“Ferries play a vital part in the project’s logistics. So many lifeboat stations are either on remote islands or in another country altogether — without ferries, the journey would be scuppered...”
Well, here we are at the dawn of another new chapter on The Lifeboat Station Project – the first members-only post for The LSP Society.
A very warm welcome to you all, to those who’ve migrated from Patreon and to the newcomers who’ve stepped aboard for the first time.
So far, the transition from Patreon to my own independent platform has been a huge success. What’s more, it feels so good to be tapping these words within the cyber walls of the project’s website, an environment which I’ve been building and nurturing since the summer of 2014.
After years of research, experimentation and determination, it feels kinda like a homecoming on the quest to independently fund my journey.
After many false peaks, it seems the answer was right under my nose all along, but somehow I wasn’t able to land upon it until I’d explored and exhausted other options first.
As always, I feel grateful for those experiences along the way. They’ve given me a much better grounding and understanding of what it takes to realise this vital element of my project.
In short, it’s taught me a lot about what to do as well as what not to do. Although the route to creating The LSP Society has been hard-won, it now feels like the right path and absolutely what to do.
So, thank you once again for sticking with me along the way. It’s a great privilege to be writing to you here.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FILM
Right. Onto the 4 minute film which I’ve just finished making for you and can be viewed at the head of this post or on the Films page in the all-new Members’ Area.
Ferries play a vital part in the project’s logistics. So many lifeboat stations are either on remote islands or in another country altogether — without ferries, the journey would be scuppered.
After all, I can’t transport Neena in an aeroplane and nor would I want to.
Sometimes, the ferries I travel on even feature in my glass plates like European Highlander, which has carried me and Neena from Stranraer to Larne on more than one occasion:
Watch the film carefully and you’ll notice that there are more layers than initially meet the eye: sometimes I’m on a ferry but, on other occasions, I’m observing that same vessel from a different perspective.
As an extra special treat, photographs like this one are particularly rare:
It was a scene photographed in Dartmouth by Rich Eggleton, a helmsman on the Dart lifeboat, the person who kindly put me up for a few days during my visit and a Dartmouth Harbour Master who happened to be piloting a Norwegian cruise liner out of the river just as I crossed her bow in Neena!
Keep your eyes peeled at 2m13s in the film for my perspective. Incredible really.
This was also the moment on 16th March when Boris Johnson had just announced the country’s first social distancing measures, bringing my journey to its abrupt pause.
Ferry Life was actually pretty much complete towards the end of the summer but I got a little distracted with posters and then building The LSP Society.
There didn’t seem to be a right time to finish it off but now feels very timely indeed — a reminder of how life was before ‘all this’ and how we hope it will be once again.
And, who knows — during a period of human life when there’s very good reason to break our jet-setting habits — I hope these few minutes of escapism also remind us that there’s so much splendour right on our doorstep, and that perhaps those habits needn’t be too hard to break after all…
I hope you enjoy the film and I’ll look forward to your comments below. 50 bonus points if you can tell me/us all the featured locations!
Cheerio for now,
Jack
Newcastle upon Tyne, 1st December 2020
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What a beautiful video, Jack. Living on an island, I love ferries and I think I’ve travelled on quite a few of these. I think I may have spotted myself at the top of the slipway when you left on the Kilchoan ferry after those wonderful few days.
I love the fact that you have migrated from Patreon to forming the LSP Society (do we get a badge? Only kidding!). Like you say, the answer was under all of our noses but well done for spotting it.
Hope all is good with you, my friend x
Thank you very much, Sam. It was Nina and Angus at the top of the slip but you were certainly there in spirit. And I think I need to start taking these badge requests seriously!
Nice short film 2m 32s for 20s of just the sea – cathartic 🙂
Thank you, Rachel…and the fulmars! Very glad you found it cathartic. Exactly how I felt when I was standing on the aft deck of MV Hjaltland at 5am on my way to Shetland…
great stuff Jack all very upbeat and positive and good to hear you sounding so pleased to have got this all set up. its put me in a good mood to watch, listen and read plus I’ve also started a new job today so all in all its been a good day all round – onwards to 2021. take care Jack and hope you and the family are all well
Wonderful, Benn. Sounds like you’ve had a great day and congratulations on the new job! Yes, here’s to 2021… ✊⚓️
I love it Jack, what an interesting topic for the first members only post.
Living beside a ferry port I think the sights and sounds of the vessels coming and going enter your sub-conscious, they are a recurring presence in a busy world. There’s something much more appealing about ferry travel than the undoubtedly more stressful affair that is modern aviation and your film definitely captures some of that magic.
I might be biased but that familiar view of European Highlander as seen from our boat house doors in Larne is what I love about the project. Showing a different side to the RNLI that people often don’t see and probably don’t even think of.
Thanks for sharing and all the best.
Phil
My pleasure, Phil, and thank you for being here to watch it. You’re right about the film capturing some of the magic. There are so many more clips in my archive and I’d love to make a more in depth film some time accompanied by sound recordings too.
There’s such a lot rattling in this ol’ brain o’ mine that sometimes it feels like one lifetime’s not enough!
I love the video clip from Larne as I was driving onto the ferry too…one to include another time.
Keep well, Phil, and thanks again.
As others have also said, I found the video cathartic and uplifting. We are regular visitors to Scilly (well, as regular as we can be!) and visit the Scottish islands too. We love the physical disconnect a ferry gives from mainland to a place which can often feel very different, a true escape, enabled by the humble ferry. The website looks good and the switch from Patreon was simple – it feels like a new dawn! All the best for a restful festive period ⚓️
“…a true escape, enabled by the humble ferry” — nicely put, Alistair, and thank you for your kind words on all counts. All the best to you and yours too!
For your first video post I do believe you nailed it perfectly Jack. The different unusual angles, the different birds, glimpses of Neena, from wet plate to modern your fantastic photography eye shows a skill in getting that good shot. There’s something about a ships wake that is both mesmerising and interesting, it shows the power from the engines and I find it relaxing. Eleventy million points for the post , take care and best wishes
High praise indeed, Nick — thank you. I’m very pleased to hear that it ticked so many boxes for you. And eleventy million points? I think that must be the most I’ve ever received in one go!
Beautiful film, Jack – calming and ethereal. Very symbolic of Neena’s (and your) journey. Feels cosy and exclusive watching it in this new home, too. Huge congrats on this sparkling new wing to your already stately website!
(PS: is it just me wondering about the spinning chairs at the end?)
Thank you very much, Vicki. Stately ya say — I’ll take that and very happy to hear that it’s more than an ample replacement for Patreon. And, as for the chairs, what’s to wonder about? Tee hee.
Captain Jack, you’ve just made me cry! What a beautiful montage. Having spent probably a measurable amount of my life on ferries, and not having been on one for several months, I will watch again.
The Isle of Wight ferry I’ve been going on all my life, and has usually been flat calm. Only twice I feared we would have to retreat to the Muster Station, Dressing Warmly and Remaining Calm. On the outbound Scillonian III, however, and a couple of incidences between Greek Islands, I feared I may be widowed, owing to a certain gentleman’s propensity for seasickness.
Again, beautiful. Thank you.
Of course, I’m very glad to hear you enjoyed it so much, Sarah, although I didn’t intend to make you cry.
I hear the Scillonian is certainly an uncomfortable boat in any kind of swell. I’d like to say that we dodged it by travelling on the Gry Maritha with Neena but she was no better, I can tell you!
Strangely, it’s twice been flat calm back to Penzance. Beautiful. Allowing said gentleman to enjoy a pasty and a pint while on board, enjoying the fabulous Cornish coast.
Nicely done Jack!
Thank you, Paul. I got there eventually and hoped you’d like it!
A great LSPS premier, cheers Jack. It really brings home the lengths you go to on the project, which I don’t think even your biggest supporters can fully appreciate. It’s like anything I suppose, you can’t really grasp something unless you’ve done it yourself, but the film gives us a glimpse of what’s involved.
Phil’s right, there is something about ferries! I remember trips between Sheerness and Vlissingen as a youngster, and more recently on the Scillonian, a ferry ride is always memorable! I’m looking forward to Neena’s next one already!
Congratulations again on sorting out the LSPS, I’m chuffed for you that it’s all working out so well.
PS- Is there an easy way to add my picture to my profile on here, please? It’s like chatting at the bar with a bunch of silhouettes!
Thank you very much, Andy! I’m really chuffed too — it feels like such a seismic leap forward and the perfect foundation for completing the project.
I’ve pretty much got systems in place to create a social platform within the Members’ Area but I’m going to need my mate Jamie’s help with a few technicalities before I can launch it, which may not be till next month. But once I do, you’ll be able to upload profile and cover photos. Till then, it’s chatting at the bar with silhouettes!
To be fair, after the year we’ve all had, I’m just glad to be in the bar!
Gosh, I’m sure hearin’ ya!
This is fabulous while also being just simple and straightforward and calm. Its not exciting because there’s a tranquillity to everything you do: its necessarily unexciting and its perfect for it. I’ve been a patreon for a while and this definitely feels much more like your home. Congratulations Jack.
Thank you very much for all your kind words, Ed, and I’m most pleased to hear that this feels much more like home. Exactly the sentiment/experience I’d hoped for. Best wishes and thanks again for all your support.