A seriously scary walk in Wales
One April day, Sally lost her map, her hat and nearly her life at Llansteffan.
Fast response
Thanks to the fast, life-saving decisions at the coastguard operations centre at Milford Haven and a rapid response from the rescue teams, Sally and Clayton made it safely home after their ordeal last spring. But they both admit it was a shockingly close call and an experience they never want to live through again.
They know they are incredibly lucky and are sharing their story to encourage anyone visiting the coast to always check the tide times, so a nice walk does not turn into a nightmare.
Prepare for coastal walks and tides
Retail assistant Sally and bus driver Clayton have known each other for 40 years and they are the firmest of friends, with a shared love of walking in the Welsh mountains. But although they prepare carefully for mountain walks, they found out to their cost that the coast has other dangers.
They’d planned a circular walk around their local coast at Llansteffan near Carmarthen which sits on a coastal estuary with big tidal range of about eight metres. Once or twice they’d slipped on rocks and Sally remembers joking about Clayton’s clean boots being covered in sticky mud.
A joke that became serious
“He doesn’t like getting his boots dirty and getting our feet stuck was a bit of a laugh at first. But it was a warning that turned serious when I stepped on the sand. It just looked like sand and was a bit soft in parts. The next minute though I was up to my knees and completely stuck,” she recalled.
Sally could not move, the suction in the sand had her legs firmly gripped. A keen watcher of the Coastguard Channel 5 TV series and Saving Lives at Sea, she knew what to do.
“The sand was really tight round my legs. I knew to stay still and shouted to Clayton to call 999 for the Coastguard,” she said. That was at three minutes past 12 noon. Clayton remembers every minute from then.
Time stood still as water rose shockingly quickly
“I called the Coastguard and Matthew in the Operations Centre was so reassuring. He kept me on the line the whole time, telling me that a whole team were working together to get help to us quickly. Time seemed to stand still and I needed to stay where I was so I didn’t get stuck too.
“The tide was coming in, I’d never seen anything like it. Just 10 minutes after my call, the water was up to Sal’s knees and the sand that had been between us was covered in water. It was shockingly quick. To stay on the rocks and watch and wait was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Clayton.
Matt (front) and Pete at Milford Haven
Back in the Milford Haven Operations Centre, as Matthew took the call and gathered the vital information, a whole team led by Pete simultaneously sprang into action to send the best rescue services to help. They included coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats, Ferryside lifeboat, and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue plus a search and rescue helicopter.
It was time-critical now that Sally was in the water. First to be alerted was the nearby Llansteffan Coastguard Rescue Team. Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers Chris and Gwyn live in the village and because there was no time to lose, they set off first, with the other team members following closely behind.
A brisk response and rescue
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| Chris (left) and Gwyn revisiting the scene |
On seeing the situation for themselves and with Sally now chest deep in rising water, their training kicked in and both agree their response was ‘brisk’. They called out to a relieved Clayton and Sally that they would do a tethered snatch rescue – using ropes to secure the rescuers together, with one person remaining in a safe location.
Gwyn waded into the water, first walking then swimming, reassuring Sally that he’d fancied a swim that day. Within moments, he’d used his flotation support to take her weight so she was able to wriggle both legs free. As quickly as physically possible, Chris hauled them both back through the water and mud and as the tide was still rising, they all made haste towards safety across the soft sand and rocks.
Sally was freed within about 20 minutes of Clayton’s call for help. Although chilled, wet and a little shocked, she and Clayton were unharmed and very thankful.
“I can’t thank them enough and we’re incredibly lucky. They all saved us that day and it was amazing to know that although we only initially saw two rescuers, there was a whole team working together behind them. I may have lost my hat and my map but I didn’t lose my life,” said Sally.
Following the rescue, the Llansteffan Coastguard Rescue Team was presented with the prestigious Chief Coastguard’s Commendation for their life-saving actions.
Mud and quicksand can be dangerous as once you’re stuck, it’s incredibly difficult to get out without help from trained rescuers. As well as the danger of sinking, there’s also a risk of drowning because of rising water levels and tides.
Reduce the risks:
- Check the weather forecast and tide times before you leave home.
- Look out for and follow the advice on warning signs.
- Avoid crossing estuaries and walking through mud where there can be hidden channels of fast-flowing water.
- If you do get trapped, sit back to spread your weight evenly across the surface.
- Stop others from trying to help you, as they might get stuck too.
- If you get stuck, call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard.
