Padstow Lifeboat Station

So many possible pictures here; the life boat station itself is an architectural feast. The Tamar class life boat is one of the newest designed in the RNLI arsenal, held at the very top of the inclined slipway by the slenderest (and strongest) of quick-release lines. 

 Padstow life boat is in fact not at Padstow any more, and the brand new launching station is accessed by the windiest stairway that runs down a steep cliff. There's a funicular lift too, but that's available only to the life boat folk, who may have cause to celebrate not having to walk up and down the stair all day long...

As an oft-times yacht racer and Day Skipper I've been a Governor of the RNLI, on the understanding that I never want to see a life boat in the water, unless I need one, in which case I want to see it very quickly indeed. As I prepare for "penniless retirement" I've had to let go of the charitable giving a bit until I know how the budgets square up, but the RNLI will always be one of the priority donations. It can get very scary out there very quickly.