A volunteer lifeboat crew member at the Isle of Skye RNLI lifeboat station, Hamish Corrigall, has retired after an impressive 35 years of dedicated service. Corrigall, who hails from Skye, joined the crew in October 1990 and officially became a member in November of that year, just after the first lifeboat, the Waveney-class relief vessel named Connel Elizabeth Cargill, was stationed at Portree.
During his extensive career, Hamish has been involved in countless rescue missions but recalls one particularly critical incident that stands out. “We were tasked with assisting a creel boat off the coast of Gairloch that was taking on water,” he explained. Upon reaching the scene, the crew found that the vessel was nearly submerged. They took immediate action by placing a pump on board, which ultimately allowed the creel boat to be refloated and safely towed back to Gairloch. “This is an incident where we saved not just the members of the crew but also the creel boat itself,” Hamish remarked.
The journey that led Corrigall to a life of service began when the RNLI first arrived in Portree in October 1990, seeking volunteers for a new lifeboat service. He decided to join after signing up on a sheet of paper expressing interest. Little did he know that this decision would lead to three and a half decades of saving lives.
In 1996, the arrival of the current Trent-class lifeboat, the Stanley Watson Barker, marked a new chapter for Hamish as he took on the role of volunteer coxswain. By July 2013, he became the full-time volunteer coxswain at the station, always on call and carrying his pager throughout his daily routine. Despite his strong family ties to the fishing industry, Hamish initially had different career aspirations. “Before I left school, I had no interest in working at sea,” he noted, explaining that plans to become a boatbuilder fell through after his uncle’s passing.
Reflecting on his time with the RNLI, Corrigall expressed gratitude for the camaraderie he experienced. “Wherever I’ve been, I’ve always received a warm welcome from crew members and station volunteers. Being part of the RNLI always feels like a big family.” He officially turned off his pager at the start of November, relishing the newfound freedom that comes with retirement. “Being part of the RNLI has always been a part of my life. It will always be an important organisation that I am proud to have been a part of,” he stated.
Douglas MacDougall, the Portree RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, praised Corrigall’s unwavering commitment. “Hamish has been a stalwart of the Portree Lifeboat crew since the station was established in the early 1990s,” MacDougall said. He noted that Hamish had been involved in hundreds of service calls throughout his career, highlighting both the tragic and successful outcomes. “His seamanship as Coxswain was outstanding, and he is highly respected by crew, the wider RNLI community, and other seafarers on our coastline. The station is indebted to him for his dedication over those 35 years.”
The RNLI has been a beacon of safety at sea for over 200 years, relying on donations and public support to maintain its lifesaving services. Currently, there are more than 5,700 volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew members stationed at 238 locations across the UK and Ireland, with an additional 4,000 volunteer shore crew members ready to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
As Hamish Corrigall steps away from active duty, his legacy of service and dedication will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the Isle of Skye and the wider RNLI community.
