April showers: Safety warning from HM Coastguard

April Showers. That’s the saying and, so far this month, that’s also the fact as the country experiences changeable weather; sunny in the morning, hailing by lunchtime and blowing a gale by the evening. 

So we all need to be extra careful if we’re planning a trip to explore the coastal areas around the UK and get outside into our picturesque countryside.

So far in 2022, HM Coastguard has been called out to a number of incidents involving walkers who have found themselves in difficulty at the coast. In particular, there has been concern over the number of pet owners attempting to rescue their animal and people cut off by the tide.

It is vital at this time of year to be prepared before you head to the coast.
  • Consider if it is safe to go out at all.
  • Make sure you check the weather and tides if you decide it is safe to head out, wear appropriate footwear and clothing for your activity, know the sea conditions and stick to coastal paths. 
  • If you take your dog out with you, keep it on a lead at the coast especially near cliff edges. If they get stuck on a ledge, in mud or swept out to sea, don’t go after them. Most dogs make it back safely, but you might not. People often put themselves in danger in a rescue attempt.
  • Carry a mobile phone so that you have a way of making contact in an emergency and make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
  • Cliffs can be more unstable than they look, and cliff falls or landslides can happen without warning. Take note and adhere to local warning signs. The cliffs along the UK coastline are continuously eroding, stay away from the edge which could be crumbly or slippery and do not climb cliffs as a short cut to the top. Periods of intense rainfall will often make cliff edges more vulnerable.
  • Don’t ever be tempted to stand near the edge to take a ‘selfie’ as it may be the last photo you ever take.
So if you plan to take a walk this winter, please remember to be careful out there and have a look at the safety advice before setting out.

Take your eye off the water for just a moment and you can quickly find the tide closing in around you, like this walker in Blackpool
Picture: LB Photography


Alex Garrod, Senior Coastal Operations Officer, said: “It is really wonderful to see so many of us out and about enjoying our coasts and the fresh air.

“There are fewer more beautiful spots than the cliff walks along our coasts, but those walks can quickly turn dangerous if you aren’t aware of the risks.

“We have been called out quite a few times already this year – to either people cut off by the tide or worried about their dog having gone over the cliff.

“Please be careful and follow our safety messages. Check tide times and keep your pet on a lead near cliffs.”

Watch helmet-cam footage of Max the Border Collie's rescue:

Credit: RNLI


In January, Newhaven, Eastbourne and Birling Gap Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent alongside the Newhaven RNLI Lifeboat, to assist Border Collie Max's owners after the water-loving pooch threw himself off a cliff.

Alex said: "The owners were walking from Lewes to Eastbourne through Seaford on the coast path, training for the Welsh '15 peaks' challenge; 13 miles was the plan.

"But the walk was cut very short when Max went over the cliff at Seaford Head. Apparently he loves a swim in the sea, but didn't realise how high he was!

"Our Coastguard Rescue Teams on the cliff top used rope rescue equipment to gain a visual of Max, to then guide the lifeboat to him.

"HM Coastguard's role is to rescue human life at risk at our coast, which is why it's so important to keep your furry four-legged friends on leads when walking in coastal areas. But, if something does go wrong, never attempt to self-rescue – call 999 to ask for the Coastguard. If we can, we will help."

Please take note of safety advice and don’t take risks. If you see anybody in trouble, don’t enter the water to try to rescue them, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Read more about our rescues so far this year:

Popular posts from this blog

Label your kit at the coast

Image
Kayaks. Canoes. Paddleboards. What do they all have in common? They’re quite often found on the coastline or drifting out to sea. And if we don’t know who they belong to, we can spend time searching for an owner when they’re home safe and sound. So please help us to help you. Label your kit so that if you do get separated from it, and it turns up somewhere, we can get hold of you. In recent weeks, our Coastguard Rescue Teams have found numerous items such as kayaks and canoes drifting out at sea or abandoned near the shoreline. Unfortunately, some of the items we have found have not had their owners’ contact details written on them nor been reported as missing to the Coastguard. As a result, it makes it difficult for us to find out who it belongs to and also means we can never be completely sure if someone is safe or in the worst case, in trouble at sea. This can place a huge strain on our resources especially during the busy summer period when we have to call upon our Coastgua
Read more

PRESTWICK SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTER SERVICE LAUNCH MARKED IN CEREMONY

Image
- Prestwick search and rescue helicopter base set to go live in January - The launch of the Prestwick civilian UK search and rescue (SAR) helicopter service was marked today (Thursday 17 December 2015) in a ceremony held at the new Coastguard SAR base at Prestwick Airport. Bristow Helicopters Ltd is operating the search and rescue helicopter service for the UK on behalf of HM Coastguard. The UK limited company was awarded the ten-year UK SAR contract by the Department for Transport in March 2013, representing a £1.9bn investment by the UK Government in the UK’s search and rescue helicopter service. By 2017 the service will be delivered from ten bases in all, strategically located close to areas of high SAR incident rates. The Prestwick base will begin SAR operations when crews begin receiving taskings from the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) in January 2016. Bristow crews are delivering the UK SAR helicopter service on behalf of HM Coastguard with state-of-the-a
Read more

BOSCASTLE FLOODS: TEN YEARS ON

Image
Boscastle Flooding 16 th August 2004 The storms of Monday 16 August 2004 saw three weeks worth of rain fall in one day. The resulting water began to be funnelled down the valleys surrounding Boscastle and soon the steep roads became rivers. By the time that the water reached the picturesque village, it had picked up enough momentum to become a raging torrent, sweeping into buildings, washing cars away and felling huge trees. Graham King runs the Witches Museum in Boscastle and was also the station officer for the Boscastle Coastguard Rescue Team at the time of the floods: “ My museum is situated next to the harbour near the river ,” says Graham “ and I can see the coastguard equipment store from there. Initially I was concerned that the vehicle and equipment were going to become stranded but I soon began to realise how quickly the situation was deteriorating and called Falmouth Coastguard ” From that point on the villagers and tourists stranded in flood waters were he
Read more