***Lifeboat Called Out*** / Barton Sole Bashing

[SpeciMan]

Hopefully the title to this thread will pull in as many views as the BIC review thread.

 

Fished Barton On Sea this evening, a sleepy coastal village in the eastern corner of Christchurch Bay, Dorset. I've been meaning to fish this venue since I've had a kayak but given I'm spoiled for choice of marks in my area and Barton gets the brunt of the westerly swell I've held off fishing here. Tonight the conditions looked favourable so I decided to try for sole.

 

Theres quite a steep path down to the shore which has also put me off launching here but with the invention of the C-tug I gave it a go and it was no big deal. I didn't take much tackle & coming back up wasn't too bad I just pushed the kayak up the slope from the stern and stopped for rests.

 

When I got to the shoreline it was high tide, the sun was still up and I picked my launch spot - a steepish section of shingle bank. Counting the waves I waited for a lull and seal launched the kayak (only about 7 feet or so) down the bank and into the water (felt good ).

 

I paddled out to my mark - probably about 400 yards off shore. I wasn't far out & was out of range from a couple of beach fisherman along the shore.

 

I set up my new v2 anchor quick release system which uses a dry bag as a buoy which worked very well (will post up a thread about it at some point) and fished on into dusk. The wind picked up a little and it became a little lumpy when the tide turned but I decided to stick it out as it was manageable. Bites soon came and the bream were going nuts! Took a couple of these fishy protein shots for the pot and put the rest back.

Now to the title of this thread...

Not long after darkness fell I noticed commotion from the nearby cliff top - I couldn't make out what was happening up there - headlights from a vehicle hit me head on a few times but then went off - I had my VHF on channel 16 nothing happening on there & put it down to perhaps boy racers in the car park above. When I saw a few sillouttes of people on the cliff top and then heard a voice over a loud speaker, that was enough. I paddled back into see what was happening. Turns out a concerned resident had seen me leaving and called the coastguard when it got dark. When I got to shore I had a brief chat with the coastguard volunteers(eek!) and the Mudeford Lifeboat now on its way over (eeek!) was asked to stand down. I gave them my details ran through my safety kit to reassure them and they went off being fine about me heading back out if I wanted to. I didn't, I called it a day.

 

The obvious lesson to this is always phone the coastguard first to let them know what you doing... but I've come back unsure as to how far I should take this. Depending on where I'm heading and what I'm doing I may phone the coastguard but on this occassion I didn't (I should have). Fishing Tanners Lane, central Solent (very quiet area) I haven't but all it takes is one concerned bystander to make that call. But call outs aren't only a night thing. Not long ago Mark Crame shared with us details of another call out when he was trying out his sail in broad daylight.

 

So its left me thinking should I be calling them everytime I launch no matter how short the trip, the conditions or time of day. How many of us do this?

 

I am of course grateful that there are people out there concerned enough to make the call and to the coastguard and RNLI for being there.

 

-----------

Ready to take the flak - hopefully something good will come from this post.

[Mark Crame]

Thanks for posting. I can't see any reason for flak. I now phone up every time I go out in the evening and if I'm going for more than a splash-about in daytime.

 

I asked the coastguard if they minded me continually phoning up - practically every night for a few weeks for a couple of hours at a time - and they said that they preferred that I did continue to do so, indicating it to be irrespective of how often or short the trip. There is no legal requirement but it keeps them in the picture and presumably saves call outs. I suppose it's not so much a question of how safe we are, more a question of how dilligent the public - they are the ones who call. Incidentally, they did ask me if I'd considered VHF - which I had and which I am currently saving up for - as they would prefer me to have one. At all times their concern is for the safety of the person on the water.

 

Oh, and it breaks up the monotony of the watch if you can have a natter with someone!!

[maidstonemike]

Hopefully the title to this thread will pull in as many views as the BIC review thread.

 

3446 views...WOW! That should ensure that no more Bic's are ever sold in this country if they are as bad as you all think they are!

[YakDiver]

Ready to take the flak - hopefully something good will come from this post.

why should there be fak.......

With the use of mobile phones the public are more lightly to phone the emergency services when things don't look right and if the coast guards don't mind logging down call after call I'm quite happy with that, but can you image what it would be like at Cowes week if everybody phoned in or used VHF ..........how many staff have they got!!!!

[corydoras]

why should there be fak.......

With the use of mobile phones the public are more lightly to phone the emergency services when things don't look right and if the coast guards don't mind logging down call after call I'm quite happy with that, but can you image what it would be like at Cowes week if everybody phoned in or used VHF ..........how many staff have they got!!!!

I think you may find that if the weather takes a turn for the worse, life on an 18" day cruiser type of yacht is a tad more bearable than it would be on a kayak of similar length. Don't take unnecessary risks at sea, if you do, sure as eggs are eggs one day you will lose, big time. Always let the Coastguard know what you are up to. It will only cost a phone call, that call may just save your life.

[jerseytrev]

Hopefully the title to this thread will pull in as many views as the BIC review thread.

 

Fished Barton On Sea this evening, a sleepy coastal village in the eastern corner of Christchurch Bay, Dorset. I've been meaning to fish this venue since I've had a kayak but given I'm spoiled for choice of marks in my area and Barton gets the brunt of the westerly swell I've held off fishing here. Tonight the conditions looked favourable so I decided to try for sole.

 

Theres quite a steep path down to the shore which has also put me off launching here but with the invention of the C-tug I gave it a go and it was no big deal. I didn't take much tackle & coming back up wasn't too bad I just pushed the kayak up the slope from the stern and stopped for rests.

 

When I got to the shoreline it was high tide, the sun was still up and I picked my launch spot - a steepish section of shingle bank. Counting the waves I waited for a lull and seal launched the kayak (only about 7 feet or so) down the bank and into the water (felt good ).

 

I paddled out to my mark - probably about 400 yards off shore. I wasn't far out & was out of range from a couple of beach fisherman along the shore.

 

I set up my new v2 anchor quick release system which uses a dry bag as a buoy which worked very well (will post up a thread about it at some point) and fished on into dusk. The wind picked up a little and it became a little lumpy when the tide turned but I decided to stick it out as it was manageable. Bites soon came and the bream were going nuts! Took a couple of these fishy protein shots for the pot and put the rest back.

Now to the title of this thread...

Not long after darkness fell I noticed commotion from the nearby cliff top - I couldn't make out what was happening up there - headlights from a vehicle hit me head on a few times but then went off - I had my VHF on channel 16 nothing happening on there & put it down to perhaps boy racers in the car park above. When I saw a few sillouttes of people on the cliff top and then heard a voice over a loud speaker, that was enough. I paddled back into see what was happening. Turns out a concerned resident had seen me leaving and called the coastguard when it got dark. When I got to shore I had a brief chat with the coastguard volunteers(eek!) and the Mudeford Lifeboat now on its way over (eeek!) was asked to stand down. I gave them my details ran through my safety kit to reassure them and they went off being fine about me heading back out if I wanted to. I didn't, I called it a day.

 

The obvious lesson to this is always phone the coastguard first to let them know what you doing... but I've come back unsure as to how far I should take this. Depending on where I'm heading and what I'm doing I may phone the coastguard but on this occassion I didn't (I should have). Fishing Tanners Lane, central Solent (very quiet area) I haven't but all it takes is one concerned bystander to make that call. But call outs aren't only a night thing. Not long ago Mark Crame shared with us details of another call out when he was trying out his sail in broad daylight.

 

So its left me thinking should I be calling them everytime I launch no matter how short the trip, the conditions or time of day. How many of us do this?

 

I am of course grateful that there are people out there concerned enough to make the call and to the coastguard and RNLI for being there.

 

-----------

Ready to take the flak - hopefully something good will come from this post.

good call mate ,got myself a hand held vhf recently, besides keeping contact they give regular forcasts . i asume the same on the mainland

[Moonyaker]

Hi Simon,

 

I can fully appreciate your apprehension when posting………

 

A month ago, a mate and I decided to fish Broad Bench at Kimmeridge (from the shore), a mark that we have fished many many times and which is also known as 'Flat Ledge' by some.

 

We approached The Bench, (the inland section of a gently sloping reef which projects a long way out to sea and which forms a mini headland around 70 metres across backed by shaley cliffs around 15M high), around an hour before high water (which as I recall was at 8.45 pm) we made our way over the rocks at the base of the cliff from the earlier beach section of the shore. There is a section of the shoreline around 150 yards from The Bench which you sometimes need to wade on a spring tide if you leave your approach a little late as we had done and the waves can surge over a rocky perimeter wall up to your hips or a little higher. This bit can be a little uncomfortable on occasions but is only around 30 yards long. It is potentially hazardous and you just have to be sensible and watch the sets.

 

On the way out I slipped in this area and was on my knees twice; the cheap neoprene breast waders that I had purchased as a stop gap when the studded PVC pair gave up the ghost probably need binning or may take some studs.

 

Anyway, we arrived at The Bench and fished uneventfully until high tide and packed up. The water was cloudy and there was a fair amount of weed being picked up on the retrieve. We did not even get a knock.

 

Whilst we had been fishing the lee side of The Bench we had noticed a couple of guys beach fishing in Sharnell a section of beach in the curve of the cliffs several hundred yards back towards the village.

 

We were kitted out with chest waders, hats, head lamps, waterproof coats, food and drink. We had no radios and mobile phones don’t work here (and were thus left in the car).

 

The wind had picked up with the tide and the waves were rolling in a little fiercer than they had been earlier on and it was starting to get a little dusky as we stood watching the sets coming in ready to make our move back towards the beach at Sharnell.

 

As we were watching a blue flashing light appeared along the cliff top road heading towards the oil well from the car park. We looked at each other in hope that this had nothing to do with us but it now seemed to make sense to stay put and not commence our wade back.

 

Ten minutes elapsed with the blue light out of sight and not making any progress in our direction. But then it came on again. A sense of embarrassment was growing.

 

Some little while later a light appeared at the cliff top and a woman in reflective clothing shouted something down at us but it was impossible to hear what she was saying because of the sound of surf. We gave her the thumbs up and indicated that we were fine and hoped that she would go away and leave us to our traverse.

 

The clock ticked away and by now it was almost dark. A rope appeared down the cliff out of the gloom; they hadn’t gone away.

 

10 minutes later we were joined at the base of the cliff by a guy from the Kimmeridge Coastguard Cliff Rescue team. The Cliffman (quite likely a Doctor from the accent) explained that someone had seen us waving and called The Coastguard. We explained that we had not been waving but later concluded that it was possible that our casting may have been misconstrued as waving.

 

The chap explained that The Swanage Lifeboat had been called; we wished there were larger rocks around to crawl under. We advised that really we did not need to be rescued and that trying to get the boat in that area in the very lumpy conditions was really not on at all.

 

Two very bright lights then appeared towards the south east; the Lifeboats had arrived.

 

The larger vessel stood off whilst what I guess was a rib got around 100 yards off on the lee side of The Bench.

 

It became clear that an approach from the sea was not on and both vessels stood off.

 

Meanwhile, we had agreed to be hauled up the cliff as a means of bringing this embarrassing situation to an end and then donned harnesses and walked up the cliff attached via ropes to portable winches.

 

When we got to the cliff top there were another half-dozen folk there. The Cliff Top team from St Albans Head had been called in to assist the Kimmeridge Team.

 

All were really nice folk and had we had been in danger I am certain that the relief of coming into their care would have been enormous. We ran through our tale and they were a little cheesed off that we were not able to reward them with a few fish.....as were we. We thanked everybody for their efforts on our behalf and got a lift back to the car park at Kimmeridge in the coastguard wagon and now have a couple of their calenders to remind us of that night (lest we forget it).

 

It was very comforting that in these days of angst that such a selfless bunch of people are out there doing their stuff and helping people in this way.

 

We have resolved to speak to the Coastguard before fishing Broad Bench again with a view to establishing some means of communication whereby this situation cannot occur again.

 

Here are some of the reports that appeared on the net afterwards. The gravity of the situation has clearly been exaggerated in some (but that's PR consultants for you).

 

http://lifeboatscrapbook.blogspot.com/sear...abel/coastguard

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6760997.stm

 

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-newsroom...A&m=6&y

 

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-newsroom...amp;y=2007=2007

 

 

I guess I had better don the thick skin and crash hat.

 

 

 

Moonyaker

[codshead]

A couple of years back, I was doing my first aid at sea course and was told that the coastguard don't note any calls they get regarding people leaving or returning, I'll have to ask Danno he's a coastguard.

[SpeciMan]

Hi Jules

 

Thats a great account. I can remember reading about that incident on the BBC website and the Lifeboat Blog last month.

 

There are definite similarities between last nights episode and yours although yours went a stage further!

 

Last night, when the guy spoke over the in vehicle PA system there must have been quite a crowd up there on the cliff top - theres a seafront apartment block along there. However, by the time I got back up to the top of the cliff, there was a deserted road with one curtain twitcher left.

 

Have just been down to the lifeboat station, I don't think last nights call went down as an incident - the incident board hasn't been updated - the station was locked but will make a point of popping down there when someones around. Even though I've called the Coastguard before, the coastguard crew I spoke to last night weren't aware of kayak fishing. They thought I was 'stuck' there out at sea not at anchor happily fishing away. Of course I should have called first to let people know what I was up to but I did ask them why they didn't try to call me over VHF. I'd been on CH16 all night.

Edited July 11, 2007 by SpeciMan

[Moonyaker]

Hi Simon,

 

ta for that, whilst we were being 'rescued' I had a long chat with the 'Cliff Man' intending to try and find out how we could avoid these false alarms suggesting that if I had had the VHF that I was intent on buying for Kayak fishing that we would have had that tuned to Channel 16 (as you had) and he said that that would not have been any good as they would not have been communicating on that Channel and that Channel 0 is the one they use (as I recall).

 

I guess that it makes sense not to use Channel 16 for general coastguard communcations as it is simply there for Maydays. Whatever channel they use, it seemed to be that the activity was on the same channel.

 

I'm going to empty the penny jar this weekend and before this gets noticed get the radio problem sorted!

 

I guess that someone on here may be able to advise on the best channel to monitor???

 

 

Jules