Coxswain’s ‘emotional’ final voyage after 42 years with the RNLI

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

But such a record of hard graft and keeping people safe at sea could not go without a decent send-off, and nothing could have been more fitting than a final trip out onto the North Sea with friends and fellow lifesavers.

Mr Frary, 64, said his final day on duty - Friday, March 30 - was one to remember.

He said: “It was an emotional day, saying goodbye to everything I have known.

“We had an exercise planned for that morning, and it had been arranged that the Cromer crew and the Sheringham crew came over with their boats to meet us outside Wells Harbour.

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

“Then I took all the Wells Station crew out on a farewell trip - my last day with the boat.”

Mr Frary, who has been the station’s coxswain for the past 21 years, said it was the people he had known along the way he would miss the most.

He said: “I have made met some lovely people and made some great friends. I will miss the camaraderie of the station and the spirit that runs through the whole RNLI, right from the headquarters down.

“I will still have those friends of course, but it will in a slightly different context now.”

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

The day after his final shift, Mr Frary began his retirement up in Scotland, in a quiet spot by Loch Sunart on the west coast.

But he said his new lifestyle would certainly not mean an end to boating and enjoying the sea.

He said: “The plan is, when we get organised I shall be getting about on the water, and we’ll see if we can’t catch a few fish for the freezer.”

Mr Frary, who was a fisherman before he took on the job of coxswain, said he had been “playing around on boats” since he was five years old, and had always known the importance of lifeboats.

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Mr Frary, who has also been Wells Town Council chairman, has received commendations including one for rescuing a Dutch sailing barge and another for rescuing a yacht caught on Wells Bar in heavy weather.

Crew members and volunteers have wished him well for a happy retirement.

Do you know someone special who is retiring? Email stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)

Wells RNLI Lifeboat coxswain, Allen Frary was given a seaborne send-off by his fellow lifesavers, with a final trip out on the North Sea. Mr Frary stood down from the crew on March 31. Picture: CHRIS TAYLOR christaylorphoto.co.uk (Image: Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk)