Great Britain and Ireland has Europe's second-longest coastline - after Norway - and the 12th-longest in the world.
The coast of Argyll alone is longer than that of France.
Canada may have the world's longest coastline, but its coast/area ratio is 2:39 whereas Britain's is 51:37.
The long, storm-ridden and treacherous coastline of Britain and Ireland is the reason why the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is important.
The RNLI operates 444 lifeboats (332 are on station, 112 are in the relief fleet), from 236 lifeboat stations around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Its lifeboats rescued an average of 22 people a day in 2011 and launched 8,321 times in 2012, rescuing 7,912 people.
Since the RNLI was founded on 4th March 1824 as National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, with Royal Patronage from George IV, it has saved more than 140,000 lives.
The RNLI was given the prefix "Royal" and its current name in 1854 by Queen Victoria.
Now a collection of more than 400 photos for a new book shows the incredible scenes that the RNLI's 4,600 fearless water rescue volunteers face 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The remarkable pictures follow the volunteers around the clock - from storm-ridden night rescues to their mid-morning cup of tea.
Accompanied by a foreward from Prince William (a Royal Navy Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter pilot), the images, captured by crew member and professional photographer Nigel Millard, have been hailed as a unique snapshot of a long-standing, life-saving institution....
These are the incredible scenes faced by the nation's 4,600 fearless water rescue volunteers every day.
In a collection of more than 400 photos offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, men and women dart, dive and crash through the British seas.
The remarkable pictures follow the volunteers around the clock - from storm-ridden night rescues to their mid-morning cup of tea.
Accompanied by a foreward from Prince William, the images, captured by crew member and professional photographer Nigel Millard, have been hailed as a unique snapshot of a long-standing institution.
Powerful: Ireland's first Tamar class lifeboat, the Kilmore Quay Killarney, has been braving the waters off the south-east coast of Ireland since 2010. It is one of the RNLI's fleet of 444 hi-tech lifeboats
Battling the British seas: Volunteers for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have been captured working around the clock in harsh conditions for a new book
Veteran: Ned Dillon is the Coxswain at Arklow in County Wicklow, the oldest RNLI station in Ireland. Nigel Millard spent two years charting the work of some of the longest-serving volunteers
Makeover: On the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales, Porthdinllaen's new all-weather 'Tamar class' lifeboat, John D Spicer, gets its first coat of paint in RNLI colours. In the early years of the RNLI lifeboat hulls were painted in pale blue, later changed to the dark Royal Blue seen on today's lifeboats. They are a far cry from oar boats used before the 1890 steam ship came in
Calm: In the Channel Islands, Alderney Trent lifeboat Roy Barker motors off in unusually kind conditions. The waters here are known to be difficult, with severe winters and fierce running tides
Dramatic scenes at the annual Round the Island race on the Isle of Wight are documented in the collection, which will soon be touring the nation.
Fighting gale-force winds, a team from Yarmouth grapples to board a yacht.
Another image shows volunteers at Torbay in Devon setting off in the dead of night to evacuate a passenger from the cruise ship Aurora.
Lifeguards are snapped on an early morning training session on Perranporth beach in Cornwall before reporting for duty.
And one of the Cornish team's top boats, Rose, is shown launching off the slipway.
The characters of the RNLI have also been captured, including Ned Dillon, the coxswain at Ireland's oldest station, Arklow, and Gwyneth Atkinson, who has been fundraising for the organisation for 10 years.
In Cornwall, in the far south west of England, Penlee's Severn class lifeboat Ivan Ellen. The £1.8m boat was a gift to the RNLI in 2003 from Harold Ivan Ellen, the father of a former worker
Ready for next time: Off the coast of County Mayo, western Ireland, the Achill Island lifeboat is called to sea, the crew's all-weather gear is stowed in the boathouse. They are nothing like the 19th century cork jackets
Tough: The lifeguards face conditions of all kinds. These workers are up early for a morning's training session on Perranporth beach in Cornwall before going on duty for the day
Putting training into action: Hours later, at Tenby in South Wales, the lifeboat and lifeguards from across the region come together to provide safety cover for the annual Ironman triathlon event. Under their watchful eyes, more than 1,300 athletes undertook a 2.4 mile swim, before setting of on a 112-mile cycle and a full marathon
The view from the wheelhouse of the Hoylake lifeboat, Lady of Hilbre, as the crew search for a casualty in the water near the North Hoyle wind farm on Merseyside in England's North West
Cornwall: The Lizard's all-weather 'Tamar class' lifeboat, Rose, launches off the slipway. Slipway launching looks spectacular but is an incredibly precise and controlled process
On the Isle of Man, Rebecca Kilip supports the lifeboat in her own way, by knitting cuddly lifeboatman mascots. They are a regular feature on lifeboats across the country
On the North Wales coast, Gwyneth Atkinson, top, has been helping raise funds for the Rhyl lifeboat for over ten years. Ben Ablitt, bottom, is kicking off the morning by displaying a 'safe to swim' flag
Long-standing volunteers are clad in badges on their yellow jackets. Photographer Mr Millard has worked as a volunteer since 2006 and spent two years charting the work behind the scenes of his beloved organisation. The images will appear in a touring exhibition, set to hit London, Southampton, Manchester and Edinburgh
Read more: Dramatic images of lifeboats battling British seas give glimpse into the work of volunteers who risk their lives to save those lost at sea | Mail Online
The coast of Argyll alone is longer than that of France.
Canada may have the world's longest coastline, but its coast/area ratio is 2:39 whereas Britain's is 51:37.
The long, storm-ridden and treacherous coastline of Britain and Ireland is the reason why the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is important.
The RNLI operates 444 lifeboats (332 are on station, 112 are in the relief fleet), from 236 lifeboat stations around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Its lifeboats rescued an average of 22 people a day in 2011 and launched 8,321 times in 2012, rescuing 7,912 people.
Since the RNLI was founded on 4th March 1824 as National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, with Royal Patronage from George IV, it has saved more than 140,000 lives.
The RNLI was given the prefix "Royal" and its current name in 1854 by Queen Victoria.
Now a collection of more than 400 photos for a new book shows the incredible scenes that the RNLI's 4,600 fearless water rescue volunteers face 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The remarkable pictures follow the volunteers around the clock - from storm-ridden night rescues to their mid-morning cup of tea.
Accompanied by a foreward from Prince William (a Royal Navy Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter pilot), the images, captured by crew member and professional photographer Nigel Millard, have been hailed as a unique snapshot of a long-standing, life-saving institution....
These are the incredible scenes faced by the nation's 4,600 fearless water rescue volunteers every day.
In a collection of more than 400 photos offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, men and women dart, dive and crash through the British seas.
The remarkable pictures follow the volunteers around the clock - from storm-ridden night rescues to their mid-morning cup of tea.
Accompanied by a foreward from Prince William, the images, captured by crew member and professional photographer Nigel Millard, have been hailed as a unique snapshot of a long-standing institution.
Powerful: Ireland's first Tamar class lifeboat, the Kilmore Quay Killarney, has been braving the waters off the south-east coast of Ireland since 2010. It is one of the RNLI's fleet of 444 hi-tech lifeboats
Battling the British seas: Volunteers for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have been captured working around the clock in harsh conditions for a new book
Veteran: Ned Dillon is the Coxswain at Arklow in County Wicklow, the oldest RNLI station in Ireland. Nigel Millard spent two years charting the work of some of the longest-serving volunteers
Makeover: On the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales, Porthdinllaen's new all-weather 'Tamar class' lifeboat, John D Spicer, gets its first coat of paint in RNLI colours. In the early years of the RNLI lifeboat hulls were painted in pale blue, later changed to the dark Royal Blue seen on today's lifeboats. They are a far cry from oar boats used before the 1890 steam ship came in
Calm: In the Channel Islands, Alderney Trent lifeboat Roy Barker motors off in unusually kind conditions. The waters here are known to be difficult, with severe winters and fierce running tides
Dramatic scenes at the annual Round the Island race on the Isle of Wight are documented in the collection, which will soon be touring the nation.
Fighting gale-force winds, a team from Yarmouth grapples to board a yacht.
Another image shows volunteers at Torbay in Devon setting off in the dead of night to evacuate a passenger from the cruise ship Aurora.
Lifeguards are snapped on an early morning training session on Perranporth beach in Cornwall before reporting for duty.
And one of the Cornish team's top boats, Rose, is shown launching off the slipway.
The characters of the RNLI have also been captured, including Ned Dillon, the coxswain at Ireland's oldest station, Arklow, and Gwyneth Atkinson, who has been fundraising for the organisation for 10 years.
Tough: The lifeguards face conditions of all kinds. These workers are up early for a morning's training session on Perranporth beach in Cornwall before going on duty for the day
Putting training into action: Hours later, at Tenby in South Wales, the lifeboat and lifeguards from across the region come together to provide safety cover for the annual Ironman triathlon event. Under their watchful eyes, more than 1,300 athletes undertook a 2.4 mile swim, before setting of on a 112-mile cycle and a full marathon
The view from the wheelhouse of the Hoylake lifeboat, Lady of Hilbre, as the crew search for a casualty in the water near the North Hoyle wind farm on Merseyside in England's North West
Cornwall: The Lizard's all-weather 'Tamar class' lifeboat, Rose, launches off the slipway. Slipway launching looks spectacular but is an incredibly precise and controlled process
On the North Wales coast, Gwyneth Atkinson, top, has been helping raise funds for the Rhyl lifeboat for over ten years. Ben Ablitt, bottom, is kicking off the morning by displaying a 'safe to swim' flag
Read more: Dramatic images of lifeboats battling British seas give glimpse into the work of volunteers who risk their lives to save those lost at sea | Mail Online
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