Renowned RNLI photographer answers the call as camera gives way to lifeboat duty
Monday 5 October 2026
A routine visit to photograph the work of Courtmacsherry RNLI volunteers took an unexpected turn on Saturday when internationally acclaimed lifeboat photographer Nigel Millard found himself swapping his camera for a place aboard the station’s lifeboat.
Nigel, who has been documenting the work of lifeboat crews and volunteers for more than 25 years, was visiting the station to capture photographs and video of the lifeboat in action during an exercise, as well as recording the dedication of the many volunteers involved in the service.
A crew member himself at Torbay Lifeboat Station in the UK, Nigel needed little persuasion when the Coast Guard Marine Co-ordination Centre at Valentia activated the crew pagers at approximately 1.20pm on Saturday.
An upturned kayak had been spotted in the water approximately two miles off the Seven Heads coastline, and Nigel quickly joined the volunteer crew aboard the lifeboat, under the command of Coxswain Ken Cashman.
A detailed search of the area was carried out before the kayak was located and recovered by the lifeboat crew.
Following a careful inspection, it was established that there was no person aboard and that the kayak had most likely been blown offshore during the strong winds experienced in the preceding days.
For Nigel, the callout provided a very different perspective on the work he has spent more than two decades documenting through his lens.
The crew involved in the Saturday afternoon callout were Coxswain Ken Cashman, Mechanic Stuart Russell, Denis Murphy, Peter Nunan, Colin Bateman and Nigel Millard.
Nigel is an international award-winning photographer whose work has chronicled the courage, commitment and professionalism of lifeboat volunteers around the world for more than a quarter of a century.
On this occasion, however, he was not standing on the shore looking through his camera.
Instead, he was right there with the crew, playing his part when the call came.
