James Daly

Like many growing up in Jersey I spent a lot of time in and around the sea so when the opportunity arose to combine being around the water, learning new skills and giving something back to the Island by joining the RNLI I jumped at the chance! To be part of a world leading organisation offering world class training and support was an opportunity I didn't intend to pass up and there has been no disappointment of expectations! Being part of a larger intake of a trainee crew was fantastic as it allowed us to bond and form friendships and trust which we all rely on every time we go to sea. Having the opportunity to undertake the Crew Emergency procedures course together in Poole was a great experience. Unsurprisingly, being in a life raft with 5 other people in rough seas, wind and rain is an experience not to be missed, though I hope to never have to do so again! Whilst we are colleagues at sea we are friends ashore and the trust and confidence that gives, makes the worry of leaving partners and children at awkward times of the day or night more bearable and allows us to focus on the job at hand when the pagers go off. I passed out as crew on both the ALB and ILB in early 2019 and then went on to complete the ALB Navigator qualification using the RNLI's fantastic Hardy training vessels in local waters and around Guernsey, Sark and Herm and which included cross channel passages, blind and radar navigation and a focus on Search and Rescue navigation in local waters.