There's been a fresh westerly wind in Swanage today - ie from the west, blowing out to sea.
For several users of inflatable dinghies this was great as having taken to their trusty craft they were 100 metres or more off shore in no time at all with hardly any effort at all. Such good rowers, you think they'd join the local rowing club perhaps?
But then the trouble started as soon as they tried to paddle back, because oddly, despite paddling furiously towards the beach they continued to go in the original direction. East. Out to Sea. Next stop the Isle of Wight. or France if you're unlucky.
Three casualties in the space of 45 minutes, one rescued by the inshore lifeboat, one by a passing motorboat and the third by a kind kayaker who put to sea to recover two childeren of about 8 and 10 whilst the parents read the paper on the beach.
There's a message there somewhere: If there's a strong off shore breeze, don't let your kids go off unsupervised in a dinghy. Keep it on a long line, stand alongside it holding on, or stay on the beach and save the dinghy for another day. For six lucky people today there might not have been another day.
No comments:
Post a Comment