Busy Bank Holiday weekend for the volunteers from RNLI Burnham-on-Crouch
It was the start of a busy Bank Holiday weekend for the volunteers from RNLI Burnham-on-Crouch after being tasked by H.M. Coastguard at 3.45 pm on Saturday 27 August to check the status of the crew on two boats that had run aground in the River Crouch.
The Atlantic Class lifeboat Tony and Robert Britt was launched.
The first casualty vessel was a yacht adjacent to Pinto and the second a 41’ motor cruiser hard aground at the mouth of the River Crouch.
Upon arrival on scene the volunteer helm from RNLI Burnham-on-Crouch fully assessed the situation and decided that the best and safest course of action for both casualty vessels and their crews was to leave them aground until high tide where they may re-float naturally with the RNLI volunteers from Burnham-on-Crouch returning to assist further if required.
The Atlantic Class lifeboat Tony and Robert Britt was relaunched at 11.30pm on Saturday 27 August to oversee the re-floating of the motor vessel at the mouth of the River.
On passage the volunteer lifeboat crew checked on the welfare and status of the yacht grounded close to Pinto. The crew of the yacht were happy to manage their re-floating on their own and she sailed back to a mooring in Burnham.
The Atlantic Class lifeboat then proceeded to, and stood by, the grounded motor vessel.
Once successfully re-floated and checked by the crew, she was escorted back to Burnham Yacht Harbour with a volunteer RNLI crew member aboard to provide assistance and assurance.
After returning to the lifeboat station, the Atlantic Class lifeboat was declared ready for service again at 2am on Sunday morning (28 August).
Sunday afternoon saw the blessing of the lifeboats service held on the quayside in Burnham-on-Crouch and given by the Reverend Suzie Fryer, Chaplain to Burnham-on-Crouch Lifeboat Station.
The busy Bank Holiday weekend continued for the volunteers from RNLI Burnham-on-Crouch and their Atlantic Class lifeboat Tony and Robert Britt when at approximately 8.15pm on Sunday 28 August they were tasked by HM Coastguard to assist two paddle boarders close to Fairway 5.
The two casualties had left Bradwell on Sea on the River Blackwater at approximately 10am Sunday morning on their paddle boards with the intention of getting to Hullbridge.
The casualties had struggled throughout the day due to the conditions, so had walked and dragged their boards for a lot of the journey.
In the River Crouch they were struggling against the tide and ran out of steam opposite the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Burnham.
The casualties along with their boards and half a ton of mud were taken aboard the lifeboat and safely delivered into to Essex Marina where several people were waiting with towels and warm clothes to take the casualties home.
The lifeboat returned to station at approximately 10pm and made ready for the next service.
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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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