Looe RNLI escort gig flotilla to celebrate the return of Oars of Thunder crew

Saturday 22 February 2025. At the end of this morning’s training exercise, Looe RNLI volunteer crews, on the charity’s Atlantic 85 and D Class inshore lifeboats, joined 3 of the Looe Rowing club gigs to celebrate the return to Looe of the Oars of Thunder team after their successful trans Atlantic row.

After nearly 3 years of planning and training the Oars of Thunder crew, Sally Crabb, Kim Tolfery, Harry Poulson and Nathaniel Rothwell left San Sebastian de la Gomera, Canary Islands on 11 December 2024 to row the 3000 miles to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda in the Worlds Toughest Row. Nathaniel has been a member of Looe RNLI’s volunteer crew for over 12 years and as well as taking on this challenge, the team have been raising funds for the RNLI, whilst raising awareness and promoting the work of the RNLI “Saving Lives at Sea”. After 40 days 16 hours and 48 minutes, and stopping in mid Atlantic to rescue a turtle entangled in netting, the courageous Oars of Thunder crew crossed the finish line, 1st in the mixed crew class, 5th in the fours and the 6th boat in the fleet overall to finish.

Kim, Sally, Harry and Nat are members of Looe Rowing Club and to welcome them home and celebrate their amazing achievement the club rowed three gigs from the Millpool slipway down river, escorted by the inshore lifeboats to Looe Lifeboat station. Nathaniel, Kim and Harry were the cox in each gig with Sally rowing in the lead gig. Pausing by the lower ferry steps, crowds along the quaysides watched the rowers raise their oars to recognise Kim, Sally, Harry and Nat’s achievement. After the gigs and inshore lifeboats were recovered on the lifeboat slipway the celebrations continued with refreshments kindly hosted by Looe Sailing Club.

END

Notes to editors

Photos:

· Oars of Thunder crew L to R Nathaniel, Kim, Harry and Sally with Looe RNLI voluneteers at Looe Lifeboat Station
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe RNLI’s inshore lifeboats escorting Looe rowing Club gigs along Looe river
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe Rowing Club raising their oars in celebration (1)
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe Rowing Club raising their oars in celebration (2)
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe Rowing Club raising their oars in celebration (3)
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

Information:

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith II

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/looe-lifeboat-station

· Looe RNLI Facebook page www.facebook.com/LooeRNLI

· More information on the Oars of Thunder team can be found on their website https://www.oarsofthunder.co.uk and their fundraising page https://www.gofundme.com/f/oars-of-thunder-row-across-the-atlantic-for-rnli

· More information on the Worlds Toughest Row challenge can be found at https://www.worldstoughestrow.com

Media contacts

For more information please telephone

Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or [email protected] or [email protected]

or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, on 07866 668847 or [email protected]

or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead, on 07920 818807 or [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.