A lifeboat crew in Shetland have welcomed a new skipper on board.
Adam James from the Isle of Wight has become Aith Lifeboat’s newest volunteer and has already started work with his new fleet in the local community.
Mr James has spent most of his life at sea, beginning his journey on tall ships and working on an array of vessels.
As well as working on board an array of votes, he also became a fully qualified boat builder; ranging from modern racing yachts to motor boats, and even the largest wooden tall ship built in the UK for over a century; making him the perfect candidate for the job.
Since his arrival in Shetland, he has managed to see some of the local scenery, and he admits he finds the views astonishing. He has spoken highly of the locals and their very friendly nature, and says he is ‘looking forward to buying a house, settling down into the local community, and getting on with the job’.
Despite not having any previous RNLI experience, Mr previously lived next door to the Inshore Lifeboat station in Cowes, and was also encouraged by his friends on the crew to take up the post one day.
As he resides at the station as the new coxswain, Mr James explains why he decided to become an RNLI volunteer and what he has enjoyed most in the first week of his new job.
He said: “I lived in Cowes next to the RNLI station but because of the work I did, I wasn’t able to be part of the crew. They always thought I would be a good crewman so when I saw the post advertised, I came up to Shetland. I didn’t know what to expect but I have fallen in love. Every corner we have to stop and look at the view.
“The thing I have enjoyed the most is the camaraderie. The bunch of people that are here as volunteers are excellent. They come from all sorts of walks of life and we gel together as a team.”
Following months of training, Mr James feels ready to tackle any obstacle that comes his way as he prepares to be met by the unexpected.
He added: “The training I had to do was very hard and I am now trying to settle into the day-to-day running of the station and the boat. I have been training for four months. I am ready and I am hoping I can do a good job.
“I haven’t had a shout here yet and I don’t know what to expect for the first one. It’s going to be the moment the page comes in that’s I’ll see what to expect.
“I can’t believe I am part of this great organisation and the ethos is so good. I love the work they do within the community.”
Volunteering his time was one of the core aspects of why he was offered the position, following his work with a number of charities including, the Jubilee Sailing Trust, which enables disabled people to sail as fully integrated crew members.