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Multiple Calls for Whitstable RNLI
There have been five calls on the volunteer crews at Whitstable RNLI in the last week and over the weekend.
On Thursday Lewisco the station B-Class lifeboat was launched at 06.00pm to a report of two persons on a paddleboard in difficulties around 300-yards off the ‘Bubble Café’ Beach Walk, Whitstable.
As the lifeboat arrived ‘on scene’ Dover Coastguard reported that the casualties had been helped ashore by the Canterbury City Council Lifeguard however a crewmember went ashore to confirm this and that no medical assistance was required and to offer further safety advice.
On Saturday the lifeboat was launched to a report of 3-persons cut off by the tide near to the Seaview Caravan Park, Swalecliffe. The lifeboat arrived in the area and the crew had the possible casualties visible wading ashore in shallow water. No other people were seen in the area and it was subsequently confirmed by the coastguard that all were safely ashore.
On Sunday the lifeboat was diverted from an exercise after an inflatable with two persons onboard had been seen drifting seawards from the Whitstable Street, a shingle spit that runs at right angles from the beach at Tankerton. However nothing was found and the lifeboat was ‘stood down’.
Later in the day the lifeboat was launched after two separate reports of paddle boarders in difficulties.
The first at 4.40pm was to four separate paddleboards seen to be struggling off the Kings Hall, Herne Bay but although several paddleboards were seen in the locality the lifeboat crew were informed that those in difficulty were now ashore and the crew therefore returned to station.
Later at 8.05 the lifeboat was again launched to of another paddle boarder drifting out to sea from the Hotel Continental area at The Longbeach, Whitstable. However despite an extensive search of the area nothing untoward was found and the lifeboat was ‘stood down’ and returned to station.
As ever with such incidents the advice from lifeboat crews is that “for everybody venturing on or into the water then all should be aware of local conditions and always check on wind and tides. In an ebb tide and offshore wind people and craft such as paddleboards and inflatable craft can very easily be carried out to sea.
There have now been 43 calls on the volunteer lifeboat crews at Whitstable RNLI.
RNLI Media Contacts
Notes to editors
Whitstable RNLI Lifeboat Station was established in 1963 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and is one of 237 lifeboat stations around the shores of the UK and Ireland. The volunteer crews provide a maritime search and rescue service for the Kent coast. They cover the area between the Kingsferry Bridge on the Swale, in the west, around the south-eastern side of Sheppey and along the coast through Whitstable and Herne Bay to Reculver in the east and outwards into the Thames Estuary.
The station is equipped with an Atlantic 85 lifeboat named Lewisco, purchased through a bequest of a Miss Lewis of London who passed away in 2006.
She is what is known as a rigid inflatable inshore lifeboat, the boat’s rigid hull being topped by an inflatable sponson. She carries a crew of four people.
RNLI media contacts
Chris Davey, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Whitstable Lifeboat Station.
07741 012004/ [email protected]Julie Rainey- Regional Communications Lead : 07827 358256
Sam Haddad | Regional Communications Manager South East (job share) [email protected] Tel: 01202 137713
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
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.