2 kayakers who found themselves stranded by the tide at Watcombe Bay were rescued by the volunteers of Freshwater Independent Lifeboat this afternoon (Monday).
It was just before 13:25 that Solent Coastguard received reports of a man and a woman in difficulty to the west of Freshwater Bay.
Freshwater Lifeboat was tasked to launch, with the volunteer lifeboat crew quickly identifying the stranded casualties.
They were transferred onto the inshore lifeboat and taken around to Freshwater Bay, where they were met by Coastguard Rescue Officers from both The Needles and Ventnor.
A third kayaker, who was also part of the group, capsized but made his own way safely to shore.
How can you be stranded by the tide when you have a kayak. Or am I missing something here
In the sea, you can get stranded by the tide if you land your kayak at high tide and stay ashore too long; as the tide goes out, the water can retreat hundreds of meters, leaving your kayak stuck on sand, rocks, or mudflats. This makes it extremely difficult or even impossible to relaunch until the tide comes back in, especially if the terrain is slippery or the kayak is too heavy to drag.
Most kayaks are portable and the tide does not retreat hundreds of yards at Freshwater.
Quite right in all respects Keith. I was there and counted at least seven Coastguard on the beach and then four in the dinghy/ mini RIB that set off from the beach.interesting to know the actual cost of the operation, though one could argue it was good training, especially for the lady trying to start the outboard. As to the kayakers being stranded, the tide was coming in at a rate of knots as the rescuers set off (with difficulty) and my wife and I had a problem coping with the ingress. Just sayin’…
There no where the tide retreats by “hundreds of meters” on the Isle of Wight!
Try Ryde.
Not even Ryde retreats “hundreds of metres”!¬
to quote from https://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk
“Ryde is well known for its incredibly low tide – it goes out over half a mile – almost to the end of the pier.”
& in case you can’t do the math,.. half a mile is ~ 800 meters
so, yes,.. it does go out “hundreds of metres”!
You are so right about that
I experienced that myself
thankfully I had my phone on and coast guard rescued me
Clearly you have no kyakn experience to say that
Send them the bill? Silly people.
Why ??
when the tide is flowing, faster than you can paddle, in the wrong direction, it’s either be rescued, or potentially get swept far out to sea..
I’m sure it’s easy to get caught out if you don’t know the area and local tidal flows…
I can’t imagine Freshwater Independent Lifeboat feel the same as you…
(lets face it,.. if everybody who went out on the water was perfectly prepared every time & never took the slightest risk, or venture into the unknown, then there’d be no need for an organisation like that)
Well that’s a cruel thing to say, hope you have no need of needing rescuing in any avenue not just kyakn
and do you think people go out with intention of needing to be rescued
Ball
You are the backside of trump