Calm before the Storm...

This morning, the calm before the storm; oh yes, and rumour has it that someone with a surfboard has been spotted down at Rock-a-Nore...

Storm Dennis Warning!

Dennis the Menace!

The RNLI has warned of another storm about to arrive this weekend, plus reminding us of the bravery and skill of Hastings Lifeboat crew last weekend (website), that is Storm Dennis! Forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain, people are encouraged "to exercise extreme caution... especially along exposed cliffs, and piers during Storm Dennis."  Although Hastings Pier, I presume, will not be open this weekend.

Today (Saturday) in Hastings, wind speed is already reaching nearly 30 mph, with gusts of over 40 mph, and by the middle of the afternoon heavy rain will have set in with wind speed close to 40 mph and gusts of up to 60 mph (Met Office). Tomorrow (Sunday), there will be wall to wall heavy rain for most of the day until the evening, and the wind speed is forecast to reach up to 40 mph with gusts of up to 65 mph in the morning, and down below 50 mph later (Met Office).

Please be careful folks, and I'd advise you to leave your surfboards at home...

#respectthewater 

Storm Ciara and the Richard & Caroline Colton

Hastings lifeboat, the Shannon Class Richard & Caroline Colton RNLI 13-28 (pictured above when it first arrived in Hastings - see blog) was out in Storm Ciara on Sunday, most readers will already be aware I imagine, following a surfer being pulled out to sea whilst experiencing huge waves and high winds. Luckily, no-one was hurt, and I continue to admire the RNLI crew and volunteers who put their lives at risk to help and save others, respect!

Whilst not on call yesterday evening, the crew that was on call on Sunday were relaxing at the Dolphin Inn, with only one crew member owning up to enjoying the experience of the boat turning nearly 180 degrees, most, including the coxwain, admitted the fact the boat immediately righted itself gives them confidence in Richard & Caroline Colton, but they're not in a hurry to experience it again! If you haven't already seen the video that has gone viral over the internet, have a look at the BBC website, and this film is quite amazing, again, much respect from me!

This weekend will see the arrival of Storm Dennis (see Met Office), trusting everyone to be very careful, fingers crossed the lifeboat won't be called out this time.