The RNLI was called out following multiple 999 calls of a kayaker upside down and drifting at the mouth of Poole Harbour, just off Shell Bay in Studland.
This time it was the Poole Lifeboat crew who were tasked to respond to the call at around 5 pm on Friday 8th May 2020, following last Thursday’s Swanage Lifeboat rescue of people stranded at Old Harry Rocks.
Paddleboarder had assisted the kayaker
When the lifeboat crew arrived on the scene, they discovered that a paddleboarder had assisted the kayaker and had helped him to ‘right himself’. The kayaker had then been able to get safely back to shore.
Once this was confirmed, the crew were about to head back, when they were asked by the police to tell a group of kayakers out on Hook Sands to go home and stay home. Hook Sands is a sand bar just outside the entrance to Poole Harbour, north east from the Studland coast.
Poole Lifeboat volunteer, Paul Glatzel said:
‘No kayaker, paddleboarder or boater goes afloat with the expectation or intention to get into trouble, but things do go wrong unexpectedly sometimes.
Poole Lifeboat Station will always respond to requests for assistance, but we would ask people to bear in mind that when we do launch that our volunteer crews cannot socially distance themselves on a lifeboat which increases the risk to them and to their families.
“This is the same for the volunteer coastguard teams, the police and ambulance crews that may attend. We ask that people respect the request to “Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.”
HM Coastguard poster
Swanage Coastguard says: “Do not put the emergency services under pressure”
Earlier the same day on Bank Holiday Friday, the Swanage Coastguard responded to reports of a swimmer not moving off the banjo quay in Swanage Bay. This resulted in the team spending an hour searching along the shore line for any swimmer in distress.
Swanage Coastguard said:
“Various swimmers were spoken to but they all said they were ok. The bay was checked and no further reports were received. Please continue to follow government advice and do not put the emergency services under pressure.”
