Unprecedented start to the week for the lifeboat volunteers
Poole lifeboat volunteers are nearing 100 shouts this year in what has been an unprecedented week.
Poole lifeboats were launched by UK Coastguard at 4.30pm on Monday (August to a report of two missing young boys who were overdue, they had been out on a single kayak off Hamworthy Park.
A concerned relative on the shore had raised the alarm as the boys had been out at sea for over two hours and she had not seen them. Conditions were fine with a south-easterly wind force 2-3. Poole Coastguard Rescue Team and Southbourne Coastguard had also been tasked.
The Atlantic arrived on scene and commenced a search from Hamworthy Park out towards Brownsea Island and across the shellfish beds.
Then the D class arrived on scene at the park, and they spotted the boys, the lifeboat volunteers quickly found the boys identifying them by their names and their descriptions. However, the kayak was a paddleboard. Thankfully they were safe and well, the crew offered some safety advice and then returned the boys and the board back to the beach where there was a very relieved relative.
The lifeboats returned to station, refuelled and were ready for service, however, the D class were tasked once more that evening after night fell at 9.45pm to investigate an object in the water off Baiter. It had been spotted by a person a shore. The person had thought that it was a possibility it could have been a person in the water, but it turned out to be a call with good intent as the object was an old, inflated football, with weed attached. The D class was then re-tasked to Bournemouth Pier, where a vessel drifting, underneath the pier it had capsized with two people, holding on to it.
RNLI Mudeford lifeboat were also tasked and were soon on scene, the Mudeford volunteers attended to the casualties and took them to the beach, where they received on-going care. The stricken vessel was a submerged Jet Ski, the D class recovered it and took it undertow to the beach.
As all was accounted for and safe, the D class lifeboat returned to station, refuelled and was ready for service by 12.15am. This call was quite literally a back into the ‘Frying pan’ for volunteer Helm Suzie Jupp as she had just returned from her volunteering stint at the Commonwealth Games.
Another sunrise and Poole Lifeboat launched at 11.30am Wednesday (August 10) to a 21ft fishing boat that was broken down and drifting in the busy Swash Channel. The vessel with two people on board had tried all other resources to get back to safety but had to call the lifeboat for assistance. The lifeboat arrived on scene, checked that they were okay and attached a tow and brought them safely back through the hectic harbour to a mooring off Lake Pier.
As all was safe and well, the lifeboat returned to station, refuelled and was ready for service by 1.45pm.
Just enough time for a brew when the pager rang out again.
The Atlantic was requested to launch by UK Coastguard on Wednesday (August 10) at 2.45pm to respond to a PAN PAN.
A 28ft yacht with three people on board had reported a fire and issued a PAN PAN,
A PAN PAN is used when it’s a call for urgent situations that are not immediately life-threatening but require assistance as they could escalate.
RNLI 1413, a training lifeboat responded as they were in the vicinity, the lifeboat crew on the training vessel had made an initial assessment, the smoke and fire seemed to have dissipated and the casualty was under sail, near to the harbour entrance.
The lifeboat arrived on scene, checked all was ok on-board, the vessel was happy to make its own way back to Poole Yacht Club and began its passage through the harbour.
Conditions in the harbour were sunny and exceptionally hot with a slight north easterly wind force 2 to 3.
The lifeboat radioed the Coastguard to cancel the PAN PAN, and the lifeboat requested that the Poole Yacht Club launch should be tasked to come and standby the yacht as it headed back to its berth. The lifeboat escorted the vessel back through the harbour and handed them over to the care of the Poole Yacht Club launch.
The lifeboat returned to station to refuel and hoping for some respite.
The lifeboat was ready for service by 4.15pm.
This was the 98th launch for the Poole Lifeboat crew.
As the weather remains warm and forecasted to be hotter at the weekend, please take care, enjoy the water but know your limits and if you see anybody in danger, or feel uneasy at any events unfolding, please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
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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.