Half term proves to be a busy week for Ramsgate RNLI
With the current Covid restrictions forcing most people to curtail their foreign holiday plans this year, our coastlines have seen an increase of people having a Staycation.
Here in the South East we are lucky to have many beautiful beaches but this comes with added pressure during the holiday season especially when we are enjoying warm weather for the first time in ages. Since Sunday 30 May we have been called out to four incidents, and the week has not yet finished.
Sunday at 15:25 the Inshore Lifeboat Claire and David Delves was launched at the request of the HM Coastguard to a man cut off by the tide at Dumpton Gap in Broadstairs. This area is notorious for people mistiming the tides and getting cut off, which is why our volunteer RNLI Thanet Community team often patrol that area giving safety advise. Walking alone around the coastline is not ideal, but he was able to call for help as he had a mobile phone with him.
The Inshore Lifeboat went in close under the cliffs to reach him and assisted the person onboard and then took him to Broadstairs Harbour before returning to Ramsgate RNLI station.
Monday 31 May at 16:06 the Inshore was once again launched to the assistance of a yacht with engine failure off North Foreland with two people onboard. A local Windfarm vessel Tow Tornado had also heard the Pan-Pan call for assistance over the radio and was shadowing the yacht in case it had serious problems.
Once on scene the volunteer crew passed a line to the yacht and, once safely secured, towed them into Ramsgate Harbour and assisted them to moor up. After repairs the yacht was able to continue on with its journey around the coast.
On Wednesday 2 June the Inshore was launched twice, the first at 13:45 to reports of an inflatable with one woman and four children onboard which had drifted from Ramsgate Main Sands to the back of the East Pier below Port Control. The tide was strong at 2-3 knots making it impossible to paddle against it.
As the Inshore arrived on the scene, two other women, who had spotted that they were in trouble, had managed to swim round to assist them. Although a courageous act, this again could have put the rescuers in trouble.
Their plan was to climb back up the break wall to safety but the RNLI crew advised against this and ferried the two helpers back to the main beach and then the family were taken to the RNLI station where safety advise was given. The inflatable remained at the station for our disposal.
Shortly afterward at 14:48 the Inshore launched once again after a member of the public reported a kayaker in difficulty off the Main Sands.
The crew located the kayak moored up and then followed the shoreline searching for the owner, they later found that the kayaker had tied his inflatable kayak to Winderstoke Outfall sewage pipe marker post and then gone snorkelling. The strong tide had swept him along towards the harbour where he managed to make his way safely ashore.
After collecting the kayak it was returned to its owner, along with appropriate safety information.
Our volunteer crew are on call all the time, a service funded solely by public donations. As more people head to our coasts at this time we need your support more than ever.
Karen Cox Lifeboat Press Officer Email. [email protected] Tel. 07779848431
Paul Dunt RNLI Regional Media Officer London and South East. Email. paul_ [email protected] Tel. 07785296252.
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
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