An idea for next year?

I saw this via our Facebook page, our colleagues in the US having a run, alongside colleagues of the fire service.

Whilst I still have my kite surfing challenge to do....may be we can have a team jog?

Busy Weekend -

A missing diver , a washed up dinghy and some kayakers saw incidents for the volunteers of both the Coastguard Team and Swanage RNLI lifeboat crews.

Swanage RNLI link on diving incident

Swanage Coastguard web page

This week will see the team appear at a youth conference organised by the Dorset Police Commissioner.

The theme of the conference will be Your life your choice - and we will be on hand to offer the visiting school group sea safety advice.

More on this during the week.

Joint Team Training

Some photos from the joint team training earlier this year.

Her Majesty's Coastguard

The way the Coastguard delivers the coordination of search and rescue operations on our coast and out at sea is changing.

The modernisation programme will see the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) and 10 other Coastguard Operation Centres around the UK operate as an integrated network managing workload on a national basis. This means in a search and rescue operation there will be a much bigger and better support network available nationally to help Coastguards who may be dealing with multiple incidents at once.

The public won’t notice any difference. If you call 999 and ask for the Coastguard, or issue a mayday broadcast, there will still be someone there to help. There will be no reduction in rescue resources either. The Coastguard Rescue Teams, lifeboats, rescue helicopters and other rescue units that are sent out to help you will be unaffected.



National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC)
At the heart of this new set up is the NMOC based in Hampshire. The centre went live in September 2014, taking on operations from both Solent and Portland Coastguard.

47 Coastguards are currently working at the new centre. This will increase to 96 Coastguards once the national network is fully operational by the end of 2015.

Doggy Rescue

Swanage Bravo was tasked this afternoon by Matilda (aged nearly 4) who lost her 'Doggy' at an adventure farm near Langton Matravers.

Was the missing soft toy in the pig pen? With the chickens...or had those naughty goats eaten her! He had to act fast...

A hasty search of the immediate area was conducted leading to 'Doggy' being found on the climbing frame. 

Phew!

'Doggy' sunning herself on the climbing frame. 

Understand the conditions

In the last couple of days, the volunteers of the Swanage Lifeboat have been called out to Kayakers in distress off Old Harry Rocks.

Thankfully passing vessels have assisted or reported the situation to allow the lifeboat to be called in good time but without these reports these situations could have ended very differently.

The tidal conditions around Old Harry Rocks can be very dangerous and the trip from Swanage to Studland should only be undertaken by competent kayakers.

Ensure the right safety equipment is carried at all time including Lifejackets.

A VHF radio and flares should also be considered along with the proper clothing.

Be aware of cliff falls

After a few months of dry weather, a few small cliff falls were discovered today.







Please remember not to sit directly under a cliff.

Never try to climb a cliff

Don't dig into the cliff

Be aware of the tide

In an Emergency dial 999 ask for Coastguard and state clearly where you are .

What We Do

The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Portland has now closed and our rescues are being co-ordinated  from the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) in Fareham.  We'll run a feature and some piccies of the new facility in due course and at the same time do a round up of some of the rescues that Portland has been involved in over the years.

However, for us it is business as usual.  If you see anyone in distress (or who appears to be in distress) at sea or on the coast then call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.  The local team will be paged in exactly the same way and as before and we will continue to respond from our Coastguard Rescue Station in North Beach Car Park.

This video looks at some of the work we do and discusses the transition to the NMOC.

Post by Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The Purbeck Marathon

Today saw 324 runners hit the coastline of the Purbeck Isles in one of the hardest marathons around.

Swanage, St Albans and Kimmeridge Coastguard all took part .... Well were on hand to assist if anyone required assistance.


Duncan and Steve set the early pace at the front of the main group of runners.



With a view like this - it's probably the best marathon in the world. ( well our opinion)


Brian was congratulating competitors of having broken the back of the run - at this point there was still 25 miles to go !

Well done to all who took part and those who organised it all.

The Purbeck Marathon

This morning sees the Purbeck Marathon start and the team are taking part.

When I say the team is taking part (along with our colleagues along the coast) we are going to monitor the competitors along the route not run !

Start time is 09.30, update to follow during the day.

Training in full swing

Training on Thursday night, we don't always have to have a cliff to set up.



Rumours the Station Officer had dropped his wallet just wasn't true.


Kerry shows the team how long it really should be.

Training and Dorset Police pop in to wash up

It's all been a little quiet at the North Beach Car Park nerve centre of Swanage Coastguard.

Everyone has been a little busy at their respective places of work after the summer so tonight we had a little focus on some cliff training.

Having practised it was back for tea at the station......shortly joined by none other than Swanage Safer Neighbour Team out on patrol. ( must of heard the kettle!)






Well trained PCSO Iain Leslie shows the team how it's done in the kitchen having briefed us on a few local issues.

Face from the past.

Taken from the MCA's Facebook page. Pip was the East Dorset Sector Manager for a number of years before heading west to Brixham.

It's also an acknowledge to all Coastguards who took part in the winter storm incidents.

Yeti spotted in Swanage

Well it's called a Yeti !

A small panic this lunch time when this vehicle was spotted outside the Station.

These vehicles are normally driven by the Area Commanders but it was OK as it was Allan who borrowed it.