PICTURES: I honestly think I'm on my holidays! Wick RNLI Harbour Day is 'phenomenal' success
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Wick's annual RNLI Harbour Day attracted a crowd of up to 2000 in exceptionally warm weather, with the vibrant atmosphere around the quayside and marina drawing comparisons with the French Riviera.
Harbour Day is the main fundraising event of the year for the local branch of the charity that saves lives at sea, and coxswain Allan Lipp described the occasion as "phenomenal".
Flags and bunting added colour to the scene on Saturday as visiting yachts joined local boats in the harbour.
The Wick lifeboat Roy Barker II was joined by Longhope's relief lifeboat, Peter and Lesley-Jane Nicholson, and both were open to the public. Visitors were also able to go aboard one of the Beatrice crew transfer vessels, Seacat Rainbow, and the Wick Society's historic boat Isabella Fortuna.
Attractions on the quayside included Wick RBLS Pipe Band, fiddle and accordion tunes, Highland dancers and majorettes, as well as displays by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Police Scotland, Wick airport firefighters, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Ambulance Service and HM Coastguard.
Lifeboat crew members gave a rescue demonstration using their XP dinghy and short trips around the harbour were offered by Caithness Seacoast. Stalls and the barbecue were busy throughout the afternoon.
Harbour Day 2022 was a new experience for Mr Lipp as he had taken up his post in February 2020, just before the start of the Covid-19 disruption. He estimated last year's crowd at around 2000 and reckoned there was a similar turnout this time.
"It's my second Harbour Day and it just continues to make me so proud to be part of the RNLI and the community," Mr Lipp said.
"There's nowhere like it. The support here is just phenomenal – it's a special thing."
Jenny Szyfelbain again acted as compere for the event.
"It's a tremendous honour to be part of Wick RNLI Harbour Day," she said. "I've done it for so long, I can't tell you when I started.
"I enjoy being able to wander in amongst the crowd and speak to people. With the atmosphere today it could be Ibiza, it could be the Riviera..
"It is such a beautiful day with all the boats done up, I honestly think I'm on my holidays. It has been fabulous."
Murray Lamont, chairman of the Wick lifeboat management committee, said: "It's an absolutely fantastic day.
"The weather helps. However, the community has turned out and supported it no end and it's a gathering for people.
"It's also great camaraderie for the crew, the fundraisers and all the people that have lent a hand to it. It's just fantastic for the town.
"It's really nice to have the visiting yachts come in, and the visitors that come back year after year just for the experience of our Harbour Day here. It adds a lot to the atmosphere."
During the afternoon, cheques for £1000 each were handed over to Wick lifeboat from the Beatrice and Moray East offshore wind farms.
The total amount raised by Harbour Day 2023 will be announced later. Last year's event brought in £12,200.
Members of the Wick lifeboat crew as well as the fundraising committee work together to run the event.
The RNLI is funded mainly by donations. It receives no government funding.
