11th February 2008
Looe Lifeboat Rescues Stranded Teenagers
On Saturday 9th February the Looe Atlantic Class lifeboat was called out to reports of a group of teenagers stranded on a beach in Whitsand Bay. The two boys and a girl had been cut off in a small cove below Tregantle Fort.
The Looe lifeboat was crewed by Toby Bray (helm), David Jackman and Verity Pope, the only female crew member of Looe Lifeboats. Visibility was good and there was a force 4 easterly wind. Sea conditions were difficult because of a 5 foot swell caused by the remains of a previous storm.
The group had taken advantage of a sunny day to stroll on the beach but became cut off on a rising spring tide. Fortunately they were able to make a distress call using their mobile phone, and at the same time a member of the public heard cries for help and raised the alarm to Brixham Coastguard who alerted the Looe Lifeboats operations manager, Dave Haines
The call to launch the lifeboat was sent out on the pagers and the lifeboat launched at 4.30pm.
Despite a big surf the crew managed to kedge into the cove and picked up the teenagers. They were taken to the main part of Whitsand beach where they were met by the coastguard. All were badly shaken, cold and wet but quickly recovered from what could have been a dangerous situation.
Helm Toby Bray said ‘this was a particularly difficult rescue with a big surf and failing light. Both propellers were damaged during the rescue and will need to be replaced. Verity had to leap from the lifeboat onto a rock with a rope to help stabilise the lifeboat. Another 30 minutes and we would have had to call for the helicopter’.
The lifeboat returned to the Looe boathouse at 5.45pm, just as darkness was setting in.
26th March 2008
Looe Lifeboat Saves Stranded Deer
The Looe Operations Manager, Dave Haines, received a report from a Looe fisherman that there was a deer swimming across Looe River/harbour from East to West Looe.
Dave was already in his own fishing boat and attempted to rescue the deer but had to call out the lifeboat to get more hands to the task.
The deer had been on East Looe beach, then walked along banjo pier and jumped into the river. It managed to climb onto the rocks and became stuck there. The deer was quite distressed and bedraggled.
The D Class lifeboat was launched with Dave Jackman as helm and James Chudleigh and John Crabb as crew. On approaching the deer it jumped back into the river and tried to swim upstream.
The crew finally managed to catch it and held it in the water whilst landing it on the beach at Pennylands area of Looe. During the action the deer decided to get its own back and gave Dave Jackman a kick in a very venerable position.
By this time there were well over 100 people watching the action with the Coastguard and police in attendance.
The deer was lifted into the lifeboat and taken around to a quite beach and released it in the adjacent filed. After a few moments the deer seemed to recover with no ill effects and wandered off.
14th April 2008
Yachtsman Saved (Twice) by Looe RNLI
Looe RNLI responded to a call from the Coastguard at 4.30pm on Saturday 12th April to a stricken yacht off Portwrinkle in Whitsand Bay.
The 30 foot yacht, crewed by a lone elderly sailor was in 3m of water, with a 2m keel, and close to hitting the rocks.
The Atlantic Class lifeboat crewed by Clive Palfrey (helm) and Ben and John Crabb were on scene within minutes, despite a 2 metre swell and gale force 7 winds.
Ben Crabb boarded the craft to find the sailor below decks. The sailor said he had dropped anchor as the engine would not start and he was tired. The sails had jammed and the anchor was dragging.
The yacht was towed into deeper water and the engine received attention but would not start. As the tide was out the Looe lifeboat towed the yacht ‘Planet’ to a mooring buoy outside Looe harbour for the evening.
Clive Palfrey said ‘We got to the boat just in time; another 30 minutes and the boat would have been on the rocks’.
The following day, Sunday, saw another alert from Brixham coastguard to the Planet where the skipper had broken his thumb trying to raise the sails. The D Class lifeboat was launched to bring the skipper ashore for attention. After the paramedics examination at the Boathouse it was decided to take the gentleman to Liskeard hospital for further attention.
Meanwhile the Atlantic class lifeboat was launched to tow the stricken yacht into Looe harbour. After a 2 hour tow, it was secured with the assistance of the local coastguard and Looe Harbourmaster.
Dave Haines, Looe Lifeboat Operations Manager said ‘this series of mishaps resulted in a positive result with no serious injuries. Two more professionally completed shouts for the volunteer crew’.
16th April 2008
Looe Lifeboat Called to Yacht in Rough Seas
Brixham Coastguard received a call from a member of the public from Plaidy that a yacht has struck a reef off Looe Island.
Looe Operations Manager Dave Haines gave the order to launch the Atlantic lifeboat at 1.15pm and the boat was at sea within minutes.
Crewed by Toby Bray as helm and Clive Palfrey and Mike Berry as crew, the lifeboat quickly reached the yacht. Initially, it was thought that it had struck Ranny’s reef, just off Looe Island. On scene it was discovered that the yacht with only one person on board had managed to get off the rocks.
After inspecting for damage the craft was assessed as seaworthy and that it could continue on its trip to Plymouth.
Dave Haines said ‘This gentleman was very lucky that there had not been any further damage as the weather was quite poor, with a 5 to 6 gale force south easterly wind and heavy swell.
Two Looe fishing boats, the Joanna and Atlantis, had stood by the yacht during the incident.
For further information please contact Laurie Watson, Looe RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on
01503 262265 OR 07736 255496. www.looelifeboats.org