Branch Manager, Peter Cheney, opened the proceedings. Nick Ellis (CRG Hon. Sec.) then said a few words and officially handed Spirit of Juniper into the care of the RNLI (in the person of Miss Helen Griffiths from the RNLI Council). As Helen Griffiths addressed the assembled company (declaring an interest in Juniper juice en passant) the heavens opened and the rain started to fall!
Spirit of Juniper was duly delivered into the care of John Jones, Lifeboat Operations Manager of the Littlehampton Station Branch.
As the rain lashed down, the Reverend George Bush (CRG Chaplain) conducted the service of dedication, during the course of which the hymns O God Our Help In Ages Past and Eternal Father, Strong to Save were sung.
After the Blessing, Nick Ellis named Spirit of Juniper, unveiled a plaque naming the Campaign for Real Gin as the donors and poured a bottle of Silver Spirit (the Campaign’s own-label gin) over the lifeboat – much to the consternation of all around!
The “tradition” of passing the remains to the crew was of course observed. After the ceremony, Spirit of Juniper was launched and put though her paces on the River Arun. She was joined in the celebrations by HM Coastguard’s helicopter “India Juliet” from Lee-on-Solent.
The RNLI kindly provided the following statistics for 2007 and 2008, which give an impression of the frequency and nature of operations of the boat and its crew. In summary, in 2007, The Spirit of Juniper was launched 22 times and rescued 15 people in the year. In 2008, it rescued 20 people in 27 launches.
Spirit of Juniper: 2007 Launches
| Station Name | Service Date | Life Boat | Type of Casualty | Cause of Service | Assessment | Dist to Casualty | Hours at Sea | Wind force | Sea State | People Rescued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littlehampton | 26/02/2007 | D-631 | SMAL CAB PWR | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 6.00 | 2.0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Littlehampton | 01/03/2007 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 17/03/2007 | D-631 | FISH VL SMLL | MAN OVERBORD | SEARCH FAILD | 3.50 | 3.8 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Jttlehampton | 06/04/2007 | D-631 | YACHT + AUX | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.50 | 3.6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 15/04/2007 | D-631 | RUBBERDINGHY | POSTN UNSURE | OTHERS AIDED | 0.40 | 0.3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 28/05/2007 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | DROWNING | OTHERS AIDED | 7.50 | 0.5 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 10/06/2007 | D-631 | YACHT + AUX | LEAK SWAMPING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 5.06 | 3.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 10/06/2007 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | MAN OVERBORD | SEARCH FAILD | 0.50 | 5.6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 11/06/2007 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | MAN OVERBORD | SEARCH FAILD | 1.61 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 11/06/2007 | D-631 | OBJECT NES | NES | FALSE ALARM | 6.00 | 0.9 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 12/06/2007 | D-631 | DEAD BODY | RECOVER BODY | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.80 | 0.6 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 14/06/2007 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | NES | OTHERS AIDED | 0.25 | 1.7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 24/06/2007 | D-631 | PRSN MISSING | MISSING | FALSE ALARM | 0.50 | 2.5 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 05/07/2007 | D-631 | SAIL DINGHY | CAPSIZE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.9 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 18/07/2007 | D-631 | PRSN MISSING | MISSING | FALSE ALARM | 3.00 | 0.2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 20/07/2007 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.30 | 0.3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 29/07/2007 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.10 | 0.2 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 11/08/2007 | D-631 | PRSN MISSING | MISSING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.50 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Littlehampton | 27/08/2007 | D-631 | SMAL CAB PWR | OUT OF FUEL | GAVE ASSTNCE | 3.00 | 3.3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Littlehampton | 08/09/2007 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | MACHNRY FAIL | GAVE ASSTNCE | 1.00 | 0.6 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 10/09/2007 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | MACHNRY FAIL | GAVE ASSTNCE | 1.00 | 0.7 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 11/09/2007 | D-631 | RUBBERDINGHY | CAPSIZE | OTHERS AIDED | 6.00 | 0.3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Spirit of Juniper: 2008 Launches
| Station Name | Service Date | Life Boat | Type of Casualty | Cause of Service | Assessment | Dist to Casualty | Hours at Sea | Wind Force | Sea State | People Rescued |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littlehampton | 12/02/2008 | D-631 | YACHT + AUX | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Littlehampton | 13/02/2008 | D-631 | PRS BRIDGE | IN DISTRESS | OTHERS AIDED | 0.25 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 20/02/2008 | D-631 | MOTOR VEH | VEH IN SEA | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.05 | 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 06/03/2008 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | RES UNAIDED | 0.25 | 0.1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 20/03/2008 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | DROWNING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.56 | 0.2 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Littlehampton | 20/03/2008 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | DROWNING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.56 | 0.2 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Littlehampton | 08/05/2008 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | DROWNING | OTHERS AIDED | 0.03 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 11/05/2008 | D-631 | BATHER | DROWNING | FALSE ALARM | 0.25 | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 18/05/2008 | D-631 | SAILBOARD | OVERDUE | FALSE ALARM | 4 | 1.1 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 23/05/2008 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | FALSE ALARM | 1 | 1.3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 01/06/2008 | D-631 | PRS IN WATER | IN DISTRESS | GAVE ASSTNCE | 2 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 04/06/2008 | D-631 | YACHT + AUX | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.3 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 04/06/2008 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.1 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 08/06/2008 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | MACHNRY FAIL | GAVE ASSTNCE | 2 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 08/06/2008 | D-631 | LRGE CAB PWR | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.6 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Littlehampton | 12/06/2008 | D-631 | JET SKI | MACHNRY FAIL | GAVE ASSTNCE | 3 | 0.9 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 19/06/2008 | D-631 | MOTOR VEH | VEH IN SEA | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.32 | 1.4 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 19/06/2008 | D-631 | SAIL DINGHY | MAY BE TRBLE | FALSE ALARM | 0.25 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 19/06/2008 | D-631 | JET SKI | CAPSIZE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 1.07 | 0.7 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Littlehampton | 22/06/2008 | D-631 | ANIMAL | AML IN TRBLE | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 0.3 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 27/06/2008 | D-631 | YACHT + AUX | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.25 | 5.5 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Littlehampton | 29/06/2008 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | STRANDING | GAVE ASSTNCE | 0.53 | 1.2 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Littlehampton | 26/07/2008 | D-631 | PRSN MISSING | MISSING | FALSE ALARM | 6 | 0.1 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 31/07/2008 | D-631 | BATHER | MISSING | FALSE ALARM | 5.16 | 2.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 03/08/2008 | D-631 | SMAL OPN PWR | OVERDUE | FALSE ALARM | 4 | 2.2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 12/08/2008 | D-631 | BATHER | MISSING | FALSE ALARM | 3.05 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Littlehampton | 21/09/2008 | D-631 | OBJECT NES | MAY BE TRBLE | FALSE ALARM | 3 | 0.7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |