Shouts

28 Jul

1512 The pagers went off initially for the ILB to launch to an 8m motorcruiser that had hit the Training Bank just outside the entrance to Poole Harbour. An RNLI hovercraft and Atlantic 75 that were out in Poole Bay training and had come across the vessel and taken it in tow. As the ILB arrived on scene, a second incident was taking place in Studland Bay – a 10m yacht was dragging its anchor and had hit two other vessels.

So that the hovercraft and Atlantic could continue with their training, Portland Coastguard launched the all-weather lifeboat to assist with the tow of the motorcruiser and a decision was made to divert the station’s ILB to the second incident.

The ALB took over the tow of the motorcruiser, with two adults and two children onboard, and towed it into Poole Harbour towards Parkstone Bay Marina. In the meantime, the ILB crew spoke to the crew onboard the yacht that was dragging its anchor to ensure that they were able to secure their anchor properly and also checked that the crew on the vessels that had been hit were all okay. The ILB then returned to Poole Harbour to take over the tow from the ALB as the tide was too low for the ALB to enter Parkstone Bay Marina. Once all were safely ashore, both boats returned to station at 1700.

26 Jul

2000 The ILB launched to a 9m yacht aground near number 8 buoy by North Channel, south of Salterns Marina in Poole Harbour. The vessel, from France, was pulled off the sandbank and then towed to Poole Quay Boat Haven. The crew returned to station at 2053.

25 Jul

1200 While out on exercise the ILB noticed a capsized kayak in the water off Durley Chine with the kayaker in the water struggling to right the craft. The crew pulled the kayaker onboard and then recovered the craft and returned both to the beach at Durley Chine.

24 Jul

1335 Both lifeboats were launched after reports of a collision between a sportsboat and jetski. One person was said to have face and neck injuries. Portland Coastguard’s helicopter Rescue 106 was also tasked and was on scene by the time the lifeboats arrived. A winchman was lowered to the casualty vessel and placed a collar on him before airlifting him to Whitecliff to a waiting ambulance. The ILB then collected details of the two parties involved and escorted the sportsboat to Parkstone Bay Marina. The jetski had already returned to Poole Harbour. Both boats then returned to station. Having washed the boats down and refuelled, the crew were just having some doughnuts and tea when the pagers went off for the ILB to launch again (at 1540), this time to a capsized sailing dinghy off the end of the Training Bank just outside the harbour’s entrance. A motor vessel was already close by and had the two people from the dinghy onboard, which it took to the shore to waiting coastguards at Knoll Beach. The ILB then towed the dinghy to the beach.

23 Jul

1337 The ILB was paged following a report of a person in trouble, possibly having a fit, on Poole Quay. Once on scene the crew realised that he was ashore near one of the shops and an ambulance crew was already with him. The crew returned to station.

22 Jul

1844 While out on exercise the all-weather lifeboat was tasked to a person who had slipped on the rocks near the Haven Hotel at the entrance to the harbour. Once on scene the lifeboat crew found that a paramedic was already with the gentleman who had injured his ankle but the ambulance crew were unable to evacuate him easily from the rocks. Lifeboat crew went ashore with a stretcher to assist. The inshore lifeboat was also launched to help take the stretcher from the beach – the sides of the all-weather lifeboat were too high, making the transfer to it difficult. The man was then taken by the ILB to the Haven steps to the waiting ambulance.

22 Jul

1602 Following a report of a man in distress at Salterns Marina, the ILB launched and were asked to proceed with caution. Once outside the marina, the man was being looked after by police and so the lifeboat crew returned to station.

19 Jul

1955 The ILB launched to a broken-down speedboat with three people onboard and towed it to Baiter slipway.

19 Jul

1726 Both lifeboats launched to a 9m sports cruiser that was taking on water in South Deep behind Green Island and was sinking. When they realised they were in trouble, the four people onboard (two adults and two children) had called out a RIB from a marina to assist them but they then realised that the vessel was taking on water and sinking.
When the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene they found that the people had been taken onto the RIB and were safe. The ILB crew soon got their salvage pump running and tried to find where the ingress of water was coming from. When the all-weather lifeboat arrived they place a larger pump onboard and soon stemmed the flow. When it was all under control, the ALB took the stricken vessel under tow to Parkstone Bay Marina where it was lifted out of the water for further investigation.
Both boats were returning to station when the inshore lifeboat was tasked to assist a 5m speedboat that had broken down off Bournemouth Pier. The boat had suffered an electrical fault and the engine could not start. The inshore lifeboat secured a towline and brought the vessel back to the safety of Baiter slipway.

17 Jul

1806 In breezy conditions, a 3.5m Merlin Rocket had capsized, throwing two people into the water. The two crew were recovered by the ILB and the vessel rerighted and towed to Lilliput Sailing Club.

The ILB was then retasked to investigate a swimmer thought to be in trouble in the water near the Chain Ferry at the harbour’s entrance. Once on scene, a lifeboat crew member went ashore to give the swimmer some suitable advice about where it is safer to swim.

14 Jul

1840 While out on exercise, the inshore lifeboat was called out to assist two windsurfers off Ham Park.

14 Jul

1415 Both lifeboats were launched at the request of Portland Coastguard to a report of a boat on fire at Keysworth Point in Poole Harbour, an area of the harbour close to the entrance of the River Frome. When the inshore lifeboat volunteers arrived on scene they found a 9m vessel, which was ablaze, beached on a mudflat in the reeds. There had been one man onboard and he had abandoned the boat and was stood on the shore.

The inshore lifeboat managed to get alongside despite the very shallow water and the volunteer crew started to douse the flames and soon got the fire under control.
The helicopter arrived on scene and took the man to the landing site at Whitecliff, to a waiting ambulance. The man was then taken to Poole Hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation. The boat was smouldering and the crew continued to douse it down as there were concerns about the boat being so near to the heathland and the crew wanted to make sure that it would not reignite as it would be high and dry at low water.

The all-weather lifeboat then picked up a fire officer from Lake Pier and took him to the stricken vessel. It is thought the boat caught fire due to an electrical fault. The lifeboat crew only returned to station after the boat had been given the all clear by the fire officer.

10 Jul

1255 The ILB launched to a broken-down 8m cruiser with one person onboard in Wareham Channel. The crew towed it to Ridge Wharf. The lifeboat crew were then retasked to a broken-down 6m sportsboat in East Looe Channel, which they towed to Cobbs Quay.

4 Jul

1050 The all-weather lifeboat was out in Poole Bay on exercise when it was tasked by Portland Coastguard to bring a yacht in that had suffered fuel contamination. As they were bringing this into the harbour the inshore lifeboat was tasked to a report of two people in the water after capsizing their dinghy off Wills Cut. The volunteer crew soon recovered the two people who had been in the water for sometime in freshening conditions. An ambulance was requested to go to the lifeboat station where the crew brought the people back so they could be checked over. The ILB then returned to pick up the dinghy and towed this to Parkstone Yacht Club. By this time the ALB had brought the yacht under tow back to Poole Quay, which the ILB then towed beyond Poole Bridge to Cobbs Quay. The ALB was then retasked to another yacht that required assistance.

27 Jun

0241 Woken from their slumbers, the ILB crew launched to a broken down clamming boat near Arne Beach with nine people onboard. The boat was towed to Poole Quay Boat Haven and the crew returned to station just after 4am.

26 Jun

1512 The ILB launched to two people who had been thrown from a jetski at high speed. They were taken to Sandbanks ferry jetty where they were passed over to a waiting ambulance crew.

26 Jun

1305 Saturday lunchtime saw both boats launched to a report of a boat on fire. The vessel had acrid black smoke bellowing from it. The lifeboats took the stricken vessel under tow and ashore to North Haven where the vessel was checked over by the fire brigade. When everything was deemed safe the lifeboats returned to station.

26 Jun

0341 The pagers woke the volunteer crews after several people on the beach 1 mile west of Bournemouth Pier had reported that they had heard cries for help from the sea. Both lifeboats launched and when they arrived on scene, the sun was rising and the inshore lifeboat spotted a man in a 1m child’s inflatable dinghy some 1 mile west of the pier. The crew checked the man was okay and took him onboard the inshore lifeboat and then ashore to waiting coastguards on the beach. The lifeboat returned to station and the crews to their beds around 5.30am.

Volunteer Coxswain Jonathan Clark said “Any inflatable like dinghies and lilo’s are so dangerous. You cannot steer them, they are full of air and very light. If there’s a sudden gust of wind, they can easily be swept away or you could be caught unawares by a wave. Even when the sea is calm, there can be a strong undercurrent and you could find yourself being swept out to sea in seconds. One minute your can be in a few feet of water and then with an offshore wind and turning tide, you could find yourself a long way out, especially in the dead of the night when there is nobody out there to help or see you” Jonathan added “This man was extremely lucky”.

25 Jun

2218 Just after 10pm, the inshore lifeboat was requested to launch by Portland Coastguard to a report of a person in the water off Poole Quay. The lifeboat crew recovered the person and brought him back ashore to a waiting ambulance.

25 Jun

1816 The inshore lifeboat launched to a report of two yachts that had collided in an area inside the harbour called Brownsea Roads. A yacht had run into another yacht on its mooring. Although no one was injured, the yacht that hit the stationary vessel was dismasted and its gear was badly entangled. The inshore lifeboat arrived on scene and the volunteer crew worked hard to disentangle the yachts. They then towed the stricken vessel back to Shell Bay Yacht Club.

24 Jun

1922 Following reports of a fire near the railway line at the back of Holes Bay in the harbour on Pergins Island, the ILB and boarding boat helped to transfer firefighters from the shore to the island. They remained on scene until firefighters were sure the fire was out and the area was safe.

24 Jun

1638 One person, suffering with deep-vein thrombosis was transferred from his yacht to the ILB and taken to a waiting ambulance at Sandbanks jetty

20 Jun

2054 Following a mayday call from a 4m speedboat that was taking on water on the harbour side of the breakwater at Poole Quay Marina, the ILB crew launched and prepared their salvage pump to help pump the water out. The ILB crew rigged up a tow and the vessel and its two occupants were towed to Baiter slipway without the need to use the pump. Once safely ashore the ILB crew returned to station at 2210.

19 Jun

1445 While both lifeboats were tied up on Poole Quay, having just returned from escorting the fishermen’s race as part of Harry Paye Day, a request came for them to launch to the aid of an 11m yacht aground near number 19 buoy in Poole Harbour. Two ILB crew members were placed onboard the vessel while the ALB crew attached a tow and pulled the vessel clear into deep water. The crew then passed some navigation advice about Poole Harbour to the two crew onboard before both lifeboats returned to the Quay to continue the pirate celebrations.

Four ILB crew members later won the ‘Arry Paye Challenge Trophy, gaining the challenge plate back again after their previous win in 2008. Well done lads! (The ALB crew didn’t make it past the heats!)

15 Jun

The ILB launched following concerns from a yacht skipper that he had noticed another yacht coming in to moor up the previous evening but had not seen anyone during the morning and the yacht was dragging its anchor. He was unable to check as the yacht was too far aground for him to get close enough to him.

The ILB launched to check and found that all was well. The two crew onboard had been having breakfast and realised that they hadn’t put enough anchor chain and rope out. The lifeboat crew checked that they were happy to carry on with their trip and, after the Coastguard had informed them that north easterly force 6–8 winds were forecast later in the day, the two crew onboard the yacht were planning to make their way to Wareham and moor up there. The ILB returned to station at 1030.

10 Jun

1830 The ALB was on exercise with another boat in Studland Bay at 6.30pm, and overheard a VHF call for help from Royal Motor Yacht Club (RMYC) to Portland Coastguard that an R19 yacht had capsized 'badly' in front of RMYC. The ALB immediately turned and made good speed to the location after being tasked by Portland. Due to the location of the casualty in shallow water the ILB was also paged and launched.

Read the full story of the recovery...

6 Jun

1450 The all-weather lifeboat was called to assist a trimaran that had been holed by a collision with a jetski. One lifeboat crew member was transferred to the vessel by a passing RIB, checking that the two crew onboard were uninjured. As the vessel was not taking on water the lifeboat escorted the yacht back up the harbour towards Poole Yacht Club.

As the lifeboat neared Stakes buoy, the crew came across another yacht that had lost engine power. Checking that the trimaran was still not taking on any water, the lifeboat rigged a tow on the second yacht and towed it to Poole Quay Boat Haven.

5 Jun

1130 Poole lifeboat crew were out in Poole Bay on exercise on the all-weather lifeboat when a member of the public on the beach flagged them down. The lifeboat was manoeuvring near the entrance of the harbour when they were alerted to an incident on the beach at Sandbanks. A woman was strolling along the beach when she was knocked over by a dog. She incurred serious injuries when she hit the sand and was in a lot of pain.
Three lifeboat crew went ashore and attended to the lady, giving her entonox and administering first aid. They then immobilised the woman by placing her on a spinal board, making her as comfortable as possible. An ambulance crew arrived on scene and administered morphine. Both lifeboat and ambulance crews then transferred the woman across the beach, through a garden and to the ambulance, which then took her to hospital. The all-weather lifeboat then returned back to station.

4 Jun

1607 The ILB was launched to a vessel that had gone aground on Stone Island but was under tow by a training lifeboat. The training lifeboat needed to continue with its training and so the operational lifeboat from Poole was launched to take over the tow and take the vessel and its owner to a swing mooring off Parkstone Yacht Club.

3 Jun

0900 Poole lifeboat crew were called to a runaway speedboat after the RIB’s steering had locked hard to starboard and thrown the two occupants out, leaving her circling dangerously in the harbour. A passing leisureboater saw the RIB going in circles and went to investigate, picking the unfortunate crew from the water and calling the Coastguard.

Poole lifeboat was quickly on scene, pulling up alongside the moving speedboat. A crew member jumped aboard and got her under control – see video link

The lifeboat crew then made sure everybody was okay before returning to station. It turned out the RIB was the start boat for yacht race from Poole to Beaulieu and the race got underway with no further mishaps.

30 May

1755 Just under 2 hours later, the pagers went off again for the inshore lifeboat to launch to the aid of a Drascombe lugger that was tied to a pile off the pier on the north side of Furzey Island – the vessel had lost engine power. The family of four and their dog had been out for a sail since the morning and contacted the Coastguard by mobile phone when it became clear that they’d be unable to sail back to the slipway at Lake Road.

A crew member went onboard to assist with the tow rope and the lifeboat towed it back to the slipway at Lake Road where they were assisted by Poole Coastguard and the crew to get them back on their trailer.

While the ILB crew were out, the ALB crew were also called out again (at 1835) to investigate a personal watercraft that had been tied to a marker buoy for most of the day. The Coastguard had been concerned for the welfare of its owner but fortunately the owner was safe and well ashore but had illegally attached the vessel to the buoy without realising the consequences.

The crews returned home by 2100.

30 May

1315 The all-weather lifeboat crew launched to go to the aid of a 10.5m racing yacht that had lost its rudder 1 mile south of Boscombe Pier. En route, in the harbour, the crew came across a capsized dinghy with its mast stuck in the mud. The two people onboard, who had been thrown in the water from the dinghy, had already been taken ashore to Parkstone Yacht Club. The ALB mechanic (who doesn’t really do ‘wet’!) went in the water and helped pull the vessel out of the mud. With difficulty, and with the assistance of passing jetskiers, the dinghy was eventually righted and then passed over to a launch to take back ashore.
The all-weather lifeboat then continued out into the bay to locate the yacht. As the lifeboat came alongside the anchored vessel at 1410 it became evident that, as it was a racing yacht and requires as little weight as possible onboard, there were no cleats and few points to attach towing ropes to.
After some consideration, a crew member was placed aboard the yacht with a bridle, casualty drogue and additional ropes to set up an astern tow. As the yacht’s rudder had become detached the vessel had no steerage and so a drogue was placed astern of the yacht to add some stability. It was a slow tow back at 5 knots, and nearly 2 hours later the lifeboat brought the yacht alongside to take the vessel and its eight occupants into Poole Yacht Club.
Once safely alongside, the all-weather lifeboat and crew then returned to station at 1620.

24 May

1930 As new trainee crew members were preparing for their 4-month assessments by revising their lifeboat layout, the pagers went off for the ILB to launch. Two boys had been reported as being in the water after a dinghy had capsized between the RoRo ferry terminal and Hamworthy Park. The ILB launched with four crew, one of which was a new crew member who has transferred to Poole from Lymington Lifeboat Station.

The crew searched the area and one crew member went ashore to talk to two boys on the shoreline next to a vessel that matched the description of the capsized boat. There appeared to be some suspicious circumstances around the incident and so the crew member stayed with them until police officers arrived. The two teenagers were then taken off by police. The crew towed the vessel back to a pontoon next to the lifeboat station (where it was collected by its owner 3 days later).

As the crew were about to rehouse the lifeboat, another call came from the Coastguard requesting their assistance to check on a paddleboarder who was seen a long way off the shore. As it was just getting dark (at 2050), the Coastguard was concerned that the paddleboarder may not get back to shore safely.

The crew searched along the shore from Alum Chine to Shore Road and one crew member went ashore to talk to people on the shore. It was then found that the paddleboarder had returned safely so the crew returned to station at 2130.

22 May

1421 A 7m motorcruiser with a rope around its propeller off Old Harry Rocks called for assistance. The ILB launched and was making its way out of the harbour when a report came through from the Coastguard that another vessel was towing it. As the ILB reached Aunt Betty buoy the crew were asked to return to station. This was the first lifeboat shout for JK, one of our new trainees.

21 May

1632 Poole’s inshore lifeboat was launched following a report that a distressed woman was threatening to jump into the water at Poole Quay. The lifeboat stood by while ambulance crew talked to the woman. She was then taken to hospital and the crew returned to station after 30 minutes.

17 May

1345 Poole’s Deputy Launching Authority launched the inshore lifeboat following reports to Portland Coastguard that a fully clothed woman was in distress in the water near Hamworthy Park. Once on scene, two crew members entered the water to assist the lady. They eventually coaxed her ashore to waiting police and paramedics and she was then taken to Poole Hospital for treatment. The ILB crew then returned to station at 1500.

15 May

0850 A major sea search was carried out following reports that a woman was missing – footprints were found going into the sea near Bournemouth Pier but not coming out – and clothes and keys were found near a groyne near Undercliff Drive. Poole inshore lifeboat was launched at 8.50am but it was then decided to launch Poole’s all-weather lifeboat a short time later to join other search units.

An extensive search was carried out covering a large area along the shore and at sea from Poole Harbour’s entrance to Hengistbury Head. Mudeford inshore lifeboat (which had been out searching since 8.15am, Portland rescue helicopter, Coastguard rescue teams and boats in the area were all involved in the search.

As the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) reached the scene to start searching, they were tasked to another incident where two people onboard a 10m Westerly yacht had broken down at the harbour’s entrance and were unable to continue their journey from Poole to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. The ALB crew rigged a tow and, with one crew member onboard the yacht, towed it back to Poole Yacht Club.

Meanwhile, the ILB crew had continued to search from Boscombe Pier back towards the harbour’s entrance. As the ALB crew were about to return to the search area Portland Coastguard released them to return to station as it was felt that the area had been well searched by lifeboats. Both the all-weather and inshore lifeboat then returned to station.

It is understood that a body was later found.

11 May

2100 While the shore crew were at the boathouse dealing with the incident below another incident occurred – a policeman called at the station requesting a blanket to keep a cyclist warm as he had injured himself when he had come off his bike – he was found dazed and confused.
Three crew members rushed to the scene, finding him sitting on a wall. They immediately administered oxygen and placed a spinal collar on him. Once the ambulance crew arrived on scene they then assisted them to do a ‘rapid take-down’ on a spinal board. He was then taken to Poole Hospital.

11 May

2032 As several crew members were sitting down to dinner (surf and turf was aptly on the menu for one of them), the pagers called them away to the station. The inshore lifeboat crew launched to a report of a broken down 8m RIB, which was drifting between Boscombe Pier and Hengistbury Head as it had run out of fuel. The three people onboard had lifejackets but no VHF radio so had to call the Coastguard by mobile phone. They had been drifting for a short while and, as it was getting dark and they were in an open boat, they were starting to feel cold. It was the beginning of the coldest May night since 1996 as temperatures plummeted to –1°C.

The ILB took 20 minutes to reach them – the crew checked that the two adults and one teenage girl were all okay before rigging up a tow for the long tow back to Cobbs Quay Marina. During the tow back a member of the public reported seeing three red illuminants on a bearing from Lilliput to Green Island. This was investigated and found to be tracers from the ranges at Bovington. Just over 1¼ hours later, the vessel and casualties were handed over to Poole Coastguard Rescue Officers at 2215 and the crew then returned to station and were ready for the next service again by 2245.

We think the dinners had gone into the dogs by then – and the surf and turf was definitely cold!

3 May

1612 A report came through that a female kayaker had capsized off the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The ILB launched and, while proceeding, information was received that the person had made it ashore. The yacht club’s safety launch brought the kayak ashore. The ILB continued to the scene to check that the person was safe and well. They then returned to station.

25 Apr

1704 On returning from Wareham Channel, the ILB spotted a capsized dinghy with three people in the water just outside Poole Yacht Club. Two lifeboat crew members entered the water to help two of the people into the ILB while a third crew member righted the dinghy and then assisted the skipper into the dinghy. The crew member then sailed the dinghy back into the yacht club and the ILB returned the other two people to the club to warm up.

25 Apr

1539 Both lifeboat crews were paged to report of a 10m vessel aground and taking on water in the Wareham Channel. As it was low tide, the ALB didn’t launch immediately as the coxswain knew it wouldn’t be able to reach the area due to the depth of water. Once the ILB was on scene the Senior Helmsman assessed the situation and as the vessel was taking on water through the rudder stock he requested the ALB to launch at 1615 to provide an extra pump. While on the way up through the main channel, the ILB continued to try to refloat the vessel and pump out the water. Once it was successful they then towed the vessel to Ridge Wharf and the ALB was stood down and returned to station.

24 Apr

0015 Just after midnight, the ILB launched to a RIB that had gone aground on Giggers Island in Wareham Channel with five people onboard. The vessel and crew were towed to Moriconium Quay before returning to station an hour later.

15 Apr

1454 The ILB launched after Portland Coastguard informed the Lifeboat Operations Manager that a vessel had gone aground at Branksome Dene Chine. The RNLI training boat Robert Ellsmore was standing by.

The crew launched and arrived on scene and placed two crew ashore with various lines and a tow line. An extra line was also taken off the Robert Ellsmore to extend the tow. The vessel was then towed off and temporarily passed to the training boat while the ILB returned to pick up the crew from the shore. A teenage boy had already been taken ashore by the Coastguard while the owner initially stayed onboard. The ILB crew then put the male owner onto the Robert Ellsmore as he was very cold and shivering and had minor cuts to his leg. The casualty vessel was towed back while the training vessel returned the gentlemen to Poole boathouse, where his son had been taken to warm up.

11 Apr

1812 The ILB launched to a vessel, with one person onboard, that had suffered machinery failure and had then run aground. Once on scene the ILB set up a tow and towed the vessel back to Parkstone Marina.

23 Mar

2200 Poole RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched to a report of a man suffering an electric shock while onboard his yacht. The man in his late 40s was moored behind Sunseekers on the pile moorings when he experienced an electric shock from the generator onboard. When the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene they found the man to be conscious but severely shaken by the experience. The volunteer crew swiftly transferred the casualty ashore to an ambulance that was standing by at the RNLI Lifeboat College. He was then taken to Poole Hospital for further treatment.

21 Mar

1807 – ILB A broken down speedboat off Sandbanks, with four people onboard, had called the Coastguard to let them know they needed assistance. They then issued an ‘any ships in the area’ message asking anyone to assist with a tow. A local fishing boat was able to tow it a short distance while the ILB was tasked to take over the tow. As it was getting dark, the speedboat crew had started to get cold so the lifeboat towed the vessel back to the boathouse where the crew were able to warm up and have a cup of tea. The lifeboat continued with the tow, taking the vessel to Cobbs Quay before returning to station.

16 Mar

1634 – ILB The ILB launched to reports of a 10m yacht aground in the Wareham Channel off Arne Heath. Once on scene the ILB stood by the vessel for a while but nothing could be done as the yacht had a 1.7m draught and the tide was too low to tow it off. The vessel was left in its current position until the next high tide.

14 Mar

2351 The ILB crew were paged to a report of someone about to jump off Boscombe Pier. The person was found safe and well by ambulance crew on the shoreline before the lifeboat launched.

28 Feb

0950 – ILB Using the opportunity of a low spring tide, both the all-weather and inshore lifeboats were on exercise around the back of the islands in the harbour. In South Deep the crews came across an empty tender adrift with no evidence of equipment or people having been aboard it for some time. As it was drifting with the tide, the ILB towed it to the ferry terminal away from the main channels so it wouldn’t become a hazard to shipping or any other water user. The lifeboats then continued with their exercise.

27 Feb

1830 – ILB Following a report to the Coastguard 4 hours earlier that a person was at anchor with his dinghy in the Wareham Channel and was still there at 6.30pm as it was getting dark, the ILB launched to the 7m sailing dinghy with one person onboard to check that all was okay. The person refused assistance so the ILB returned to station.

22 Feb

1147 Both the all-weather (ALB) and inshore lifeboat (ILB) launched following a report of a body in the water off Flaghead Chine. The ILB arrived on scene first to find that the body was ashore with ambulance crew, police and coastguard rescue officers in attendance. No further involvement was required from the ILB and ALB so they both returned to station at 1225. This was the first call out of the year for the all-weather lifeboat crew

19 Feb

1249 Following a report from a member of the public of a capsized kayak off North Haven Yacht Club and concern that there may be persons missing, the inshore lifeboat was launched to investigate. Once on scene, the crew found the vessel to be a section of hull from a catamaran. They dragged it ashore and handed it over to a Coastguard Unit and then returned to station at 1334.

24 Jan

2200 The crew were paged on Sunday evening at 2200, following a report of a woman in the water off Flaghead Chine. The inshore lifeboat crew were tasked initially to search inside the harbour while the Coastguard helicopter searched outside in Poole Bay.
The helicopter crew spotted a person in the water and the casualty was then located and removed from the water by police. The ILB then returned to station a short while later.

14 Jan

1220 The ILB launched following a report to a person in the water off Flag Head Chine from St Ann’s Hospital. As the crew reached the entrance to the harbour, a further report came in informing them that the woman had been recovered from the water by hospital staff and there was no need for them to continue. The crew returned to station at 1245.

9 Jan

1500 The first call out of 2010 for the inshore lifeboat crew occurred in near freezing conditions. In a NNE wind, gusting force 5, with the air temperature at 0.5ºC, a kayaker had called the Coastguard, reporting that he had capsized and was struggling to get back to Hamworthy. The ILB crew, suitably kitted in layers of thermal clothing, launched and found the kayaker with his kayak off Patchins Point. He had fortunately already changed into a dry set of clothing that he had with him. The lifeboat crew took him to Lake Pier before returning to station at 1550.