Poole lifeboat called to kayakers stuck at Old Harry Rocks

Poole Lifeboat was first requested to launch by Coastguard just after 12pm on Monday to a report of a capsized dinghy, with a person in the water at Studland Bay.

The lifeboat crew were swiftly on scene and found the sailing dinghy was being towed back to shore and that the two people who were on board were safe and well.

The lifeboat escorted the vessels back to Knoll Beach and helped them to get the dinghy safely ashore.

Then the Coastguard re-tasked them to a kayak with two people on board off Old Harry.

The kayaker and his son had been out and about on the water when they lost an oar. They managed to get ashore on the bit of beach under Old Harry.

A crew member went ashore to check on the casualties, meanwhile the Coastguard unit who were on top of Old Harry, had spotted the missing oar and relayed the message to the lifeboat crew, who picked it up out of the waves and returned it to the stricken Kayaker.

The crew assisted the kayakers back into the kayak and stood by whilst they made their way ashore to Middle Beach, once safely ashore the lifeboat returned to station.

Later that afternoon, a yacht had encountered engine failure while on passage from the Isle of Wight to Weymouth.

They had diverted to Poole, to sort out their problem.

The Lifeboat met them at Aunt Betty buoy, a crew member was transferred across, and the vessel continued under sail all the way up the main channel.

At Stakes, the lifeboat established an alongside tow to bring them safely into Poole Town Quay Marina which they did, once moored safely alongside, the crew returned to station and made the lifeboat ready for service.

Volunteer Helm Alex Evans said: “The yacht crew were really experienced people and they did the best they could, they just needed our assistance to get them into the marina, a busy day for the lifeboat.”

This takes the call outs up to 84 for the volunteers at Poole Lifeboat this year.