"There are plenty of fishermen .to man the Life-boat, which can be readily launched in smooth water at all tides and in any wind; while she is in a good windward position for commanding Bigbury Bay in westerly and southwesterly gales, which are the most prevalent ones in this district.

[4][5] In a south-west gale on the night of 28 January 1885, both the Plymouth and Yealm River lifeboats were called to the barque Wellington of Windsor, Nova Scotia, which had drifted ashore.

The vessel had been under tow by the Government tug Scotia, following an incident aboard, which had cost the lives of the Captain and two crew, whilst on passage from Le Havre to New York.

The lifeboats spent several hours transferring lines to and from the tug, until at 04:30 the following morning, the vessel was out of danger, grounded in the Yealm estuary.

[8][9] At a meeting of the RNLI committee of management on 20 January 1927, it was decided to close Yealm River lifeboat station.