'After I was rescued I wanted to get straight back in the water to help' 

Eleanor Hooker on the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat. Picture: RNLI

Eleanor Hooker never imagined that one day she would be at the helm of the RNLI boat that saved her life in a dramatic rescue operation on Lough Derg.

However, 20 years on, the Tipperary woman has turned from rescuee to rescuer, steering the B Class Atlantic 95 Lifeboat. Over the years, the Lough Derg RNLI volunteer has rescued countless people who found themselves in similar situations to her own.

Ms Hooker's first interaction with the RNLI was when the Shannon One Design racing dinghy she was in capsized. That terrifying experience, which took place during a regatta on Lough Derg, sparked a passion for maritime rescues which remains to this day.

On the day of her rescue, squall lines were forming on the horizon and sent panic sweeping through the fleet, and were quickly followed by violent thunderstorms.

“We could see this dark line forming on the horizon. It was kind of rolling towards us. This is very peculiar in the lake but you know that when it hits it’s going to be incredible, especially the winds before the waves come. We saw what was coming towards us while already experiencing very rough conditions.” 

The fear was such that one crew member shouted she was “not going to drown today” before leaping into the water.

Ms Hooker described how everything slowed down in that moment.

“When things like that happen they happen so quickly,” she told the Irish Examiner. 

“It was a pretty spectacular capsize. I remember being underwater with my eyes open. It can be very dramatic. When the boat capsizes the sound of the screaming wind suddenly ceases because you’re no longer trying to control the boat. At that moment I was looking up at the light above and thinking 'that’s where I need to get to'.” 

'I always say that as an RNLI volunteer the most valuable piece of kit you can have is a smile. Nobody judged me that day and I personally wouldn’t judge anyone who needs our help.' File picture

She had remembered her mother-in-law’s advice to carry a sailor’s pen knife on boat trips.

“The idea is that you keep it in the front pocket of your life jacket. It means you can use it if you get trapped under the mast by cutting a hole to find your way out.” She described reaching for it in her pocket.

“All these things happen simultaneously, the same way your foot reaches for the brake in the car.” Luckily, it was not needed and Ms Hooker eventually found her way to the surface.

When you’re in a situation like this even a second or two feels like forever.

She desperately called for help as she struggled to stay afloat.

“I was quite a distance away when I surfaced. I was trying to call out but my voice was taken by the wind and carried in another direction. I wasn’t even aware the rescue vessel was behind me until I felt myself being grabbed by two men.” 

Ms Hooker’s potential as an RNLI volunteer was obvious from the beginning.

“When I was rescued and saw what was happening I wanted to get back in the water to help. The volunteers reassured me that everything was under control and that I was not to get back in the water under any circumstances.” 

Images of that day remain ingrained in her mind.

“This is your life and you are the central character in that drama. It might sound like you’re being dramatic but anyone who has ever experienced a rescue like that will know that it really stays with you.” 

The RNLI volunteer learned a lot from her experience.

The water needs to be respected. It doesn’t care who you are. We fortunately all survived but it showed me how the water is an absolute leveller. 

"It’s sobering to realise just how quickly things can change. Now, when I’m out with a crew on the lifeboat I am 100% alert for any change. Even when something looks very solvable you know you can’t take anything for granted. 

"When I’m teaching new recruits and the next generation of RNLI volunteers I always say that power is your friend and speed is your enemy.” 

She praised the volunteers for their dignified approach.

“These are the things that you can recognise in other people and I try to apply that to my own approach today. I always say that as an RNLI volunteer the most valuable piece of kit you can have is a smile. Nobody judged me that day and I personally wouldn’t judge anyone who needs our help.” 

Volunteering with the RNLI was an easy decision for Ms Hooker.

“What happened did change my life and I wanted to pay it forward. I did about a year’s training and have been with them ever since.”