Divers airlifted to Poole

This morning the team were tasked to meet a local dive boat after they had reported some divers overdue.

Thankfully the divers were all located however two of them had showed some medical issues which required checking.

The Coastguard liaised with the dive doctor and it was decided both divers needed to attend the dive centre in Poole.

Rescue 104 was tasked and landed at Peveril Point where both divers were flown to Poole. The Poole Coastguard team attended to meet the aircraft.

We would like to apologise for the inconvenience to the residents of Peveril whilst the area was closed.
The area is cleared for the safety of all concerned and the safe operation of the aircraft.


Rescue 104 takes off after collecting two divers

Coastguard team tasked to search for overdue fishermen

Just after midnight the team were tasked to search for two overdue fishermen in Swanage.

A partner had called the Coastguard concerned that their last contact was at 21.00 and now the mobile phones were not being answered.

The team deployed and soon saw lights just beyond Sheps Hollow, the tide was high but the two fisherman were found walking back having fished right under Ballard Down.

Both men were assisted around a small landslip , then back to Sheps Hollow and the Ballard Estate.

Thankfully this incident was brought to a safe conclusion although both might have some explaining too do once they are home.

In a coastal emergency call 999 - Coastguard

Never off duty

A relaxing walk at middle beach after work suddenly turned into an incident today.

A windsurfer was monitored for about 15 minutes this afternoon , when they seemed to struggle to get back to shore. Suddenly they started to wave and that prompted a 999 call to the Coastguard.

The Coastguard were just in the process of calling the Swanage Lifeboat when two boats responded to the windsurfer waving. One of the boats managed to get along side and bring the female ashore to meet the Coastguard team on the beach.

Having been checked the lady was most grateful and didn't realise the link with the 999 call and the team meeting her!

#always on duty .....999 Coastguard

Show and Tell

Swanage Main Beach will be patrolled by RNLI Beach Lifeguards from Saturday, operating from 10.00am to 6.00pm, 7 days a week through the summer covering from the Mowlem Stream as far as Ocean Bay.

The lifeguards popped in today for a chat about the work we do, to understand our competencies and to look at the types of incidents where we might find ourselves working together.

We took the opportunity to show the lifeguards some of our kit, and let them try it out so that whenever we are pitched together in an incident, it won't be unfamiliar to them.

First, an explanation about the stretcher and how the straps tighten.....

 

then lift.....

 

...and away!

 

 

A drive in the countryside

Last night the team headed out for some training and local knowledge checks.


With the rain and sun shine the grass has grown and the tracks are difficult to locate.


Heading down to the western mile markers


One reason for the trip was to ensure the gates could open and locked oiled.

Boom!

It's strange how we seem to go through a 'run' of similar jobs.  A few months ago we were undertaking a few searches, but now it appears to be ordnance season with the team being tasked following the discovery of an intact shell at Studland this afternoon.

The Navy EOD team were already in Dorset from an earlier incident, and didn't take long to reach the scene, thanks in part to the police 4-wheel-drive 'Rhino' which makes light work of ferrying personnel and equipment across the beach and through the dunes.

As it wasn't clear whether the shell had previously denotated, the decision was made to destroy it on scene and the coastguard team, assisted by police and National Trust staff cleared an area of beach and maintained a safe cordon.

A few minutes and one loud boom later, the item was made safe and the beach reopened to the public.

Keeping watch

Most weekends the team head out on patrol to check the local area.

Most people probably don't realise what we do , just a lot of watching and ensuring people are safe out on the coast.

We check access routes , liaise with partner agencies and give safety advice.

Preparation

It's not a case of nothing going on so nothing happens at the station , in fact that means lots more checking of the equipment to ensure its ready when required.

Each bit of equipment is checked very carefully.








And then all carefully put away ready for the next callout.

One Hundred Years Ago

Having read yesterday's blog and seen the images from the remembrance ceremony's , I headed to the station to see if we had any records which would link us to those living 100 years ago.

Although we have records back to 1883 the incident logs only go back to 1924 so it was an entry in the wreck and salvage book which brought us back to 1916.




Slightly after the Battle of the Somme started but into its 3rd month , this entry dated 29th October 1916 relates to a cask of paraffin found on the beach and recovered.

The finder appears to have been at the No1 camp Swanage - a training camp before heading overseas - belonging to Garrison RFA 45 Battery

One Hundred Years On

One hundred years ago today, on 1 July 1916, a large explosion and a series of whistles indicated the start of the Battle of the Somme - the battle that was intended to be the decisive moment in defeating the German forces in WWI.

In the event, nearly 20,000 British lives were lost on the first day alone, a day where only three square miles of enemy territory were captured.  By the end of the battle, some five months later, German defences were still not defeated, the advance was no further than seven miles and over a million people had lost their lives.  One Million.  Over 400,000 British, over 200,000 French and over 450,000 Germans.

A series of events will take place today to mark the start of the battle, and the bloodiest ever day in the history of the British Army, which included a 2 minute silence at 7.30am, the time the battle started.

We Will Remember Them