RNLI North Berwick Lifeboat

RNLI North Berwick Lifeboat Volunteers saving lives at sea from North Berwick since 1860. The station lies across the road, houses the shop, crew room and crew changing room.

North Berwick Lifeboat station is sited on Victoria Road, North Berwick, a few hundred metres from the Harbour. The boathouse, originally built in 1860 is a prominent feature of the seafront, with its blue and white exterior. The station building was bought and refurbished in 1997. In it's lifetime the boathouse has housed eleven lifeboats and even been a cafe. Currently, the boathouse houses Evel

yn M, D-758 an IB1 inshore lifeboat (ILB). North Berwick is a former recipient of 5 Blue Peter funded Lifeboats. Our page is an open and welcoming community of RNLI supporters and volunteers all coming together to help save lives at sea and we want to hear from you about your experiences. As a charity funded by your generosity, we welcome your feedback and are always happy to discuss any aspects of our lifesaving work. However, to ensure our page remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone, we reserve the right to remove comments e.g., those that are offensive or abusive towards others. People who post such comments may be banned from the page. Thank you for your support.

With hot weather forecast, do you know how to keep yourself safe around open water? Stay hydrated, stay shaded, stay in ...
22/06/2026

With hot weather forecast, do you know how to keep yourself safe around open water?

Stay hydrated, stay shaded, stay in your depth, stay safe.

If you find yourself struggling in the water; Float to Live.
👂 Tilt your head back with ears submerged
🫁 Relax and try to breathe normally
👋 Move your hands and legs to stay afloat
🦵 Legs sink? It's ok, we all float differently!
🙋🏽 Once you're over the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety

If you see someone struggling at the coast:
📞 Phone 999 for the Coastguard
🗣️ Tell them to Float
🛟 Throw them something that floats – don’t go in.

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHED 11.30am, Thursday 18 June after two kayakers reported their sit on top kayak sinking 2 nautical miles ...
20/06/2026

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHED 11.30am, Thursday 18 June after two kayakers reported their sit on top kayak sinking 2 nautical miles offshore, near Bass Rock.

Using their phone the casualties alerted the Coastguard but were soon in the water as the kayak went down. Thankfully they were able to clamber onto Bass Rock and await rescue.

This was the second call out in 24 hours for our volunteers as the warm weather makes a return.

The air temperatures might be rising into the mid 20's over the next few days, but the sea is stubbornly chilly at 12°C, cold enough to trigger cold water shock, which can cause uncontrollable gasping, increased heart rate, and can lead to panic and drowning very quickly.

Follow the advice below for keeping safe whilst on the water.

✅ Always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid
✅ Carry a *waterproofed* means of calling for help
✅ Check the weather and tides, avoid offshore winds on a SUP
✅ Carry an anchor suitable for your craft
✅ Check your craft's engine and fuel are serviceable
✅ Tell someone ashore

If you find yourself struggling in the water; Float to Live.
👂Tilt your head back with ears submerged
🫁Relax and try to breathe normally
👋Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat
🦵It's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently!
🙋🏽Once you're over the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety

If you see someone struggling at the coast:
📞 Phone 999 for the Coastguard
🗣️ Tell them to Float
🛟 Throw them something that floats – don’t go in.

📷: A A View From My Camera

Our longest serving helm has been recognised in King’s Birthday Honours!Rhona Meikle who has been volunteering at North ...
19/06/2026

Our longest serving helm has been recognised in King’s Birthday Honours!

Rhona Meikle who has been volunteering at North Berwick RNLI since 1994 has been awarded the King's Police Medal (KPM) for her distinguished service to policing.

Her voluntary work with the RNLI was specifically mentioned in the citation alongside her 28 years in the Police, as was her work as a Director of Paws for Progress since 2014, delivering the UK’s first prison-based rescue dog training programme to provide educational, therapeutic, and interactive dog-assisted programmes for people most in need of support.

A lifeboat crew is something of a family, and Rhona is central to the crew whether organising social events, crew clothing, providing character references or careers advice.

She would hate the phrase, but she is something of a matriarch for many of us all at the station. We are very proud of what she has achieved.

📷: Tom Kerley

Come along to our OPEN DAY on Saturday 11 July, on Anchor Green at North Berwick Harbour. We've got lots of exciting sta...
15/06/2026

Come along to our OPEN DAY on Saturday 11 July, on Anchor Green at North Berwick Harbour.

We've got lots of exciting stalls including a new interactive crew member challenge where you'll learn some of the skills it takes to become a crew member.

Of course we will have the usual raffle offering the chance to win a family Sula Boat Trips, a family adventure on Foxfall rope course at Foxlake Adventures, 2 tickets so see Russell Howard at Fringe By the Sea and many other prizes donated by local shops and businesses.

Popular activities including the soak a crew member (or parent) in the stocks, a throw line challenge and the book stall will also return alongside the tombola and live music including sea shanties.

We are also holding a Lifejacket Clinic throughout the day where you can get safety advice on the correct fitting and maintenance of your lifejacket.

All this alongside North Berwick Harbour Trust's Harbour Market, it's a day not to miss!

We are lucky to be supported by many fantastic local businesses, this one even has a link to some lifesaving heritage! B...
01/06/2026

We are lucky to be supported by many fantastic local businesses, this one even has a link to some lifesaving heritage! Big thank you to the team at the Rocketeer Restaurant

Four call outs in 48 hours for our volunteer RNLI crew in North Berwick who launched the charity's D Class inshore lifeb...
24/05/2026

Four call outs in 48 hours for our volunteer RNLI crew in North Berwick who launched the charity's D Class inshore lifeboat, SUNIJO, to two incidents today, in addition to the previous two call outs this weekend. North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team were also in attendance.

🛶Sunday 24 May: 3.03pm concern for an inflatable kayak in an offshore wind with two people on board by the Bass Rock.

We assessed the vessel and found it to be a sturdy inflatable, making good way against the wind, with both occupants wearing a buoyancy aid, with a means for calling for help and a knowledge of the weather forecast and tides. Content the kayakers were prepared for their outing, we returned to station.

Not all inflatables are suitable for the open sea, avoid taking an un-powered inflatable out in an offshore wind as it can be impossible to paddle against.

⛵️Sunday 24 May: 4.17pm concern for a yacht, aground and listing in Gosford Bay.

Once on scene we established that there was no damage to the vessel, or injuries to the two sailors we checked they had lifejackets, a means of calling for help and supplies to wait for the tide to come in and refloat them before returning to station.

Both these incidents were called in by members of the public, we'd like to thank them for their vigilance.

☎️ In any coastal emergency, dial 999 for the Coastguard.

We've launched 3 times in the last 6 days, including twice this weekend already. 🚤Sunday 17 May: 7.16pm to a broken down...
24/05/2026

We've launched 3 times in the last 6 days, including twice this weekend already.

🚤Sunday 17 May: 7.16pm to a broken down Personal Water Craft
🛶Friday 22 May: 6.16pm to a person in the water from a sunken kayak
🛟Saturday 23 May 6.47pm to search for a stand up paddleboard in an offshore wind with RNLI Anstruther Lifeboat

Warmer weather tempting you to head out onto the water?

✅ Always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid
✅ Carry a waterproofed means of calling for help
✅ Check the weather and tides, avoid offshore winds on a SUP
✅ Carry an anchor suitable for your craft
✅ Check your craft's engine and fuel are serviceable
✅ Tell someone ashore

☎️ In any coastal emergency, dial 999 for the Coastguard.

📷A View From My Camera

The air temperatures might be rising into the 20's over the next few days, but the sea is stubbornly chilly at 10°C. If ...
22/05/2026

The air temperatures might be rising into the 20's over the next few days, but the sea is stubbornly chilly at 10°C.

If you find yourself struggling in the water; Float to Live.

👂Tilt your head back with ears submerged
🫁Relax and try to breathe normally
👋Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat
🦵It's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently!

🙋🏽Once you're over the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety

If you see someone struggling at the coast:
📞 Phone 999 for the Coastguard
🗣️ Tell them to Float
🛟 Throw them something that floats – don’t go in.

Our volunteers were recently awarded the PETA UK Hero to Animals award alongside members of North Berwick Coastguard Res...
03/05/2026

Our volunteers were recently awarded the PETA UK Hero to Animals award alongside members of North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team and Dunbar Coastguard for the rescue of Sparkles the dog back in February.

The team were honoured to receive the award, reflecting that the incident really shows the strength of the bonds that can develop between animals and humans.

We are glad that the incident ended in a positive outcome and understand that can be very hard in the moment, when an animal is in danger, to resist the urge to try and save them.

Our advice, in any coastal emergency, is to dial 999 for the Coastguard.

In the case of a dog in the water, you could try to move to an area where they might be able to climb out, before calling their name to encourage them towards you.

Your safety however is paramount.
📷:Christopher Innes/

02/05/2026

Someone in trouble in the water? Remember Phone, Float, Throw – it could save their life.

📞 - Phone 999 to get help
🗣️ - Tell them to stay calm and float on their back
🛟 - Throw rescue equipment to help them float until emergency services arrive

Never enter the water to attempt a rescue. Knowing what to do can save a life.

Address

1 Melbourne Road
North Berwick
EH394JP

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when RNLI North Berwick Lifeboat posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to RNLI North Berwick Lifeboat:

Shortcuts

Share