http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/latest The latest launch info from Swanage Lifeboats en-us Swanage Lifeboat Station 09/02/2010 01:35:23 20 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=543 Portland Coastguard requested the launch of the Swanage All Weather Lifeboat after a man of Russian origin had been picked up from the shoreline by the chain ferry at the entrance to Poole Harbour. He was taken to Poole Hospital and disclosed that 3 others had jumped overboard from the Poole to Cherbourg ferry, Barfleur, in an attempt to swim ashore. The lifeboat launched and proceeded to the search area to join Poole Lifeboat and Rescue Helicopter 104. After searching down through the Swash Channel Swanage lifeboat was then requested to search the Eastern side of Poole Harbour and to check all moored vessels. At 03:17 Portland CG requested both Poole and Swanage Lifeboats to search outside Poole harbour to the east to Boscombe pier. At 04:55 the search was scaled down with Swanage Lifeboat asked to return to station with a final search of Studland bay being carried out as they returned. The lifeboat was then rehoused and made ready for service. Swanage Lifeboat Station 25/11/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=542 Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat following reports of people in the water after a boat capsized at the Northern end of Swanage Bay. The lifeboat launched and quickly located the 2 people and their boat. Luckily they and their boat had been washed ashore by the Easterly swell. The crew beached the lifeboat and checked the 2 people over before handing them over to Swanage Coastguard who took one of the casualties to Swanage Hospital for a quick check up. The lifeboat crew then refloated the boat and towed in back to Swanage Boatpark. Once the boat was safely ashore the lifeboat and its volunteer crew were released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 30/10/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=541 Portland Coastguard requested the immediate launch of Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat following reports of a kayak in difficulties in Swanage Bay, 2 people were in the water and seemed unable to get back into their craft. The Lifeboat launched and made its way across to the main beach. After speaking to another kayaker enroute it became apparent that the people in difficulties had made it safely to the beach just a few moments earlier. The lifeboat crew met up with them to confirm that all was well and then left them in the capable hands of Swanage Coastguard. The volunteer crew then returned to station and the boat was washed down and made ready for service. Swanage Lifeboat Station 24/10/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=540 Portland Coastguard requested the assistance of Swanage Lifeboat following reports of a dis-masted yacht drifting through the choppy tidal race at Old Harry. It was unclear whether anyone was onboard and the Coastguard were unable to make contact with the vessel. The All Weather Lifeboat launched and was quickly alongside the yacht. It was partially submerged and it looked like it had been deliberately set free as the yacht's mast was neatly stowed down below. Crew member Gavin Steeden was put aboard to secure a towline and was recovered as soon as this was done. The yacht was then very slowly towed towards Swanage, unfortunately the yacht was taking on more and more water and the towline was cut just before she sank completely from view. The position was recorded and passed to the Coastguard, the lifeboat and its volunteer crew were then released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 19/10/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=539 With a diver in the water, the last thing a dive boat needs is engine failure. This was the situation that caused Portland Coastguard to ask for both Swanage Lifeboats to proceed to a position just west of Kimmeridge Bay, in case boat and diver were separated by the time the Lifeboats had covered the 8 nautical miles to the scene. The Inshore Lifeboat was first in the water but couldn’t travel much faster that the Mersey class All Weather lifeboat because of the confused sea conditions. During the passage to Kimmeridge, the ALB passed an offshore race boat that had gearbox failure. Their position was logged and passed to the Coastguard. After passing St Albans Head, the ALB contacted the dive RIB who had by now managed to fix his engine problem and was tracking his diver. The ILB was released to check up on the progress of the race boat ‘171’ before returning to station. The ALB carried on to make contact with the dive RIB to check everything remained OK, then returned to Swanage, re-housing at 1647hrs Swanage Lifeboat Station 10/10/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=537 At the request of Dorset Police, Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage ILB to conduct a shoreline search from The Mowlem Theatre to Durlston Head, as part of search for a woman suffering from alzheimers, who had been missing overnight. The ILB launched and searched the desiginated area, and also the coastline up to Ballard Down but no person was found. Members of the lifeboat crew also searched the adjoining boat park and the shoreline around Peveril Point, including the shelters as an additional check. At 09:32 the ILB was given permission to return to station with nothing found. Thankfully later in the day the lady was found safe and well by Dorset Police. Swanage Lifeboat Station 24/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=536 Portland Coastguard requested lifeboat assistance to go to the aid of a 17ft motor vessel, the occupants having reported being in difficulties just off of Old Harry Rocks. The DLA paged the crew for the All Weather Lifeboat to launch, but upon arriving at the lifeboat house it was decided to launch the Inshore Lifeboat, as a Tamar class lifeboat (16-13) was also in the area on crew training. The ILB was soon alongside the stricken vessel and transferred the four occupants onto Lifeboat 16-13 which was standing by. A line was passed and lifeboat 16-13 towed the casualty up to Poole. Swanage ILB was released at 16:00, returned to station and was re-fuelled,washed down and made ready for service. Swanage Lifeboat Station 22/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=535 Just as Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat was about to launch on exercise a member of the public mentioned to the crew that his friend had possibly broken down off Old Harry rocks. ILB crew agreed to go and take a look as they were planning on going that way anyway. As the lifeboat passed Ballard Point the vessel in question was spotted and had indeed broken down after suffering some form of electrical problem as smoke had been seen coming from under the engine cowling. The skipper was taken off his vessel and onto ILB and the vessel then taken in tow back to Swanage Boatpark. With the boat safely secured alongside one the jetties the ILB was then released and continued with their exercise. Swanage Lifeboat Station 21/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=534 A call from a mobile phone from a small motorboat reporting itself to be 10 feet from Old Harry without power prompted Portland Coastguard to launch Both Swanage Lifeboats in a North Easterly wind – a direction likely to blow the craft further ashore. The ILB arrived on scene first after a short but choppy ride. The casualty was indeed very close to Old Harry, but had managed to get an anchor to hold, stopping them from going aground on the rocks. The ILB placed a crewman on board to check everyone on board was OK, by which time the ALB had arrived. A tow was secured, the ILB crewman left aboard the tow and the ILB then returned to station while the ALB towed the vessel to its mooring just inside Poole Harbour North Channel. The crew of the boat were helped ashore before the ALB returned to Swanage, where it was washed down and ready for further service at 2120hrs Swanage Lifeboat Station 13/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=533 Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage's All Weather Lifeboat after hearing a very faint Mayday call from a 31' trimaran reporting that they were dismasted possibly following a collision with a trawler 14Nm South of Anvil Point. Weather on scene was Westerley Force 7 to 8 with a 3m sea, they had no injuries onboard but required immediate assistance. The Lifeboat launched on quickly located the casualty on radar as a merchant ship was standing by the yacht after responding to the Mayday. The lifeboat was able to make good speed and was alongside the yacht just under an hour after launching. The yacht's crew cut away the last of the rigging and the lifeboat's towline was passed across. With the towline secured the slow and wet trip back to Poole began. Once back in the calm waters of Poole Harbour the tow was let go and the yacht made her own way to a berth at Poole Quay under her own power and escorted by Poole Lifeboat. Swanage Lifeboat was then released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 04/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=532 Its not often these days that someone firing a flare brings a lifeboat to their assistance. However this was the case on Wedneday afternoon. Portland Coastguard received a 999 phone call from a member of the public stating that they had seen an orange distress flare being fired from what appeared to be a jet-ski in the middle of Swanage Bay. Swanage's DLA was paged and initially paged the crew for the All Weather Lifeboat. Once the crew were at the station the Coxswain decided as the casualty was visible and that the weather & sea state was OK, the Inshore Lifeboat should launch instead as it would be easier for them to recover the craft. The ILB launched and was quickly alongside the jet-ski, they got the male onboard and took his ski in tow back to Swanage Boatpark. With the casualty safely ashore the lifeboat was released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 02/09/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=531 The Cowes – Torquay powerboat race is always spectacular, but on this occasion it ended in disaster for ‘Ocean Dragon’ when a faulty exhaust manifold resulted in the boat making water and sinking, leaving its two person crew in their life-raft and the Swanage Lifeboat called to the scene. About 7nm to the East of Swanage, the Lifeboat took the Ocean Dragon in tow in an attempt to keep the boat on an even keel. When the sheltered waters of Studland were reached, Poole inshore Lifeboat tried to pump out the powerboat but all attempts failed as she was too low in the water. Eventually it was decided that the safest option was to beach the stricken craft at the North end of Swanage Bay and for the owners to arrange salvage as it was clear that more equipment than the lifeboat carries was going to be needed. The Lifeboat secured the Ocean Dragon and returned to station at 1515hrs Swanage Lifeboat Station 29/08/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=530 A busy few days for Swanage Lifeboat continued with a launch for the All Weather Lifeboat on Monday afternoon. Portland Coastguard had received a VHF radio call from a 30' motor boat that had become entangled in its own liferaft. The raft had come loose from its stowage, had deployed, inflated and then its drogue line had become entangled in the props of boat. The lifeboat launched and was on scene 15 minutes later. The first thing to do was to recover the water logged liferaft, this was bailed out and then brought aboard the lifeboat. The skipper of the motor boat was complaining of bad vibration from his props so a towline was passed across and the boat taken in tow to Swanage. Once secured to the lifeboat mooring a local diver was able to clear the fouled props and the motor boat and its crew were able to continue on their way. The lifeboat was then released to return to station. Swanage Lifeboat Station 24/08/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=529 Portland Coastguard requested the launch of Swanage's Inshore Lifeboat to locate a member of the public who had been reported as in difficulty, swimming in Swanage Bay. The ILB launched and was quickly on scene. They were unable to locate a casualty in the reported area. The ILB helm located one of the beach warden's and learnt that the casualty had returned to shore a few minutes earlier and left the scene. The crew were stood down at 16:05. Swanage Lifeboat Station 23/08/09 http://www.swanagelifeboat.org.uk/home/launch.asp?ID=528 The second shout of the day came when Portland Coastguard received a report of a blue-hulled 30 foot sloop that NCI St Aldhelms Head had been observing for over an hour struggling to make way Eastwards against a very strong tide. The yacht had been knocked through 360 degress a number of times and it had not been possible to establish radio contact. It was suspected the yacht was singlehanded with life aboard uncomfortable in the prevailing conditions. Swanage Lifeboat was tasked to the area and searched for the yacht. Unfortunately the bright sunshine meant that the Coastguard Unit and volunteers at NCI St Aldhelms Head lost sight of the yacht. The lifeboat crew located a number of yachts in the area by radar but were unable to find the blue hulled one that was having problems. After a quick fly over by Coastguard Helicopter 106 it was decided to stand all units down as if there had been anyone in trouble they would have been spotted. Swanage Lifeboat Station 21/08/09