Three kayakers rescued from rough seas in Peveril Ledge tide race
Swanage National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) were monitoring 3 kayakers when one capsized and was left clinging onto one of the others in a rapidly building ebb tide.
A few minutes after launching the ILB rounded Peveril Ledge and found one of the kayakers already ashore in Durlston Bay, so the ILB continued down tide in an attempt to locate the remaining casualties. Luckily, a yacht on passage to Swanage had seen the kayakers south of Anvil Point and taken them on board, with their kayaks in tow.
After a quick check the ILB returned to Durlston Bay to help the first kayaker back to Swanage. He was taken on board, with his kayak in tow, and returned to the council slipway and met by waiting Coastguard volunteers.
The ILB then returned to the yacht, which was having difficulty making way through the tide race as the kayaks were now full of water. The ILB helm decided to take over the tow, allowing the yacht and the two remaining casualties to get into the safety of Swanage Bay more easily.
The conditions made towing difficult, but steady progress was made until the kayaks were dropped of at the slipway. Finally, the ILB brought the last two kayakers ashore from the yacht.
The three kayakers were cold and exhausted, with some minor injuries, so were checked over by waiting ambulance medics while the ILB was re-housed and re-fuelled.
ILB Crew: (Helm) Matthew Steeden, Alan Parmenter, Fergus Holland
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For more information please telephone Becky Mack, Swanage RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on 07812 558487 or at [email protected]
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