2018 - Looking Back - June

Community engagement at the Swanage Fish Festival and a multi-team training exercise at Studland which tested search, first aid and rope rescue skills.

2018 - Looking Back - May

Our trusty old Nissan Navarra finally succumbed to years of off road, on beach, wet, muddy, salty, sandy terrain in May and we were lent a Skoda Yeti for a while.

Yeti spotted in Swanage!

Later on in the month a permanent replacement arrived second hand from Inverness Coastguard - a silver Nissan L200.

Our 'permanent' replacement would itself be replaced later in the year!

So long, farewell!

The tally by the end of May was 55 incidents.

A Birthday and a Callout

It's the Station Officer's birthday today, and what better way to celebrate with a call out at 06.00am and the chance to be with your mates?

That's our 4th incident now in the last 3 days and takes us to 149 for the year to date. Will we get to 150?

Meanwhile, Happy Birthday Ian!

2018 - Looking Back - April

April saw us continuing with local familiarisation and access patrols and a tricky incident involving a walker and a broken leg near Verney Farm out on the Coast Path. Another incident saw a man fall into the water from the cliffs near Old Harry.  Coastguard Terry also became a dog sitter for the day.

On patrol at Agglestone Rock

Rescue Helicopter 175 helped evacuate a walker from the Coast Path.....

....whilst Terry walked the dog back to be cared for!

Fourteen taskings in the month took the total to 43 for the year to date.

2018 - Looking Back - March

March brought a good deal of bad weather - rain, wind and snow all combined to keep the team busy.  We monitored the flooding at the Lower High Street on behalf of the Environment Agency, we provided safety cover to the Town Council who were constructing temporary flood barriers and we used the 4x4 vehicle to transport NHS care staff between their homes and their rural outlying calls.

A total of 22 call outs in March brought the running total to 29 for the year.

2018 - Looking Back - February

Out on Patrol in February, Coastguard Eric comes across an obstruction blocking the way!

We also started some new, enhanced first aid training.

February saw 5 callouts taking the tally for the year to 7.

2018 - Looking Back - January

Its gone a little quieter now, and whilst we haven't so many incidents to tell you about, its a chance to look at what we've been up to all year.

In January we did some vertical rescue training - using our rope rescue equipment to recover individuals trapped down a hole, mine shaft or in between rock armour.

We trained in a sterile environment at Poole Fire Station and then out on the rock armour in Durlston Bay

The 4th Emergency Service

Returning from a tasking earlier in the week, the team came across a young female with a puncture to her car tyre.

Without hesitation the team stopped to help and soon had the wheel  changed and got the lady on her way.

It was definitely easier with Steve there as when he's not Coastguarding he runs Swanage Tyres, the local tyre centre!  Go and see him and get your own tyres checked before the winter sets in.  He also does batteries and servicing too.  On the industrial estate,  left hand side - you can't miss it.

Wasn't it the AA who coined the '4th Emergency Service' tag? Not this week  they weren't!

Fault Line

The team was out yesterday, responding to a silent call from the emergency phone at Anvil Point.

The phone has no dial but goes straight through to HM Coastguard at the National Maritime Operations Centre whenever it is activated.

Despite a search of the area from Tilly Whim to Cattle Troughs, no one could be found who may have made the call, and when a second call rang in the NMOC, it became apparent that the phone may well be faulty.  Inspection of the cable showed signs of damage, so this was reported to the Country Park and the team stood down.

Slip watch

It’s that time of year when we see the wet weather cause some cliff falls and slips.


These are all active and out advice is to keep clear.





In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.