Training cliff remodelled

One of our former training areas is being remodelled.

The slope along the sea front is being regraded as part of the shore road project which will then see the war memorial moved about 11 metres away from the edge.

The area to the north nicknamed by the team "the cliff of certain doom "will now be a slope.

Thankfully we have other types of cliffs to practice on.

Don't get cut off by the tide

Just past Sheps Hollow this fresh fall could cut your route off during a high tide.

Never climb up over any cliff fall.

Old Harry

Meteor Crater

This is Meteor Crater near the town of Meteor in Arizona USA and it is said to be the world's finest preserved meteor crater.  It is over 1200 metres in diameter and 170 metres deep and is believed to be over 50,000 years old.  It is a designated US Natural Landmark, it was used to train NASA astronauts prior to the moon landings and it is a major tourist attraction off the Interstate 40.

Craters like this can be found in many parts of the world.  There are none currently in Dubai although it had a lucky escape yesterday and it is bracing itself for 20 May when the risk of a crater will once again be high.

In other unrelated news, the answer to yesterday's quiz was (c): Austen's parachute jump in Dubai was cancelled because he wasn't light enough, although if you answered (a), (b) or (d) you'd also be right.  He hopes to have a second go on 20 May .

Austen's Parachute Jump - Cancelled!

Our Coastguard friend who is currently 'overseas' - Austen Rockett - planned to do a parachute jump this morning over in Dubai; the team were very saddened to hear that the jump was cancelled right at the last moment.

We wondered why?

Austen's plane ready for takeoff (...the big one clearly)

Cliff clearance

The slip at the north end of the bay has recently been cleared of the concrete that slipped down the cliff.

Please stay away from the edge.

Whilst dealing with the incident yesterday a group turned up and yet again decided to lean right over the edge to see how high the cliff was.

There was been a lot of coastal erosion here at Old Harry - please look from a safe distance.

More training

The team continued training last

Roger getting close to Duncan


Kyle considers how tight the neck seal really is

The walk home

The Station Officer, Deputy Station Officer, Kerry and Mr Hobbs walking back from the incident on Sunday.

Helicopter Rescue

Rescue 106 from Portland lands in the Queen Elizabeth II field (formally Forres field) Sunday.










The aircraft had been scrambled at the request of South Western Ambulance to transport an 11 year old with a spinal injury.

The Swanage Coastguard team attended to assist keeping the public clear of the aircraft as it does attract lots of attention. We train regularly with the helicopter crews to ensure we know what they require when coming in for a landing

Terry Potter and Geologist's Stone

Training was early this morning to ensure as volunteers we could put in two hours without compromising our family lives. A lot of what we do can only be achieved due to our partners and families allowing us the time to train...and respond if necessary. At the same time we have normal lives to live - we're not full time!

Anyway, it was a useful opportunity to get 10 Coastguards up on The Downs and run through a number of cliff rescue scenarios giving everyone to practice skills and learn new ones too.

Chris pulling a Next catalogue pose

Roger doing a spot of Officer In Charge - is that a bacon sandwich on the horizon?

Steve left down the cliff - '...what's that Steve, I can't hear you'

Fair to say that Terry, or Terry Potter, took the brunt of the teasing which he deserves for being a fan of Harry Potter.

Luckily he brought a broom in case there was a chance of a game of Quidditch.

Terry with flying broomstick
(Poor chap was so busy concentrating of getting the harness on that he didn't see us pull this stunt on him,
in fact first time he'll know is when he reads this blog!)

Meanwhile Roger decide to rescue and bring a rock up in the dog bag as a bit of ballast, not that he needs a lot, and our resident geologist Duncan - or Mr Hobbs as he's called at school - promptly decided it was Shelly limestone.  

Duncan said it was named after a person called Mr Shelly; but I reckon he's having us on because we all know that the rock is a highly fossiliferous limestone, composed of a number of fossilised organisms such as brachiopods, bryozoans, crinoids, sponges, corals, carrots and mollusks. It varies in colour, texture and hardness.  So basically Limestoen full of shells, or Shelly Limestone.     

So what did we learn today? Well they do a great breakfast gap down the Seagull Cafe, Duncan is a Geo-fibber, and we found out that Chris has taken over the mantle of camp photo coastguard (From Brian)

On the serious side, the kit all works well, the team all know how to use it, and we are more than ready for the summer season.

Sunday Morning Training

Training - Swanage looks gorgeous this morning; a lovely place to live! (Click photo for full size)

Terry Potter

Little did the Coastguard team know that roughty toughty Terry is a massive fan of Harry Potter. 

...that was until these photos magically fell into our hands ;-)

He's even been to the theme park in America.

Terry waving his small wand at 'Ollivanders'....look at his face, so excited.

Here he is drinking 'Butterbeer' ... Terry tells us that this is how lifeboat men drink their beer. ;-)

Alpine Butterfly Knot

This is a blog more for the chaps on station, see below for an easy explanation of how to tie the Alpine Butterfly Knot.

A second dog falls at Durlston

In sadly what was almost a facsimile copy of last weekend's tasking, the Swanage Coastguard cliff team were called to a report of a dog that had jumped over a wall at Durlston Country Park and fallen some 90ft into the sea. The dog was subsequently spotted by its owner swimming about 100m off shore.

The Swanage Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was tasked to assist but could not find the dog. Sadly it would appear the dog had drowned, the whole situation was desperately sad for the owner.

It doesn't matter how well trained or behaved the dog is, please, please keep your dogs on the lead near to the cliff edge.

.......

Ending on a positive note it was the first official tasking for our newest recruit! We'll introduce you to Callsign 'Juliet' our climbing instructor and mum of two, later this week.

Skipper of the SHANI ? Anyone know him?

'The owner of a dinghy found floating off Peveril Ledges on 26 February 2014, which was kindly towed back to the Swanage Boat Park by fishing boat SHANI, would like to thank the skipper personally.

Anyone know who the skipper is?

Please get in contact if you do, cheers.'

Anvil Point Lighthouse - Emergency Phone.

The IRT were tasked to Anvil Point Lighthouse this afternoon following a 'dropped call' from the emergency telephone to the HMCoastguard Operations Room (MRCC).

The telephone automatically connects to the Ops Room when picked up and it would appear someone picked the phone up and put it down again; perhaps out of curiosity rather than ill intent.

The team are routinely sent to firstly check there isn't an emergency, and secondly to offer words of advice to people you might be messing round with it. On this occasion the IRT spoke to the a family holidaying at the lighthouse who confirmed that they had not seen any other children using it.