Busy weekend for Whitsand Bay RNLI lifeguards

The weekend began with reports of a two boys cut off by the tide at around 4:30pm on Friday 13 July. The two casualties were trapped in a deep gully between Freathy and Sharrow beaches.

The boys were attempting to get to Sharrow beach by climbing over the rocks. Due to the sheer, steep cliffs on either side of the gully RNLI lifeguards Harry Moir and Tristan Gillett warned them against their plan and told them to stay in the gully until they could assist.

Harry and Tristan immediately launched their inshore rescue boat (IRB) and made their way to the boys’ location. Due to the tricky location of the gully and the one foot swell breaking against the rocks, Harry had to carefully reverse the boat into a suitable location to assist the boys. Once close enough, the lifeguards helped the boys into the boat and returned them to safety ashore.

On Sunday (15 July), the lifeguards were alerted by members of the public to reports of a woman cut off by the tide at Frying Pan beach, a small cove next to Freathy beach.

RNLI lifeguard Sophie Conway initially responded using a rescue board but upon reaching the woman’s location, discovered she was also suffering from a painful weever fish sting making her unable to walk.

Due to the woman’s location and the visible amount of pain she was in, Sophie radioed her colleagues at Tregonhawke for assistance. RNLI lifeguard Terry Dungay used the IRB to assist the woman back to Freathy Beach where her weaver fish sting was treated at the lifeguard unit.

Charlie Gillett, RNLI lifeguard supervisor for the area, said:

‘This was a very busy weekend for the RNLI lifeguards at Whitsand Bay. The lifeguards dealt with a total of three tidal cut offs and 13 weever fish stings last week.

We advise that you always visit a lifeguarded beach as we provide the greatest safety for beachgoers and can assist with any incident that may occur. If you need any advice about tide times or local hazards please feel free to speak to the lifeguards on duty.’

Notes to Editors

• Video attached – please credit RNLI
• RNLI lifeguards patrol over 249 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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