RNLI staff and volunteers are mourning the tragic death of Nathan Woodcock, the full time Mechanic for St Mary’s lifeboat station on the Isles of Scilly.

Nathan’s death has been a terrible shock to everybody, especially as he was just 23 years old and a year ago celebrated the birth of his first child. The thoughts of everybody within the RNLI family are with Nathan’s partner and family at this most difficult time.

Nathan was a gentle giant of a man. He was passionate about his work with the RNLI and was a dedicated member of staff and a loyal colleague to all those who worked and volunteered around him.

He was equally passionate about his hobby of gig rowing. Indeed, he was planning to use his rowing skills to attempt a transatlantic record next year.

Nathan was to have been part of a four-man team to attempt to row across the Atlantic, from New York to the Bishop Rock Lighthouse, in June and July 2008. Each rower had a chosen charity, and it was typical of Nathan that he had decided to raise money for the RNLI’s Train one, save many campaign.

Nathan was a born and bred Scillonian. He studied his apprenticeship in Marine Engineering at Falmouth before becoming the youngest Mechanic in the RNLI fleet. While studying at the age of 18 he was a member of the gig team that won both the County and World Gig Championships.

Just recently Nathan and the St Marys crew hosted a visit to the islands by three of the Divisional staff, all of whom say the 2-day trip involved a lot of happiness and laughter, providing a wonderful memory of a much loved colleague.

An exercise was held on the Wednesday evening and just before launching, word came through that a work party on the Bishop Rock Lighthouse had run out of fresh milk! It gave the crew an opportunity to rehearse vital transfer skills and for Nathan to see close up the lighthouse that was to be the finish line of next year's Atlantic rowing challenge.

He and his colleagues were planning to spend last Sunday week rowing out to the lighthouse and back as part of their training for the crossing.

Tributes are plentiful. Flags have flown at half-mast all around Cornwall and beyond, and the RNLI has received many comments from within the charity and from outside. These tributes underline the affection felt for Nathan and the shock that has reverberated around the islands and Cornwall following his tragic and untimely death.

Nathan will be sorely missed by all those who knew him within the islands, the RNLI and the gig rowing community.