We need your help to keep a lifeboat operating in the Three Rivers Estuary and Carmarthen Bay
Donate
Make a Donation
All crew and fundraisers for Ferryside lifeboat are volunteers, so you can be confident that all funds go solely towards the equipment, training and facilities required to run the service.
Donate
Make a Donation
All crew and fundraisers for Ferryside lifeboat are volunteers, so you can be confident that all funds go solely towards the equipment, training and facilities required to run the service.
Pledge your support to Ferryside Lifeboat
Support Ferryside Lifeboat
We’re setting up a new charity to run Ferryside Lifeboat that will be live in early 2025, but we’ll need to raise around £20,000 each year to cover the costs of running Ferryside Lifeboat – including insurance, building, crew safety equipment and our lifeboats.
We’re asking supporters to pledge funds for the new charity, that we’ll can call on when the charity is approved and we’re ready to start operating.
We’re not running a big head office or paying profiessional fundraisers. All our team are volunteers and every penny donated goes directly to running the lifeboat.
There’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside since 1835.
The huge tides and dangerous sand bars in Carmarthen Bay make the nearby waters particularly treacherous – and mean the Three Rivers Estuary, the Towy, the Taf and Gwendraith are ofter inaccessible to rescue craft from outside the bay.
Because of these dangers, there’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside for almost 200 years – run first by the RNLI and then, since 1963, by St John Ambulance Cymru.
We’re now entering a new phase, as a completely independent charity, and we need help from you to keep this life-saving service operational.
Make a Donation
Make a Donation
There’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside since 1835.
The huge tides and dangerous sand bars in Carmarthen Bay make the nearby waters particularly treacherous – and mean the Three Rivers Estuary, the Towy, the Taf and Gwendraith are ofter inaccessible to rescue craft from outside the bay.
Because of these dangers, there’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside for almost 200 years – run first by the RNLI and then, since 1963, by St John Ambulance Cymru.
We’re now entering a new phase, as a completely independent charity, and we need help from you to keep this life-saving service operational.
Crewmember PPE
Yearly cost of maintaining a crewmember’s Drysuit, Lifejacket, Locator Beacon and Flare.
Set of Flares
Yearly cost of maintaining a crewmember’s Drysuit, Lifejacket, Locator Beacon and Flare.
Rescue Line
Yearly cost of maintaining a crewmember’s Drysuit, Lifejacket, Locator Beacon and Flare.
Throwbag
Yearly cost of maintaining a crewmember’s Drysuit, Lifejacket, Locator Beacon and Flare.
Or choose to make a pledge an amount of your own choice
Your Questions Answered
Runnning Ferryside Lifeboat is a huge undertaking that wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community and fundraisers. We welcome your questions about how the lifeboat is run – if there’s something you want to know, just get in touch and we’ll do our best to answer.
The unique geography of Carmarthen Bay makes the surrounding waters particularly hazardous. With powerful tides, shifting sandbars, and unpredictable conditions, the Three Rivers Estuary – where the Towy, Taf, and Gwendraeth rivers meet the sea – is often inaccessible to rescue craft from outside the bay. Ferryside Lifeboat is the only service capable of reliably reaching casualties in these waters across a wide range of tidal states.
Without Ferryside Lifeboat, lives would be at significantly greater risk.
Since 1965 we’ve been part of St John Ambulance Cymru – the only lifeboat in the organisation. Following long discussions with the St John management team, it was agreed that it would better serve both organisations core objectives should the Ferryside Marine Division separate from the wider St John family and move forward as a independent entity.
Since 1965 we’ve been part of St John Ambulance Cymru – the only lifeboat in the organisation. Following long discussions with the St John management team, it was agreed that it would better serve both organisations core objectives should the Ferryside Marine Division separate from the wider St John family and move forward as a independent entity. We approached the RNLI and other organisations, but the only option available to us to keep a lifeboat in Ferryside was to set up a new charity.
It costs around £20,000 each year to cover the costs of running the lifeboat – including insurance, building upkeep, crew safety equipment and maintenance of our lifeboats.
All money we raise from donations or from the sale of merchandise goes directly to Ferryside Lifeboat (minus credit card processing fees), and is spent ensuring that the boat is kept operational and running safely.
No. All our crew, support team and fundraisers are volunteers, giving up their time for free.
There are lot of ways to support the lifeboat, from volunteering as a crew member or fundraiser, organising an event that raises funds for us, or perhaps considering us in a legacy.
You can also make donations directly to the lifeboat from this website.
Missing Person Search
24/01/2025FerrysideThe lifeboat was paged at 1.53pm to assist in the search for a missing person.
The boat was stood down after they were found safe and well.Capsized Sailing Dinghy
27/10/2024Scotts BayWe were tasked to assist a dingy in distress in Scotts Bay, that had sunk after capsizing. Both our main lifeboat and ILB were launched to assist.
Upon arrival on scene, the casualty was quickly recovered and taken to shore in our ILB, whilst the crew made running repairs to the dingy and towed it to safety.Missing Person Search
08/06/2020CarmarthenFerryside Lifeboat was tasked by HM CG to assist the Police and Fire & Rescue service to search for a missing person who was believed to have entered the River Towy north of Carmarthen.
Paged at 21:05 we were launched within 8 minutes and on scene within 15. The boat was recovered at around 22:45, with the crew finally leaving the station at 23:45 after an hour’s “making ready for service.”
Thankfully the person was found safe and well (we believe not in the river), so a great outcome to a long shout.Vessel in Distress
18/05/20202 miles off Ginst PointFerryside Lifeboat was paged by HMCG at 5.45 this afternoon and tasked to assist a vessel that had reported engine failure 2 miles off Ginst Point.
The lifeboat crewed by Coxswains Anthony Rees & Richard Jones, and Marks Lucas and Foxton, was launched within 8 mins and was swiftly on scene. There was however no sign of a vessel in the area and a search was started.
With deteriorating visability, Tenby All Weather Lifeboat, Burry Port Lifeboat and Rescue 187 SAR helicopter were also tasked to help with the search, as well as Burry Port and Llansteffan mobile Coastguard units on land. With tide falling, Ferryside Lifeboat’s smaller craft was also launched to help search shallower waters around the Gwendraith.
Despite all of the teams’ best efforts, no vessel was found and with light failing, the crew was stood down and returned to shore around 9.30pm.Walkers trapped by incoming tide
03/01/2019LlansteffanLifeboat launched on service this afternoon to help two people stranded by the incoming tide.
Two people were picked up by the lifeboat off of rocks in Ferryside, and all were returned to the Lifeboat Station in Ferryside where they were treated for exposure.
Crew & Fundraisers
Weird bunch this lot
Dave Atkinson
Senior CoxswainWe’re just jealous of his beard
Bryony Evett-Hackfort
TrusteeHoarder of fleeces
Mike ‘Iowa’ Hackfort
CoxswainShipwrecked Canadian #542305
Anthony ‘Pie’ Rees
CoxswainDropper of mallets
Andy ‘Morgs’ Morgan
CoxswainOne man, and his toothbrush
Simon Lamble
CoxswainExpert food taster
Pete Bailey
CoxswainKnot specialist
Mark Lucas
Senior CrewDestroyer of Buckets
Mark Foxton
CrewThe busiest retiree we know
Jordan Daniels
CrewNeaf
Steve Baynton
CrewYou have to try his brisket
Liam Ross
CrewOur most decorated crew member
Tony Walsh
Shore CrewHas been know to smile
Grant Holder
Trainee CrewProbably on holiday!
Ned Stephens
Trainee CrewWritten off for tax purposes
Rob Lilley
Trainee CrewA man of mystery (we don’t have a photo)
Dan Jones
Trainee CrewValley commando
Dave Martin
SecretaryEx-teacher and responsible person
-
Ian Jones
TreasurerPardon?
Suzanne Burgess
FundraiserMother-goose and pie-feeder
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Linda Martin
FundraiserOrganiser extraordinaire
Chris Francis
FundraiserWay fitter than any of the crew.
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Victoria Francis
FundraiserBarely says a word
About Ferryside Lifeboat
An Independent Lifeboat covering the Towy Estuary, Wales
Ferryside Lifeboat is one of more than fifty lifeboats stationed around the British Isles that operate independently of the RNLI.
They provide the same role as the RNLI and are “declared facilities” within HM Coastguard’s search and rescue organisation. As a declared facility Ferryside Lifeboat is launched by HM Coastguard in response to ‘999’ calls and distress calls on VHF CH16.
At Ferryside, like most lifeboats operating in the Bristol Channel, we have to cope with a large tidal range, the second largest tidal rise and fall in the world makes our waters some of the most hostile in the world.
Ferryside lifeboat is available 24 hours a day throughout the year and is staffed entirely by local volunteers. A smaller second lifeboat is also available at any state of the tide for mud and sandbank rescues.
Ferryside Tide Times
Ferryside Weather
Our History
Since 1835 there’s been a lifeboat stationed in Ferryside.
Read about the history of Ferryside Lifeboat and how the service has evolved from simple oar-power to a state-of-the-art RIB over 180 years.
About Us
Ferryside Lifeboat is one of around 80 independent lifeboats operating in the UK.
Watching over the Three Rivers estuary, our volunteer crew operate 24/7 with the Coast Guard to save lives at sea.
Fundraising
As an independent lifeboat, we’re entirely dependent on donations to stay afloat.
As all of our crew and administrators are volunteers, you can be sure that every penny donated is used to save lives.
Latest Shouts
As a declared facility, Ferryside Lifeboat responds to emergency call-outs from HM Coastguard 24/7.
Read the details of the latest call-outs Ferryside Lifeboat have been tasked with.
Latest News
Charting A New Course
Find out why Ferryside Lifeboat is setting up a new charitable trust to better serve the Search and Rescue needs of those using the waters of Carmarthen Bay and the surrounding area.
Audit Completed
We’re very pleased to say that the review process that the lifeboat crew, St John Cymru, and HMCG have been…Read More
Blue
It is with sadness that we yesterday had to say goodbye to one of our longest serving crew members, Ship’s…Read More
Crew pass driving tests for Talus
Over the last week a number of Ferryside Lifeboat crew were suffering from the nerves and anxiety of taking a…Read More
Get In Touch
If there is an emergency, please dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.
Otherwise, you can get in touch with Ferryside Lifeboat using this form.