Saltburn smugglers record sea shanties at Staithes and Runswick RNLI station
Sea shanty group Saltburn Smugglers have recorded a set of songs inside the Staithes and Runswick RNLI Lifeboat Station - a site recently recognised as significant by Historic England.
The recording session, featuring classic shanties like Santiana and Drunken Sailor, along with an original song Across the Ocean, celebrates the region’s rich maritime past and the vital, ongoing work of the RNLI.
Led by Professor of Songwriting Keith Ayling, the group chose the boathouse for its authentic coastal setting, superb acoustics, and deep connection to local seafaring history.
The session was made possible thanks to the support of RNLI volunteers, who were on hand throughout the day to facilitate the recording and move the lifeboat out of the boathouse to create space for the performance.
The day included the filming of a music video for the Saltburn Smugglers' rendition of Santiana.
Mr Ayling, founder of the Saltburn Smugglers said: “We wanted to find a venue that was genuinely near the sea and highlighted some of the maritime history that was in the music.
"We’d seen the boathouse and knew it would be the perfect venue.
“The acoustics were superb, and it was a joy to record there.
"We hope that it helps to increase support for the vital work that the RNLI do on our coastline.”
This connection to maritime heritage is especially fitting, as the Staithes and Runswick RNLI Lifeboat Station has recently been recognised by Historic England as a site of significance.
As part of the Missing Pieces Project, the station’s story is being preserved and enriched through public contributions – and now, through music.