Benoit Stichelbaut / Starboard inflatable lifeboat launching into the Mer d'Iroise sea during an exercise, France, August 2005

Benoit Stichelbaut / Crew of inflatable lifeboat on exercise, Mer d'Iroise sea, France, August 2005

Merryn Thomas / Royal Navy helicopter flying over Cornish Pilot Gig off Town Beach, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly. World Pilot Gig Championships, May 2009.

Ross Hoddinott / Lifeguard truck on Holywell Bay, near Newquay, Cornwall, UK. September 2008.

Philip Stephen / RIB rescue craft on the North Sea, March 2010.

Rick Tomlinson / Helicopter and Lifeboat during Round the Island Race, The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta, Cowes Classic Week, July 2008

Benoit Stichelbaut / Crew of inflatable lifeboat on exercise, Mer d'Iroise sea, France, August 2005

Ross Hoddinott / Lifeguard truck on Fistral beach, Newquay, Cornwall, UK. September 2008.

Nick Upton / RNLI surf lifeguards on duty at Polzeath beach, watching surfers in waves. Cornwall, UK, April 2010.

Philippe Clement / Swiss rescue helicopter in flight in the Alps, Switzerland, July 2009

Ross Hoddinott / Lifeguard truck on Holywell Bay, near Newquay, Cornwall, UK. September 2008.

Ross Hoddinott / Lifeguard truck on Holywell Bay, near Newquay, Cornwall, UK. September 2008.

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / RNLI Rescue display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / RNLI Rescue display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Rob Cousins / Newfoundland Dogs display at the Bristol Harbour Festival, August 2008

Philip Stephen / Winchman preparing to be lowered from a helicopter during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Philip Stephen / Winchman being lowered from a helicopter during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Philip Stephen / Winchman being lowered from a helicopter during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Onne van der Wal / Dinghy sailing during the Optimist regatta, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Barry Bland / RNLI RIB on standby during the JPMorgan Round the Island Race, Isle of Wight, England, UK. 18th June 2005.

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Onne van der Wal / Fire rescue boat firing water from hoses, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Philip Stephen / Winchman being lowered onto the aft deck of a fishng vessel from a helicopter during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Philip Stephen / Winchman being lowered from a helicopter during a training excercise with a fishing vessel on the North Sea.

Barry Bland / Yachts competing in the JPMorgan Round the Island Race passing The Needles Lighthouse with a lifeboat in the foreground, Isle of Wight, England, UK. 18th June 2005. ^^^Super-maxi "Maximus" took line h...

Barry Bland / A lifeboat in the Solent, off the coast of the Isle of Wight, England, UK.

Barry Bland / RNLI Lifeboat on standby near The Needles Lighthouse during the JPMorgan Round the Island Race, Isle of Wight, England, UK, 18th June 2005.

Barry Bland / RNLI Lifeboat on standby near The Needles Lighthouse during the JPMorgan Round the Island Race, Isle of Wight, England, UK, 18th June 2005.

Barry Bland / Yachts competing in the JPMorgan Round the Island Race passing The Needles Lighthouse with a lifeboat in the foreground, Isle of Wight, England, UK. 18th June 2005. ^^^Super-maxi "Maximus" took line h...

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Philip Stephen / Winchman preparing to be lowered from a helicopter during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Philip Stephen / Helicopter hovering during a training excercise on the North Sea.

Barry Bland / RNLI Lifeboat on standby near The Needles Lighthouse during the JPMorgan Round the Island Race, Isle of Wight, England, UK. 18th June 2005.

Barry Bland / Yachts competing in the JPMorgan Round the Island Race passing The Needles Lighthouse with a lifeboat in the foreground, Isle of Wight, England, UK. 18th June 2005. ^^^Super-maxi "Maximus" took line h...

Barry Bland / A lifeboat in the Solent, off the coast of the Isle of Wight, England, UK.

Barry Bland / Yachts passing a lifeboat during the JPMorgan Round the Island Race held on 18th June 2005, Isle of Wight, UK, 2005. ^^^ Super-maxi Maximus took line honours finishing the 50 mile course around the Is...

Onne van der Wal / Fire rescue boat firing water from hoses, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and board and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Rick Tomlinson / Severn Class Lifeboat at Valentia on the south-west coast of Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Jameson 1 sinking during the Admiral's Cup, 1993.

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Rick Tomlinson / Hayling Island, Hampshire inshore lifeboat heads into the surf. Based on the Atlantic 21. ^^^Even though her twin 70hp outboard engines make her one of the fastest lifeboats in the fleet, her hull des...

Rick Tomlinson / Valentia, Ireland all weather lifeboat moves through heavy seas. Largest of the fleet and designed to lie afloat. ^^^ She carries a Y class inflatable which can be launched and recovered by a lightwei...

Rick Tomlinson / The Fleetwood, Chester Lifeboat heads into to heavy weather. The first 'fast' slipway lifeboat. Features include low profile appearance of wheelhouse to fit boathouses, and separate cabin aft of upper...

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI Lifeboat powering through heavy seas.

Rick Tomlinson / Fishguard, Wales Lifeboat heads out to sea in heavy weather. Designed to lie afloat at deep water moorings or at berth.^^^ The sheerline sweeps down for ease of survivor recovery and the hull is of a...

Rick Tomlinson / In the cockpit of an RNLI lifeboat at sea.

Rick Tomlinson / Crew of the Courtmacsherry, Ireland Lifeboat on the foredeck as she crashes through heavy seas. Designed to lie afloat at deep water moorings or at berth. The sheerline sweeps down for ease of survivo...

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI RIB (Rigid hulled inflatable boat) on patrol.

Rick Tomlinson / The Yarmouth, IOW Lifeboat powers through the waves in the Solent, the crew can be clearly seen on deck. ^^^ The largest of the fleet and designed to lie afloat. She carries a Y class inflatable which...

Rick Tomlinson / Alderney, Channel Islands Lifeboat covered in spray as it crashes through heavy seas.

Rick Tomlinson / Trent class lifeboat crashing through heavy seas during trials in the Solent.

Rick Tomlinson / Crew of the Courtmacsherry, Ireland Lifeboat on the foredeck as she crashes through heavy seas. Designed to lie afloat at deep water moorings or at berth. The sheerline sweeps down for ease of survivo...

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI Lifeboat powering through heavy seas.

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI Lifeboat powering through heavy seas.

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI Atlantic 21 Class inshore lifeboat.

Rick Tomlinson / Torbay's Severn Class lifeboat rescues a Sonar during a blustery Cowes Week, UK, 2001. ^^^ The lifeboat was brand new and still in the Solent for her commissioning period before going to her permanent...

Rick Tomlinson / Crew of a sinking Sonar have activated an orange flare and wait to be rescued after their keelboat was overcome by waves during racing at Cowes Week, UK, 2001.

Rick Tomlinson / Coastguard helicopter hoists a crewman up to safety from a ship's liferaft during a practise rescue.

Rick Tomlinson / Torbay's Severn Class RNLI lifeboat rescues a Sonar during a blustery Cowes Week, 2001. ^^^ The lifeboat was brand new and still in the Solent for her commissioning period before going to her permanen...

Rick Tomlinson / Moelfre Tyne Class Lifeboat off the north-west coast of Wales, UK.

Rick Tomlinson / Coastguard helicopter hoists a crewman up to safety from a ship's liferaft during a practise rescue.

Rick Tomlinson / Coastguard helicopter hoists a crewman up to safety.

Rick Tomlinson / Crew of the Blythe, Scotland lifeboat try to hold on and stay dry as she crashes into heavy seas.

Rick Tomlinson / Falmouth's Severn Class Lifeboat off the coast of Cornwall.

Rick Tomlinson / Dun Laoghaire lifeboat powers through huge seas off the east coast of Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Fishguard's Trent Class lifeboat in heavy seas off the west coast of Wales.

Rick Tomlinson / RAF rescue helicopter trains with the RNLI inshore lifeboat.

Rick Tomlinson / Dun Laoghaire lifeboat powers through huge seas off the east coast of Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Sennon Cove launch their Mersey Class lifeboat, near Lands End, Cornwall, UK.

Rick Tomlinson / Severn Class Lifeboat at Valentia on the south-west coast of Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Hayling Island's Atlantic 21 lifeboat gets airborne on Chichester Harbour Bar, UK.

Rick Tomlinson / Coutmacsherry lifeboat in heavy weather, Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Mersey Class lifeboat stationed in Eastbourne, Sussex, UK.

Rick Tomlinson / Blyth inshore D-Class lifeboat based on the east coast near Newcastle, England.

Rick Tomlinson / Breaking through the surf, the inshore D Class lifeboat based at Tramore on the south coast of Ireland.

Rick Tomlinson / Team of Australian surf life savers row out through the heavy surf off a beach in Australia.

Rick Tomlinson / Trent Class relief lifeboat based in Alderney, Channel Islands, breaks through heavy swell in the English Channel.

Rick Tomlinson / Donaghadee's former Arun Class lifeboat, the "City of Belfast", in heavy seas off the east coast of Northern Ireland.

Onne van der Wal / Melges 24 Zig Zag rescuing a crew member from the water, Key West Race Week, Florida, USA, 2000.

Onne van der Wal / Yacht crew pulling in a man who has fallen overboard, Key West Race Week, Florida, USA, 1996. (sequence 12)

Onne van der Wal / Sea tow salvaging a sunken yacht, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Rick Tomlinson / Blyth Lifeboat in heavy seas near Newcastle, England.

Rick Tomlinson / RNLI lifeboat moves out into rough sea off the coast of England.

Rick Tomlinson / Eastbourne Lifeboat passes the Beachy Head Lighthouse. Beachy Head rises 162 metres (530 feet) above the sea below and is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, this is the most famous part of the Ea...

Barry Bland / Surf rescue boat and lifeguards, Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia.

Rick Tomlinson / Tyne Class relief lifeboat based at Fleetwood, east coast, UK.