Bumper crowd for Pwllheli RNLI’s annual raft race

The rafts set off to the island to collect their flags and then back to the harbour wall where they rescued a ‘maiden’ before heading back to the slipway.

For added excitement, volunteer crew on Pwllheli RNLI’s Shannon lifeboat sprayed passing rafts with the boat’s water pump. And competitors were cooled down (and put off their paddling) by buckets of water kindly thrown over them by members of the Abersoch Coastguard Rescue Team.

This year’s winners of the RNLI raft race shield were Andy Hughes and Dei Jones from RNLI Pwllheli.

The day started with the children’s kayak race which saw six kayaks paddle across the inner harbour and back to the slipway.

Pwllheli RNLI volunteer fundraisers, who organised the event, raised money for the RNLI, the charity which saves lives at sea.

RNLI media contact

For more information contact Elizabeth Denholm, RNLI Pwllheli Lifeboat Press Officer on 07806 800627 or email [email protected]. Alternatively contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email [email protected].

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.