Lifeboats launch to shouts for help from kayakers near Old Harry Rocks

The all-weather lifeboat (ALB) arrived on scene and spotted a group of people looking over the cliffs on the Northern side of Old Harry. The lifeboat rounded the headland and spotted a lone kayaker close inshore. The kayaker was able to tell the lifeboat crew that another kayaker had capsized and had been unable to get back in his kayak. He had then been washed down tide and he last saw him going round Old Harry Rocks.

The ALB reversed its course and started to head down tide to try and locate the kayaker. The inshore lifeboat (ILB) was also now on scene and they met up with a yacht that was in the area. The yacht's crew had recovered the kayaker a few minutes earlier. He was OK but they had been unable to recover his kayak. The ILB stayed with the yacht whilst the ALB continued down tide and picked up the kayak. Once in calmer water the kayaker was taken off the yacht by the ILB and they were dropped on South Beach to the volunteers from Swanage Coastguard. The ILB then returned to the ALB, collected the kayak and took that ashore too.

With the situation resolved both lifeboats were released to return to station. The ALB called alongside the yacht from the previous incident just to check that the skipper was OK following the swift departure earlier. He was happy so the ALB was recovered to its slipway.

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ALB Crew: (Coxn) Tom Greasty, Dave Turnbull, Gavin Steeden, Roydon Woodford, Andy Redout, Alan Parmenter
ILB Crew: (Helm) Darren Tomes, Becky Mack, Emily Condie
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Gary Buglass, Jamie Trumper, Nigel Bower

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