Check the tides

If you are going for a walk on the beach this weekend , please check the tides.

This was at Sheps Hollow and with the recent cliff falls there is a risk of being cut off by the tide.



#999coastguard

Climber in fall at Anvil Point

The Swanage team were tasked this afternoon to a report of a climber that had been injured at Anvil Point.

The male climber from Hampshire had fallen 3 to 4 metres injuring his face but managed to get to the top of the cliff before calling for assistance.

The team arrived and provided first aid for facial and neck injuries until paramedics from Southwestern Ambulance arrived.

The male has been conveyed to Poole hospital for further checks and treatment.

'Clean' Mud Training, part 2

More photos from Thursday's mud rescue training with our colleagues from Poole.

Mystery at Days Park

A face book post suddenly appeared this evening asking what was going on in Days Park ( next to the football club).

Well we would like to reassure everyone that it was a training exercise involving the Swanage and Poole Coastguard teams.




What the teams were practising was a mud rescue. The Poole team are the area mud rescue team with members of the Swanage team able to assist if required.

The set up in the park enabled us to lay all the equipment out in the slightly safer and less muddier conditions that Poole Harbour has to offer.

Thanks to the Poole team for coming over tonight.

Rescue 106

Rescue 106 lands on at Headbury quarry on Sunday.

Photo sent in by Adam who was out cycling with his dad.

Climber falls at Headbury

The team were tasked to back up St Albans Coastguard at Headbury Quarry west of Dancing Ledge.

A climber had fallen whilst climbing and hit the cliff face, injuring her leg.

The teams assisted the paramedic winchman and South Western Ambulance paramedic with the female climber before carrying her to the waiting aircraft.



Rescue 106 from Portland landed in the quarry.


Coastguard Rescue Officers guided by the winchman to the waiting aircraft - photos by the Field Family.

As the helicopter was waiting for the casualty , the crew spotted two further climbers who may have been in difficulty.

A further team were sent to investigate with both Coastguard teams searching from Hedbury quarry to Blackers Hole with nothing found.

Having completed the search the team were then asked to check for a yacht in Swanage bay.
The yacht had been towed to Swanage last week by the lifeboat and was reported as leaving. Contact has been lost with the owner and the Coastguard wanted to ensure all was ok.
The bay was checked with no sign of the yacht.

Is your Dog under Control?

One of the great things about living at the coast or visiting the area is the range of possibilities for taking your dog for a really long walk or run.

But please make sure you both come back safe.

Around this time of year we are often called to reports of dogs over cliffs, usually because they've chased a bird or young rabbit towards the edge and always because they haven't been on a lead.

Always keep your dog on a lead on or near cliff edges and if your dog does go over, don't be tempted to try and Rescue it yourself - you'll only put yourself in danger. Remember 999 Coastguard.

If you are on the beaches in the area you must keep your dog under control. Restrictions on leads vary from beach to beach in Studland and Swanage as well as seasonal variations. Some local beaches forbid dogs totally in the summer - please check.

And even off the lead, your dog must still be under control.   You might think it's being friendly,  but not everyone appreciates or is even comfortable with a random dog bounding up to them and leaping up, even if it's only saying hello!

If you do have concerns about dogs out of control at beaches, speak to the National Trust rangers at Studland or the Town Council Dog Warden at Swanage.

Mud and response times

The incidents over the weekend were mainly caused by the mud and people slipping over.

The mud also caused some issues getting to and from the incident especially for our colleagues on their return journey.

From the moment the pagers were activated, the volunteers coastguard teams rolled off the station in nine minutes.
That's including travelling to the station kitting up and proceeding.

It took us a further quarter of an hour to get to the injured person and this was as we had to leave the vehicles parked and went on foot due to the ground conditions.

Using a specialist vehicle from the National Trust the recovery of the injured male and equipment was greatly sped up and a lot safer

Ground condition at the moment are very wet so please take care if out walking.

Our Thoughts are with the Irish Coastguard

HM Coastguard has paid tribute to the four helicopter crew, Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy and Winchmen Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith, who were tragically lost in the line of duty yesterday.

Night call out

The team were called last night to a report of a white flashing light under Ballard.

On arrival at Sheps Hollow the team could see a large yacht at anchor just off shore.

The yacht was monitored and The UK Coastguard tried to contact the yacht via VHF radio to ensure all was well.

With no further sign of a problem and no sign of a further flashing light , the team were stood down.

Training counts

Yesterday the team headed up to Durlston and exercised in a difficult location by the view point.

We have to balance the sensitive environmental location with ensuring we can set up should an incident happen.

Whilst we normally use stake holdfasts , yesterday we looked at urban and nature holdfasts ( trees for example).

We hadn't quite finished when our first call came in and we had to pack up quickly.

Another Slip and a possible sunken boat

The team were out training this morning at Durlston when a call came in from the National Maritime Operations Centre requesting the team proceed to the Downs to assist South Western Ambulance.

Within five minutes the first team members arrived to find an ambulance crew tending to a male with a dislocated ankle.

In an almost rerun of yesterday's incident the rest of the team arrived with a stretcher and soon were carrying the patient to the ambulance. Thankfully compared to yesterday's incident the distance was in metres not over half a mile.

Just as the team had completed the stretcher lift , the team were requested to proceed to Old Harry Rocks and a report of a vessel aground.

The team split up with some going to Old Harry and the others to the NCI lookout.
On arrival at the lookout the team could see a dark object in the water and waited to get a team above to confirm what it was.

The team arrived at the top of the cliff and confirmed it was a large rock.




A quick debrief over "brunch" and the volunteers returned to station for an hours cleaning duties.

#beingavolunteer

Teams called to Dancing Ledge

Both the Swanage and St Albans Coastguard teams were called to the coastal footpath above Dancing Ledge this afternoon.

A 65 year old male walking with friends slipped and fell on very wet ground breaking his ankle.

The ambulance service sent the air ambulance but due to the fog, the aircraft was unable to get near.

A specialist ambulance team were deployed from Exeter to assist and requested assistance from the Coastguard whilst on route.

The ground conditions were very wet so the teams had to walk to the location.

First aid was given and with a specialist vehicle from the National Trust which one of the St Albans Team had access too, the male was brought to Acton near Langton to meet the ambulance.




Swanage and St Albans Coastguard Rescue Teams, stabilise and extract the fallen walker at Dancing Ledge.

Diesel Spill

Coastguard Officers were called this morning to a strong diesel smell at the North end of the bay.

On investigation, the source appeared to be from the stream at Sheps Hollow where the smell was the strongest.

The relevant authorities were advised and following enquiries the Environment Agency have located a leaking fuel tank.

As a precaution, we would advise dog walkers not to let their dogs drink from the stream at Sheps Hollow.

We would also advise to stay out of the sea and follow advice on warning signs.

The stream at Sheps Hollow is between groynes 17 and 18.

International Woman's Day

Today was International Woman's day.

Our lady volunteer team members are available 24/7 , 365 days a year.

#999Coastguard

We don't just do water

Just as the Station Officer headed home after a Coastguard patrol, the air ambulance landed in King George's Field.

Knowing the paramedics would need to get to an incident an offer of a lift was gratefully accepted and with the help of the Council Enforcement Officer the theee Paramedics where taken into town.




The Dorset and Somerset air ambulance in a soggy King Georges Field.

Being a Coastguard volunteer supports the community in many ways.

Are you on firm ground ?

Are you going for a coastal walk this weekend ?

When you stop and look out to sea do you stand on the edge ?

Have you considered what your standing on or in some cases not !

Cliff overhangs are common and our advice is to stay some distance from the edge and look at the view.


Never go off official paths to get to a beach , you may get stuck.



We want your visit to be remembered for the right reasons.

Stay away from cliff edges.

#999Coastguard

Helicopter Action

A snapshot of Search and Rescue Helicopter activity in the last quarter of 2016.  

Incidents at Swanage included a lady with a broken collarbone and another with a damaged skull after a fall.

We worked with helicopters from both Portland and Lee on Solent during the period as well as the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.   The base at Portland is due to close later this year, whilst Lee on Solent will be losing its AW139 in favour of a new, larger AW189.