Over the years the sands have constantly shifted and changed, and have been of great danger to coastal shipping, particularly in the age of sail.

Due to the hazardous seas off Happisburgh, in around 1850 local fishermen formed a company to assist in salvage and rescue.

Their boathouse was located high on the cliff near the lighthouse, which made it difficult to launch the boat and return it to storage afterwards.

The RNLI lifeboat, named Huddersfield, arrived at the station in August 1866 and was a small 32 foot self-righting pulling type with ten oars, manned by the beachmen.

[6] The launching of the lifeboat from the Old Cart Gap station was not an easy operation and needed a lot of manpower and a team of eight horses, which were supplied from the local farms.

The RNLI saw a change in the pattern of casualties with an increasing number of services required to rescue bathers washed out to sea, people on lilos, dinghies, and various small water craft.

It was realised locally that a faster first response was needed to attend such situations and to relieve the bigger neighbouring stations of Cromer, Sheringham, Caister and Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.

In July 2023, the RNLI announced that it planned to remove the Atlantic 85 boat from Happisburgh Lifeboat Station due to launching difficulties following coastal erosion.

By this time the wind had increased considerable and with the tide against them the lifeboat landed the men down the coast at Sea Palling.

The citation of services included the schooner Atalanta (1868), the brigs Launceston and Arctic Hero (1871), the sloop Richard and Elizabeth (1875), the ketch Rival (1880) and the collier Ludworth (1881).