Two shouts in one day for Torbay RNLI
Our volunteer crew were called out to two shouts yesterday, Tuesday 16th August. The first involved our Severn Class all-weather lifeboat (ALB).
At 10:42 we were tasked to carry out a search following the discovery of an overturned kayak off Anstey's Cove. Personal effects were found still onboard. After an extensive search at sea by our ALB crew and on land involving HM Coastguard and police, the owner was found safe and well in Dawlish having abandoned the craft and swam ashore the previous day. We were stood down and returned to station after refuelling at 1:10pm.
Torbay RNLI’s Deputy Launch Authority (DLA), Fred Farmer; ‘It is helpful, if you become parted from your craft at sea and can get back to shore safely by other means, that you report any abandoned boat, or indeed paddleboard, to the coastguard. It may be embarrassing, but it is more important that we are ready and have resources available when we are really needed.’
Our second shout yesterday was to rescue a dog who had fallen off the edge of a cliff on the north side of St Mary’s Bay. Our volunteer crew launched our D Class in-shore lifeboat only minutes after returning from the earlier shout where they had been aboard our all-weather lifeboat.
The injured animal was found conscious but clearly shaken. The dog’s name was ‘Yogi’. We gently took him onboard our ILB where crewman Jack Hawkett nestled him in a towel in front of the ILB. We returned to station more slowly than usual to prevent aggravation to any injuries and what looked like bruising around his head. Once back, we reunited Yogi with his owner who took him straight to the vet. Our ILB and crew were back on service at 2:45pm.
RNLI Torbay’s Shaggy rescues Yogi after falling from cliff
James Hoare, or ‘Shaggy’ as he’s known by fellow crewmen, helmed our D Class in-shore lifeboat on Tuesday’s call out by HM Coastguard after an owner reported her dog had fallen from cliffs on the north side of St Mary’s Bay.
Our volunteer crew had only just returned from the earlier shout where they had been aboard our Severn Class all-weather lifeboat conducting a search for a missing kayak owner on the other side of the Bay.
The casualty dog’s name is ‘Yogi’. Our crew spotted him huddled amongst the rocks on the shoreline. He was conscious but injured and badly shaken. Crewman, Jack Hawkett, gently took him onboard our ILB and nestled with him in his arms, down at the front of the ILB. Our crew then returned to station, travelling more slowly than usual to prevent aggravation to injuries and what looked like some bad bruising around his head.
Once back, we reunited Yogi with his owner who took him straight to the vet.
Asked about the shout, Shaggy’s comment was ‘Shame he wasn’t called Scooby! But seriously, we are just glad we found him so quickly as he was cold and shaking, as well as injured. We wish him all the best and very quick recovery.’
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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