Paddleboarders and kayakers keep North Devon lifeboat crews busy

Ilfracombe RNLI shore and boat crews were kept busy over the weekend as the good weather led to multiple callouts.

At 2.30pm on Friday the inshore lifeboat was launched to reports of five people with two paddle boards at Hele Bay, unable to return to shore.

The RNLI found them on Haggington Beach where they had sought shelter after being unable to paddle against the tide and current. The lifeboat made three trips to get the people and their boards back to dry land.

READ NEXT: RNLI lifeguards rescue five swimmers at Woolacombe

Saturday saw a very busy day with four shouts in total, the first at around 2.40pm when the coastguard requested the lifeboat to help find a boy who had gone missing while he was paddleboarding with his family.

The lifeboat soon found the boy in the water with a kayaker. The boy had fallen off his board but had been seen by the kayaker, who stayed with him waiting for help to arrive.

The youngster had been in the water for some time and was very cold. He was taken onboard the lifeboat and on shore he was reunited with his family and given over to the care of a waiting paramedic team.

After leaving the beach, the boat crew received a report of kayakers in trouble at Broadsands Beach. The lifeboat found four kayakers struggling in the conditions and took them all to safety.

The crew were then alerted to more kayakers similarly struggling, with some believed to have overturned, at Sandaway Beach by Combe Martin. The RNLI helped get them and their boats to safety.

Shortly after, another shout came in to assist in the search for missing people between Sillery beach and Foreland Point at Lynmouth.

Ilfracombe was preparing to launch its all-weather lifeboat when news came in the missing people had been found following a search by Minehead RNLI and the coastguard.

READ NEXT: RNLI rescues five paddleboarders off Westward Ho!

Before the afternoon had ended, another call came in at 5.30pm, this time of a man cut off by the tide at Lester Point in Combe Martin.

He had been spotted and the alarm raised by the crew of local charter boat Kittiwake and they had remained to keep watch together with the coastguard.

In the difficult conditions, it was decided one of the lifeboat crew would swim to him to ensure he was okay, while the lifeboat kept a safe distance. In a lull, the lifeboat was able to dart in and pick both of them up.

Ilfracombe’s volunteer launch authority, Nigel Oliver, said: “We were most grateful to the kayaker and the prompt action of the skipper and crew of the Kittiwake.

“This was a long afternoon for our crew members and our shore crew alike. Committed volunteers kept us in the game with efficiency, enthusiasm, remarkable boat handling and a large amount of bravery.”