RNLI and Surf Life Saving Club work together to save lives at Crantock

half term responded after seeing the surfer struggling in the five to six-foot surf conditions.

John Steadman, RNLI lifeguard supervisor says;

‘There are no lifeguard patrols on Crantock beach after 30 September, however after a busy summer of rescues and the hope of some good weather, we wanted to ensure that there was a lifesaving presence on the beach during the October half term.

We’ve teamed up with the local Surf Life Saving Club with one club volunteer patrolling with an RNLI lifeguard each day until Friday (26 October)

The purpose of the patrols is advisory, so we are focussing on prevention, advising those who want to go into the water to visit one of the beaches nearby with a full lifeguard service. If they are insistent that they want to go into the water at Crantock we can provide advice on the best and safest place to enter the water.’

On Saturday afternoon, John and Crantock SLSC volunteer Teressa Morokutti were providing safety advise to beach goers when they spotted a surfer at the southern end of the beach finding it difficult to return to shore.

John says;

‘The surf was around five to six foot, we could see a surfer who was really struggling to get back to shore being hit by some massive sets. After keeping a close eye on him for a little while, we could see he needed some assistance, so we launched the Inshore Rescue Boat. The surf was so big I couldn’t see the him over the waves and was relying on information from the Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team as to his location. We managed to make our way through the breaking waves, pull him into the boat and took him back to shore, having to go back out to retrieve his long board. He was extremely thankful that we were there to help him.

Thanks to the Crantock Surf Life Saving Club for volunteering their time to make these advisory patrols possible. It has certainly been worth it, with many conversations had with beach goers on the safest place to swim, educating people about rip currents, and how to spot one, we’re confident that we have prevented many more incidents occurring.

With the sunny weather looking set to continue and spring tides meaning that the water will be moving around fast, we’d urge people to head to a fully lifeguarded beach. We will be on Crantock, providing advise until Friday.’

RNLI lifeguards will provide a full lifeguard service on Seaton, Praa Sands, Gwithian, Porthtowan, Perranporth, Towan, Watergate, Mawgan Porth, Harlyn, Constantine, Polzeath, Widemouth and Summerleaze in Cornwall, plus Woolacombe, and Bantham in Devon during the school half term (Saturday 20 October until Sunday 28 October). Anyone intending on going in the water should head to one of these beaches.

Note to editors

• Please find attached a picture of RNLI lifeguard John Steadman and Crantock Surf Life Saving Club volunteer Teressa Morokutti. Credit RNLI

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