THE volunteer crew of the Port Isaac RNLI lifeboat, The Pride of Port Isaac, responded to two emergency calls within 48 hours, with both incidents highlighting the importance of coastal safety.
On Saturday, August 3, at 5.34pm, The Pride of Port Isaac was launched following a report from Falmouth Coastguard of three individuals cut off by the tide near the breakwater area of Boscastle Harbour.
Upon arrival, the crew found one female and two young children stranded on rocks with the tide rising. The lifeboat crew executed three rock landings to safely rescue the individuals. They were transported to the slipway in the harbour, where they were met by Boscastle Coastguard.
Senior helm Damien Bolton said: “It’s easier than you think to get into trouble in the water, 138 people die by accident at our coast each year. The RNLI urges all coastal visitors to be aware of tide times and to carry a means of communication to ensure they can call for help if needed.”
The second call came less than two days later on Monday, August 5, at around 12.23pm, when the lifeboat was tasked with investigating a report of an object in the water near Tregardock Beach. The crew conducted a shoreline search but faced challenges due to the surf conditions, making it difficult to approach the object. Polzeath Coastguard teams, who were also present, managed to identify the object as discarded fishing gear. The crew stood by to assist as necessary, ensuring the safety of the coastguard teams. Once the situation was assessed and found to be non-threatening, the lifeboat returned to station.
Lifeboat helm Ben Spicer commented on the find: “Discarded fishing gear poses significant hazards, not only to vessels by potentially fouling propellers but also to marine wildlife through the risk of entanglement. The RNLI encourages all mariners and coastal visitors to dispose of waste responsibly.”
Upon return to the station the lifeboat was refuelled and readied for service. The Port Isaac RNLI crew remains on standby, ready to respond to emergencies.