Riders of the Storm: The Story of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

This updated and revised history of the RNLI—Britain's lifeboat service—details how it has saved more than 150,000 lives from stricken ships and the sea around Britain's coasts. For more than 175 years rescuing sailors from shipwrecks or holidaymakers from small boats has been in the hands of this wholly voluntary funded, non-government organization. No matter how sophisticated ships have become, storms are as bad as ever and ships just as likely to get into difficulties, putting the lives of crews at risk. With an active fleet of more than 300 lifeboats, last year the RNLI rescued more than 8,000 people. Cameron's account puts the story into a political and social perspective, and thrills with the stirring and often poignant narrative of the rescues themselves, reminders of ordinary people risking their lives to help others. Fact boxes, maps, and diagrams are included, as well as lifeboat class specifications.