Poole RNLI volunteers busy spell has continued with three calls in one day (Mon 9)
Poole Lifeboat was requested to launch by UK Coastguard just after 12pm (Monday August 9th) to a report of a capsized dinghy, with a person in the water at Studland Bay.
The lifeboat crew were swiftly on scene and found the sailing dinghy was being towed back to shore and that the two people who were on board were safe and well.
The lifeboat escorted the vessels back to Knoll Beach and helped them to get the dinghy safely ashore.
Conditions in the bay were blustery, south westerly some 30 knots and the sea state was quite choppy.
Once all was safe and well, the lifeboat returned to station.
Then the UK Coastguard re-tasked them to a kayak with two people, off Old Harry.
The kayaker and his son had been out and about on the water, when they lost an oar, they managed to get ashore on the bit of beach under Old Harry.
The lifeboat was soon on scene, a crew member went ashore to check on the casualties, they were okay, meanwhile, the Coastguard unit who were on top of Old Harry, had spotted the missing oar and relayed the message to the lifeboat crew, who picked it up out of the waves and returned it to the stricken Kayaker.
The crew assisted the kayakers back into the kayak and stood by whilst they made their way ashore to Middle Beach, once safely ashore the lifeboat returned to station.
Then later in the afternoon, the lifeboat launched to a yacht that had encountered engine failure, the yacht had been on passage from the Isle of Wight to Weymouth, Poole was their emergency stop off, so they had diverted to Poole, to sort out their problem. They had also radioed the Chain Ferry to alert them to their predicament, that they had no other means of propulsion as they passed through the entrance to Poole Harbour.
The experienced yacht crew were sailing down the channel when the Lifeboat met them at Aunt Betty buoy, a crew member was transferred across, and the vessel continued under sail, they were making good speed, all the way up the main channel, then at Stakes , the lifeboat slowed them down and instructed them to drop their sails, the lifeboat established an alongside tow to bring them safely into Poole Town Quay Marina which they did, once moored safely alongside, the crew returned to station and made the lifeboat ready for service.
Volunteer Helm Alex Evans said:
‘The yacht crew were really experienced people and they did the best they could, they just needed our assistance to get them into the Marina, a busy day for the lifeboat.'
This takes the call outs up to 84 for the volunteers at Poole Lifeboat this year.
Key facts about the RNLI
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.
