Western Morning News (Saturday)
Strong winds warning as RNLI rescues three at sea
LIFEBOAT crews went to the aid of two kayakers and a kite surfer caught out by strong easterly winds, as the charity warned people to think twice before visiting beaches on the Westcountry’s south coast this weekend.
Looe RNLI volunteer crew were launching the charity’s Altantic 85 to go to the aid of two kayakers in difficulties off Downderry, on Thursday, when a report of a possible kite surfer in trouble off Looe island was received.
Two women, who had been thrown from their kayaks, and the kite surfer and his kite were safely brought to shore. But the RNLI warned that the outcomes could have been very different and repeated a warning that unusually strong easterly winds were making normally sheltered coastal spots in the Westcountry hazardous at the moment.
The drama on Thursday started when Looe RNLI crew pagers sounded at 3.45pm after Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre received multiple 999 calls reporting two kayakers in difficulties off Downderry, South East Cornwall.
Within 10 minutes the charity’s Atlantic 85, Sheila and Dennis Tongue II, helmed by Dan Margetts, with crew Matt Jaycock, Goron Jones and Toby Bray, was heading out and arriving on scene found two women clinging onto one of the kayaks, with the other kayak being blown downwind by strong force 4-5 winds.
Both casualties were taken on board the Atlantic 85, where two of the crew administered casualty care, whilst the other crew recovered the kayaks. Both casualties were visibly cold and fatigued and with the risk of water ingestion, a decision was taken to return to Looe as quickly as possible, requesting an ambulance to meet them at the lifeboat station.
Volunteer helms Toby Bray and Dan Margetts said that within a few minutes of leaving Downderry beach the kayakers had toppled out of their kayaks. Even though they were wearing buoyancy aids, the water was so cold that they were unable to use their mobile phone to call for help.
They had been clinging onto each kayak for 10 to 15 minutes and struggling to hold on. They abandoned one kayak and stayed together clinging onto the other kayak. On the way back to Looe the casualties told the crew they could not have held onto the kayak for much longer. The RNLI warned the water at this time of year is still very cold and if they had arrived on scene any later the outcome could have been far worse.
Meanwhile lifeboat operations manager, Dave Haines with Paul Barley and Simon Rawe launched the charity’s D Class Ollie Naismith crewed by Aaron Rix, Nathaniel Rothwell and Victoria Thomas to investigate reports of a kite surfer in trouble. Leaving Looe at 4.12pm the D Class headed towards Looe Island to carry out the rescue and recovery.
An RNLI spokeswoman said: “The strong easterly winds were a feature in both of today’s shouts in Looe.”
RNLI lifeguards in Cornwall have issued a safety warning as the strong easterly winds are forecasted to increase in strength through to today.