Moelfre, Anglesey - 2E Images

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Moelfre's lifeboat tradition goes back to the 1800s and there are many records of heroic bravery. The most notable name in Moelfre's lifeboat history is Dick Evans who is commemorated in the bronze statue that stands outside the Seawatch Centre, but there are many examples of the bravery of those who have risked their lives serving on lifeboats at Moelfre.

Moelfre's current fleet is the Robert and Violet, a Tyne class boat (47-013) and the Kingsand, a D class inshore boat (D-532). The Robert and Violet is planned for replacement soon by a larger Tamar class boat, as are all of the RNLI's Tyne class boats over the next few years. This will require a new boathouse, so the current building is to be demolished and replaced by a new larger boathouse on the same site. This will be the 4th boathouse since the founding of a lifeboat service at Moelfre.

The exact date of the origin of Moelfre's lifeboat heritage is disputed. It is popularly quoted as being 1830, but the most authoritative account I have seen is from a book written by Jeff Morris, "The Story of the Moelfre Lifeboats", on sale at the Lifeboat Station. He indicates that the Moelfre station was the last of 6 established by the Anglesey Lifesaving Association. It was founded in 1846 and a stone boathouse was built in 1848. The RNLI took over responsibility for all 6 of the ALA stations in 1855. I have no other information on the 1848 boathouse, but it was replaced in 1875 by another stone structure at Porth Neigwl or Nigwl. This is the building now popularly referred to as the "Old Lifeboat House". The current building, soon to be replaced, was built in 1909-10 and has been modified and extended several times since. Significant dates include 1928 when it was adapted for Moelfre's first motor powered lifeboat, 1986-87 when it was modified to accommodate a Tyne class boat and 1993 when the extension for the inshore boat was built. Will the current boathouse see its centenary, or will it be replaced before then?

My early memories of the lifeboat at Moelfre date back to the 1960s and 70s when we used to stay with my grandparents who lived in the village. As young children, if we heard the maroon that indicated that the lifeboat had been called out (a single maroon for the inshore boat, two for the main lifeboat), we would hurry through the village and along the cliff path to see the boat being launched down the slipway, always spectacular as it hit the water. Whilst maroons are being phased out and pagers are already the main means of emergency communication, the maroons are still in use at Moelfre and I heard them twice during our stay in the village in August 2007.

Y Swnt is the name of the strait that separates the mainland from Ynys Moelfre. The island is populated by seabirds, mainly gulls and cormorants. On the mainland, there are rocks on the southern side that are very popular for fishing, and a shingle beach. Just next to the beach is the much photographed row of Swnt Cottages. To the north, the land rises and the grassy slopes end with rocky cliffs where the Hindlea came to grief in 1959. There is a memorial to the Hindlea and the rescue of its crew, led by Coxswain Dick Evans, and on top of the next hill is the site of the former coastguard lookout and beacon (see below).

For visitors, the area is best approached on foot, either on the coastal path, or along Lôn Swnt, the narrow lane at the top of Pen Stryd. On the right are some views along this and an adjoining lane.

I recently came across an old photo that I took in 1982 of the old coastguard lookout and beacon. I have reproduced it here - heavily edited to try to improve the quality - it was scanned from an old small print. There is also a more recent photo showing how the site looks today.

The MV Hindlea ran aground and was wrecked in atrocious conditions in October 1959. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Moelfre Lifeboat, there was no loss of life and all the crew were rescued. Coxswain Dic Evans was later awarded the first of his two RNLI gold medals for this rescue. A memorial commemorating the bravery of the lifeboat crew has been placed on the headland and remains of the wreckage can still be seen below at low tide.

On the north side of the headland, the coastline is much rockier as seen here. This photo was taken just west of the site where the Hindlea was wrecked.

Taken from the same area of headland looking west towards the rough shingle beach at Porth Helaeth, just a few yards from where the Royal Charter came to grief in 1859, a century almost to the day before the Hindlea. On the right of the picture is the rocky outcrop with a memorial to the Royal Charter. This beach can also be seen in the background in one of the pictures of the Hindlea memorial above.