http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/latest The latest launch info from Swanage Lifeboats en-us Swanage Lifeboat Station 02/09/2010 21:35:30 20 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=580 Dorset Ambulance contacted Portland Coastguard today requesting assistance to recover a person that had fallen from Swanage Pier. The Inshore Lifeboat crew were paged but just as the crew were about to lower the lifeboat down the slipway a call came in to say that the person had been recovered and further assistance was not required. Swanage Lifeboat Station 29/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=579 Swanage Lifeboat was called to a position 1.5nm northeast of Old Harry after a powerboat driver, racing to Cowes, suffered a spinal injury in choppy seas. A race control boat was alongside the casualty and the injured man was being attended by a trauma surgeon associated with the race, but the Lifeboat was required for further equipment and transportation should it be needed. When on scene, at 1218hrs, a crewman was placed onboard with the doctor. Their first intention was to take the boat and casualty directly back to Cowes but after discussion with the Lifeboat Crew it was agreed that the injured man should be taken to Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole harbour. As there was no problem with the powerboat or its accompanying vessels they proceeded directly to Poole while the Lifeboat returned to station, where it was ready for further service at 1247hrs. Unconfirmed reports from RMYC suggest that an ambulance was called for the injured crewman after he had spent some time ashore waiting for transport back to Cowes. Swanage Lifeboat Station 27/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=578 Two ‘999’ calls to the operations room prompted Portland Coastguard to alert the volunteer Swanage Lifeboat Crew to 2 people in difficulty in Studland Bay. It was reported that their tender had capsized and sunk while they were transferring goods from it to a newly purchased 27’ wooden yacht, ‘Hina’. As the Lifeboat proceeded, a further ‘999’ call was taken from a 3rd member of the crew who was still on the beach saying that the yacht’s anchor was now dragging badly as well. After a short search, the yacht and caualties were found and a crewman was placed on board to find the boat and its occupants to be in disarray and unsure of how to handle the boat in the fresh conditions. It was decided that the safest course of action was to tow the boat up to the Dolphin Marina in Poole harbour. The boat (and waterlogged tender) were under tow shortly afterwards and made slow progress into Poole, where they were met by Poole Coastguard and the Police, who had expressed an interest in the activities. The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for further service at 0250hrs. Swanage Lifeboat Station 26/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=577 As the Inshore Lifeboat crew were preparing to launch to escort the rafts in the annual Swanage Lifeboat raft race they overheard Portland Coastguard discussing what to do about a sunken jet ski south of Anvil Point. Swanage Coastguard were on the cliff top observing another jet ski trying to tow the sunken jet ski with very little success. Rather than getting called away from the raft race the lifeboat crew offered to nip out to Anvil Point, find out what the situation was and see what could be done. Once they were alongside the jet ski they found that the other craft had sunken out of sight. As the weather conditions were starting to worsen they persuaded the 2 people on working ski to return to Swanage and they were handed over to Swanage Coastguard on the beach. The lifeboat crew were then free to head over to the raft race. Swanage Lifeboat Station 21/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=576 With the All Weather Lifeboat already at sea Portland Coastguard asked for the launch of the Inshore Lifeboat to assist in locating and recovering a climber stuck on the cliffs near Winspit. Due to foggy conditions at Portland it looked unlikely that the Coastguard Helicopter would be able to take off so help from the bottom of the cliff would be needed. The inshore lifeboat launched quickly as the crew were still at the station from the previous call. Once they rounded Anvil Point they were informed that the helicopter had been able to take off and that they were on their way to Winspit. The helicopter crew managed to locate and recover the climbers without any problem so the lifeboat crew were stood down to return to Swanage. Swanage Lifeboat Station 20/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=575 With the preperations for the last weekend of lifeboat week virtually finished the crew were called away from Prince Albert Gardens to the lifeboat station. Portland Coastguard had received a report of a missing person last seen at the water edge between St Albans Head and Chapman's Pool. They requested lifeboat assistance in carrying out a search for the missing lady. The All Weather Lifeboat launched and made its way to the area. Shortly after rounding Anvil Point Portland Coastguard got in touch over the radio saying they had now had reports of a climber stuck on the cliffs at Winspit. They requested that the lifeboat assisted the helicopter in locating the climber on the way to St Albans Head. Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat was also being tasked just in case. As it turned out the helicopter crew quickly located the climbers and winched them to the cliff top. They were then able to search for the missing lady and soon located her at the top of the cliff safe and well. Once she had been met by Coastguards from the St Albans team all units were released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 20/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=574 Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage Inshore Lifeboat to assist a small powerboat drifting 800m off Old Harry with 4 people on board. The boat's engine had cut out and the crew had been unable to get it re-started, having tried for about 1 hr 30 minutes. The casualty initially rang Solent coastguard for assistance, but Swanage mobile coastguard could see them from the top of Ballard Downs so the task was transferred to Portland CG. The ILB was quickly on scene and took the Sunseeker in tow back to Swanage. They landed the crew and then secured the casualty vessel to the Lifeboat mooring. Swanage Lifeboat Station 15/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=573 Both Swanage Lifeboats were in action on the first day of the 2010 Swanage Lifeboat week. At about 1815hrs, a concerned father was reporting to the crew that a small dinghy was overdue at, it transpired, the same time as a small yacht was reporting to Portland Coastguard that they had taken a dinghy with two persons on board under tow south of Anvil Point. Portland Coastguard requested the use of the Swanage lifeboats and both Lifeboats launched shorlty afterwards. They quickly converged on the yacht’s position, which was making little headway in the strong ebb tide. The two casualties were taken on board the All Weather Lifeboat, which made its way back to the boathouse before returning to sea to escort the ILB, which had the dinghy under tow and was making good progress across Durlston Bay. Both boats were back on their slipways' at about 1915hrs, in time for the crew to return to Prince Albert Gardens to watch 'The Importance of Being Ernest', the first event of Swanage Lifeboat Week 2010. Swanage Lifeboat Station 15/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=572 Very shortly after a spectacular display over Swanage Bay by the world famous Red Arrows, Portland Coastguard were contacted by the ‘Solent Scene’, a Poole based sightseeing boat, to say they had run hard aground just north of Old Harry. Both Swanage Lifeboats were launched just 5 minutes later, joined by Poole Lifeboat 15mins afterwards. The All Weather Lifeboat was able to get alongside the Solent Scene and remove all 34 passengers. The passengers were then placed aboard the ‘Bournemouth Belle’ and returned to Swanage. Discussions about how to re-float the casualty followed and it was decided to leave Poole Lifeboat on scene and return the Swanage Lifeboats to base. Both boats were back in Swanage at 1342, at which time Solent Scene remained aground. Swanage Lifeboat Station 07/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=571 Swanage's All Weather Lifeboat was in action again today when Portland Coastguard requested its launch to assist a 25' yacht in difficulties 1.5Nm SE of Anvil Point. The yacht had suffered rigging failure meaning that the main sail was no longer tethered. The yacht's crew were also unable to start the engine to bring the boat back under control in the gusty SW winds. The lifeboat launched and was quickly alongside the yacht. After a couple of attempts crewman John Gilmour was put aboard. He was then able to assist the crew in securing and lowering the main sail. The yacht was then taken in tow back to Swanage and secured to the lifeboat mooring. Swanage Lifeboat Station 06/08/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=570 The Swanage volunteer lifeboat crew were again summoned by Portland Coastguard in order to search for and investigate a light seen floating in Poole Bay, potentially on a life raft or from a man overboard life ring. Portland Coastguard passed search co-ordinates to the Lifeboat and requested that the boat carry out an expanding square search pattern when at the scene, some 5nm away. A Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, callsign ‘CG406’, happened to be in the area and was able to quickly spot the light and report its approximate position (very close to the estimated position given from Portland) and with some neat flying CG406 directed the Lifeboat straight to the object. It was recovered at 0015hrs and found to be a standard man overboard style lamp, unattached and floating free. Still unsure about whether or not it was an indication of a vessel or person in trouble in the vicinity, the Lifeboat fired two white parachute flares (CG406 having retired to a safe distance) before carrying out an expanding square search for a further 30mins, covering about two square miles of sea around the lamps position. With nothing found and no further indications of anything amiss, the Lifeboat was released and returned to station making the slipway at 0143hrs. Swanage Lifeboat Station 29/07/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=569 Not long after the lifeboat crew had taken to their beds after the regular Weds night training, they were woken by their pagers. Portland Coastguard had requested the launch of Swanage's All Weather lifeboat to assist a 36' yacht that had suffered total electrical failure in a position thought to be 5Nm SW of St Albans Head. They were drifting with the tide with no lights, very poor communications and they were unsure of their exact position. The lifeboat launched and proceeded to a GPS position where the yacht was thought to be. It soon became apparent that the yacht was not where it was thought to be. After a lot of detective work by the Coastguard and with the yacht's battery finally able to just power the GPS a definite position was passed to the lifeboat crew. Unfortunately the position was about 14Nm WSW from the lifeboat's position. Although this position was slightly closer to Weymouth than Swanage it was agreed that Swanage Lifeboat would continue. After 7 or 8 miles the yacht was detected on radar and the lifeboat was on scene 20 mins later. Two crew were put aboard the yacht with a handheld radio to improve comms and the towline passed across. The slow tow back to Swanage then commenced. The yacht was finally secured to the lifeboat mooring at 05:12. Some details were collected and a spare battery loaned to the yacht's crew. The lifeboat was finally rehoused at 05:48 and was refuelled and ready for service at 06:10. Swanage Lifeboat Station 29/07/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=568 Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat was in action once again following a report from Swanage Coastguard of a large motor cruiser drifting through the moorings in Swanage Bay. It was not known whether someone was on board with a problem or whether the boat had just come free. The lifeboat launched and was soon alongside the vessel in question. A crewman was put aboard and after letting out more anchor chain the vessel held firm once again. After a quick search nobody was found on board. In the mean time Swanage Coastguard had been making enquiries ashore and had managed to locate the owner. The lifeboat crew offered to take him back to his vessel to check for damage and to make sure he was happy with the way it was moored. With the situation resolved all units were released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 24/07/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=567 After receiving a telephone call from a member of the public, Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat to go to the assistance of two persons who had fallen out of an inflatable dinghy in a position 100 metres North East of the Jetty on the main beach, Swanage. The ILB was launched immediately and soon located the casualties. They were recovered to their boat and the craft was towed back to the main beach where they were handed over to Swanage Coastguard who offered some words of safety advice about using inflatable dinghys in offshore winds. The lifeboat and its volunteer crew were then free to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 21/07/10 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=566 A busy few days continued for Swanage Lifeboat crew when their pagers sounded once again. This time Portland Coastguard wanted assistance in locating an upturned drifting sailing dinghy and for the lifeboat crew to confirm how likely it was that someone was missing from the boat. Both the lifeboats launched and made their way down wind to a position aprox 1Nm NE of Peveril Point where the dinghy was last seen. From this position nothing was seen and the swell was aprox 1m high making it tricky to locate the boat. The lifeboats continued down wind and 5 minutes later the dinghy was spotted. The Inshore Lifeboat was quickly alongside and righted the boat. It was then obvious that the boat had not been in use as a lot of the rigging and the rudder were missing. It was more likely that the boat had been washed off the beach with the high tide and strong winds overnight. The boat was taken in tow back to Swanage Sailing Club where it was handed over to Swanage Coastguard. Both lifeboats were then free to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 15/07/10