August 3rd 2015: A Successful Rescue ... But It Could All Too Easily Have Ended So Differently.
A day after the annual Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Fete and display watchkeepers undertaking the morning "A" Watch noted four young lads in an inflatable dinghy drifting out to sea on a slowly strengthening offshore breeze. Oblivious to their peril the lads had no lifejackets and were equipped with two paddles but were displaying very little co-ordination in their use.
As distance from the shore slowly increased it soon became obvious they were in trouble as they frantically started to signal for help. Onshore; the hours of training kicked in and "A" Watch - on this occasion Ian Brackstone and Dave Bealing - plotted the position and notified Humber Coastguard via 999 all the time keeping the dinghy and its occuptants under close observation.
Shortly thereafter Caister Inshore Lifeboat was paged and launched to the dinghy which was by now drifting three quarters of a mile offshore. When the lifeboat crew arrived on scene they found three lads on board and learned the fourth had taken the brave - but potentially foolish - decision to try to swim to shore. The crew brought the three young lads ashore where, thankfully, they were reunited with the missing fourth youth.
With the casualities all accounted for and safely on shore the inshore boat returned to the dinghy and towed it back to the lifeboat shed.
A successful rescue thankfully, but could have been much worse. A big thank you to all involved in this incident.
As distance from the shore slowly increased it soon became obvious they were in trouble as they frantically started to signal for help. Onshore; the hours of training kicked in and "A" Watch - on this occasion Ian Brackstone and Dave Bealing - plotted the position and notified Humber Coastguard via 999 all the time keeping the dinghy and its occuptants under close observation.
Shortly thereafter Caister Inshore Lifeboat was paged and launched to the dinghy which was by now drifting three quarters of a mile offshore. When the lifeboat crew arrived on scene they found three lads on board and learned the fourth had taken the brave - but potentially foolish - decision to try to swim to shore. The crew brought the three young lads ashore where, thankfully, they were reunited with the missing fourth youth.
With the casualities all accounted for and safely on shore the inshore boat returned to the dinghy and towed it back to the lifeboat shed.
A successful rescue thankfully, but could have been much worse. A big thank you to all involved in this incident.
April 9th 2015: Teenage Beach Tunnel Builders Given Advice.
Almost a year on from a headline grabbing incident in which Caister NCI watchkeepers stepped in to offer advice to the parents of a child seen digging a deep hole on the beach - an incident which drew the attention of the local and national press - we have found ourselves repeating the exercise ... this time talking to a group of teenagers spotted burrowing on the beach!
In the latest incident a group of teenage boys were seen digging TWO holes on the beach at Caister. The concern was that they intended joining their twin holes with a TUNNEL. This was confirmed when one of our watchkeepers went, with more than a little trepidation (teenagers traditionally having something of a reputation to live upto) to investigate and offer advice.
Whilst they should perhaps have known better than to start such a project, we were thankful this particular group of youngsters sensibly accepted our advice as to the folly of their project, thus proving you can't tar every teenager with the same brush!
In the latest incident a group of teenage boys were seen digging TWO holes on the beach at Caister. The concern was that they intended joining their twin holes with a TUNNEL. This was confirmed when one of our watchkeepers went, with more than a little trepidation (teenagers traditionally having something of a reputation to live upto) to investigate and offer advice.
Whilst they should perhaps have known better than to start such a project, we were thankful this particular group of youngsters sensibly accepted our advice as to the folly of their project, thus proving you can't tar every teenager with the same brush!
August 3rd 2014: Caister Lifeboat Open Day and 2x (Two!) "Mayday" Calls for Watchkeepers!
"MAYDAY ... MAYDAY ... MAYDAY" is, thankfully, a rarely heard emergency call.
So imagine watchkeeper's dismay at hearing two such calls within 20 minutes of each other and both from locations close to Caister!
That is what happened on Sunday August 3rd, co-incidentally the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service's open day.
The first from "Mako" a small boat with eight people on board came when the skipper found a line had become wrapped around a propellor. Asked by Humber Coastguard for his position he was only able to give "south of Scroby Windfarm" as an approximate location. A look out of the watchroom window in the direction of Great Yarmouth confirmed there were several small boats visible in the heat haze only one of which could be the endangered boat. Whilst in an area better covered by Watchkeepers in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, we took a bearing on the boat and passed the details to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) who were at that time in the process of sending Gorleston's all weather lifeboat to the scene.
We then sat down to write-up the incident in the log book and to watch as the boat was towed out of view and into the harbour
No sooner had the the log been updated than a second "MAYDAY ... MAYDAY ... MAYDAY" was heard. The caller said they were sinking and their radio was already underwater. From an unintelligable message the MRCC, somehow, managed to get a vessel name - "Thetford Diver" - and a precise latitude and longitude for the six occupants.
It was quickly realised that whilst they were close to Caister they were not sufficienty close to be plotted on our chart. What was clear was that with Gorleston lifeboat already being tasked to bring in the subject of the first call, Caister lifeboat were very likely to get summoned. And as the Coordination Centre continued to talk to the Thetford Diver it became clear those on board were in immediate danger. On hearing the crew say they would have to abandon the RIB, we took the unusual step of pre-empting the Coastguard by giving the lifeboat Coxwain a "heads-up" to the situation so the crew could prepare for the call when it came.
It is normal on the lifeboat open day to have a number of additional Coastwatch volunteers on site, and there is an established practice of Station Management maintaining contact with the watchroom via two-way radio. However on this occasion the noise generated by crowds of visitors for the Open Day meant that messages went unheard, so a watchkeeper went to find the Station Manager and / or the lifeboat Coxwain. Both were quickly located and moments later lifeboat volunteers began to be redirected from fund raising activities to ushering the public away from the lifeboat (which until then had been open to visitors). At that point the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre paged the lifeboat and the crew started to get into their kit.
As it was known families had set up windbreaks directly in front of the lifeboat shed and as there were crowds milling around the lifeboat launch area in general, off duty Coastwatch members grabbed high visibility vests and joined lifeboat volunteers to clear a path for the lifeboat ready for a launch. This achieved the lifeboat was in the water and heading away within 10 minutes of the Thetford Diver having first issued the call for help.
During the subsequent rescue it became clear "Rescue 125", the RAF Air Sea rescue helicopter, was also in the area and together with Happisburgh lifeboat heading to the scene. It was at this point that we Watchkeepers realised there was an area of strip of sea visible from the watchroom that was not covered by our chart. For when Rescue 125 informed Humber Coastguard that they were on scene it was realised we could see the helicopter AND, nearby, Caister and Happisborough lifeboats - we needed A BIGGER CHART!
A second lesson learned was that when there are large numbers of people on site our two-way radio handsets need to be fitted with ear pieces in order to hear messages from the watchroom.
As for the rescue; six divers were rescued. Two were transferred to Happisborough lifeboat (who, like Caister, were in the middle of their annual open day) and taken to Sea Palling. The other four were brought back to Caister together with the badly damaged and waterlogged RIB.
So imagine watchkeeper's dismay at hearing two such calls within 20 minutes of each other and both from locations close to Caister!
That is what happened on Sunday August 3rd, co-incidentally the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service's open day.
The first from "Mako" a small boat with eight people on board came when the skipper found a line had become wrapped around a propellor. Asked by Humber Coastguard for his position he was only able to give "south of Scroby Windfarm" as an approximate location. A look out of the watchroom window in the direction of Great Yarmouth confirmed there were several small boats visible in the heat haze only one of which could be the endangered boat. Whilst in an area better covered by Watchkeepers in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, we took a bearing on the boat and passed the details to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) who were at that time in the process of sending Gorleston's all weather lifeboat to the scene.
We then sat down to write-up the incident in the log book and to watch as the boat was towed out of view and into the harbour
No sooner had the the log been updated than a second "MAYDAY ... MAYDAY ... MAYDAY" was heard. The caller said they were sinking and their radio was already underwater. From an unintelligable message the MRCC, somehow, managed to get a vessel name - "Thetford Diver" - and a precise latitude and longitude for the six occupants.
It was quickly realised that whilst they were close to Caister they were not sufficienty close to be plotted on our chart. What was clear was that with Gorleston lifeboat already being tasked to bring in the subject of the first call, Caister lifeboat were very likely to get summoned. And as the Coordination Centre continued to talk to the Thetford Diver it became clear those on board were in immediate danger. On hearing the crew say they would have to abandon the RIB, we took the unusual step of pre-empting the Coastguard by giving the lifeboat Coxwain a "heads-up" to the situation so the crew could prepare for the call when it came.
It is normal on the lifeboat open day to have a number of additional Coastwatch volunteers on site, and there is an established practice of Station Management maintaining contact with the watchroom via two-way radio. However on this occasion the noise generated by crowds of visitors for the Open Day meant that messages went unheard, so a watchkeeper went to find the Station Manager and / or the lifeboat Coxwain. Both were quickly located and moments later lifeboat volunteers began to be redirected from fund raising activities to ushering the public away from the lifeboat (which until then had been open to visitors). At that point the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre paged the lifeboat and the crew started to get into their kit.
As it was known families had set up windbreaks directly in front of the lifeboat shed and as there were crowds milling around the lifeboat launch area in general, off duty Coastwatch members grabbed high visibility vests and joined lifeboat volunteers to clear a path for the lifeboat ready for a launch. This achieved the lifeboat was in the water and heading away within 10 minutes of the Thetford Diver having first issued the call for help.
During the subsequent rescue it became clear "Rescue 125", the RAF Air Sea rescue helicopter, was also in the area and together with Happisburgh lifeboat heading to the scene. It was at this point that we Watchkeepers realised there was an area of strip of sea visible from the watchroom that was not covered by our chart. For when Rescue 125 informed Humber Coastguard that they were on scene it was realised we could see the helicopter AND, nearby, Caister and Happisborough lifeboats - we needed A BIGGER CHART!
A second lesson learned was that when there are large numbers of people on site our two-way radio handsets need to be fitted with ear pieces in order to hear messages from the watchroom.
As for the rescue; six divers were rescued. Two were transferred to Happisborough lifeboat (who, like Caister, were in the middle of their annual open day) and taken to Sea Palling. The other four were brought back to Caister together with the badly damaged and waterlogged RIB.
July 21st 2014: An Opportunity to Put Our Joint Training Exercises to The Test!
Tuesday July 21st was a hot sunny day with a
strong offshore breeze, as a consequence the beach was busy with large numbers
of holiday makers taking advantage of the fine weather. Watchkeepers were
keenly aware of the danger of being swept out to sea in such windy conditions
and keeping a particularly close eye on the shore close to the areas holiday
camps.
During the course of the afternoon watch, the team became concerned about two children seen in the sea to the north of the station, close to the Haven Holiday Park.
As we are not permitted to use Marine VHF for such information, using the national 999 call system Watchkeepers notified Humber Coastguard of their concern. While in the process of talking to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) a man was seen to run along the beach towards one of several man-made reefs that form the beach defence against erosion and dive into the water close to the two children. He made his way to a child wearing a red T-shirt and threw them back toward the reef, then swam to the second child. Watchkeepers updated the Coastguard with these developments reporting that both the man and child had been taken by the tide out of view behind the rocks.
Coastguards paged Caister Volunteer Lifeboat who launched their inshore rescue boat and directed it to the area. On arrival the lifeboat reported the trio – the child who’d been thrown toward the reef, the second child and their would-be rescuer – could not be seen. A search commenced involving the lifeboat and land based Coastguard teams from Winterton and Gorleston who had also been directed to the scene.
Unusually, because our Watchkeepers had good communication with the lifeboat and a direct view of the area, Coastguards then requested NCI take over communications and co-ordinate activities from the station.
Watckeepers quickly spotted the child wearing the red T-shirt - who’d been seen to be thrown toward the shore - on the beach. This information was passed to the lifeboat who were then conned to the child’s position by watchkeepers. The lifeboat then put a crewman ashore to speak to the child.
In the meantime, armed with a description, Winterton Coastguard Guard, were able to locate the man seen diving into the sea. Found with his family, they established his two children had been caught by a freak wave and were unable to swim back. He had managed to self-rescue both children.
During the course of the afternoon watch, the team became concerned about two children seen in the sea to the north of the station, close to the Haven Holiday Park.
As we are not permitted to use Marine VHF for such information, using the national 999 call system Watchkeepers notified Humber Coastguard of their concern. While in the process of talking to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) a man was seen to run along the beach towards one of several man-made reefs that form the beach defence against erosion and dive into the water close to the two children. He made his way to a child wearing a red T-shirt and threw them back toward the reef, then swam to the second child. Watchkeepers updated the Coastguard with these developments reporting that both the man and child had been taken by the tide out of view behind the rocks.
Coastguards paged Caister Volunteer Lifeboat who launched their inshore rescue boat and directed it to the area. On arrival the lifeboat reported the trio – the child who’d been thrown toward the reef, the second child and their would-be rescuer – could not be seen. A search commenced involving the lifeboat and land based Coastguard teams from Winterton and Gorleston who had also been directed to the scene.
Unusually, because our Watchkeepers had good communication with the lifeboat and a direct view of the area, Coastguards then requested NCI take over communications and co-ordinate activities from the station.
Watckeepers quickly spotted the child wearing the red T-shirt - who’d been seen to be thrown toward the shore - on the beach. This information was passed to the lifeboat who were then conned to the child’s position by watchkeepers. The lifeboat then put a crewman ashore to speak to the child.
In the meantime, armed with a description, Winterton Coastguard Guard, were able to locate the man seen diving into the sea. Found with his family, they established his two children had been caught by a freak wave and were unable to swim back. He had managed to self-rescue both children.
June 2014: Integrated Training With The Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service (CVLS)
We have recently seen the beginning of a program of joint training exercises with the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat. The objective of these events is to give watchkeepers ‘hands on’ experience under controlled conditions and to experience the intensity and tension of a "live" incident with a lifeboat at sea!
Joint training commenced in April 2014, the first exercise being with the Bernard Matthews II. Much learning was gained from this initial event and the structure of subsequent events was changed as a result. The main change being that it was felt that Caister NCI was far more likely to be involved with the Inshore Lifeboat (Caister ILB), so future events will be carried out with the Caister ILB. The aim is a two way learning experience with development of integrated teamwork for NCI Watchkeepers and lifeboat crew alike. Observations, bearings, distance, radio procedures, chartwork and rate of drift are just some of the elements covered and practiced during the exercises |
While it doesn't see much on paper the following is an extract from the June 1st exercise:-
Exercise Setup:
Sequence of Events:
With the watchroom closed to members of the public during the exercise (as it would be during a "live" emergency), the intensity and tension during the event was evident throughout, particularly so as our members were carrying out the exercise for the first time!
As we continue to train our members their confidence and competence will grow.
Exercise Setup:
- Time: 10:30hrs
- Weather: Fair - Sea: Calm - Swell: Low - Visibility: Good - Tide: Local HW 11:11 - Wind: NNE force 1.
- 2x watchkeepers involved in exercise.
- 3x crew on Caister ILB.
- ILB deployed a ‘target’ at bearing 045’ approx ¾ mile
Sequence of Events:
- ILB made contact with Watchstation to inform of ‘man overboard’.
- Watchkeepers commenced observations and use of ‘Incident Checklist’.
- Target / casualty spotted at sea!
- Watchkeeper obtained co-ordinates which was relayed to ILB.
- ILB plotted course to reach target / casualty!
- While log keeping throughout, watchkeepers continued to monitor the target / casualty and, with chartwork, to determine ‘rate of drift’.
- The target / casualty was acquired and successfully brought to shore.
- Exercise repeated
With the watchroom closed to members of the public during the exercise (as it would be during a "live" emergency), the intensity and tension during the event was evident throughout, particularly so as our members were carrying out the exercise for the first time!
As we continue to train our members their confidence and competence will grow.
May 2014: Spot the child ...
Can you see the child in this photo ... NO, at first sight neither could our watckeepers - and when she stood up this was ALL they could see!
So with some trepidation the watchkeepers on the Sunday afternoon "B watch" decided they needed to make her parents aware of the dangers of digging so deep into the sand. "With trepidation" as on a previous occasion the words of advise were not well received; it was explained what can and did happen nearby three years ago when, if not for the quick actions of crew members of Caister Volunteer Lifeboat, a teenager very nearly lost her life digging a deep hole and tunnel in the sand. Happy to say that on this occasion the little girl's parents took our advice on board and thanked the watchkeepers accordingly. A happy ending that could easily have made the HEADLINES for all the wrong reasons! |
September 2012: Lessons Learned (A Second Year and Our First Full Summer)
Whilst - undoubtedly due to the poor weather - 2012 was noticeably quieter, we still found ourselves in a position to assist holiday makers and, on another occasion, the Border Agency.
In the latter case; concerned at erratic, late afternoon, movements of a high speed boat seen beyond the wind farm (and in an area where there was not thought to be a reason for such a boat to be), watch keepers consulted the lifeboat Coxswain with the result the IRB was launched to investigate. Dissatisfied with what they'd found when the IRB crew reached what turned out to be a questionably equipped dive support boat (which was found to be much further offshore than either we or the lifeboat crew had suspected) it was agreed NCI would report the incident to the Border Agency. Thereafter we couldn’t help but note that, whenever this boat appeared in our area, radio procedure for advising the Coastguard and nearby vessels divers were in the water was scrupulously observed!
Also in 2012; we learned a lesson taught us by three youths armed with a rubber dinghy and several cans of cider. With an ebbing tide and strong offshore breeze the youths were seen putting the cans into a dinghy and obviously preparing to put to sea. Once loaded there was a short delay whilst a stout piece of drift wood was found to act as an oar. Then two of the group - there wasn't enough room for a third occupant - set off through the surf leaving the third youth on the beach to guard the remaining cans.
That Sunday - it always seems to happen on a Sunday! - our Station Manager was alone on watch, and so now faced a problem; how to monitor the youths and at what point to notify the Coastguard (also how to temporarily prevent curious visitors from periodically appearing up the stairs from the Heritage Centre below while he dealt with the incident). Relief came in two forms: first the unexpected arrival on station of second watch keeper (albeit out of uniform and not expecting to be pressed into service) followed, moments later, by the Secretary of the Caister Lifeboat.
The extra watch keeper immediately took over surveillance while agreement on a course of action was reached between the duty watch keeper and lifeboat Secretary. A member of staff from the Lifeboat Heritage Centre was sent down the beach to "offer advice" to the remaining youth. Next the off duty watch-keeper was despatched along the beach with a pair of binoculars and two-way radio and – just in case! – his NCI identity card. The plan; to keep the dinghy in view as it disappeared behind dunes which, unfortunately, block our view of the shoreline at various points, and to relay progress of the dinghy and occupants to the watch room. Thankfully a full emergency was averted as the youths were - with some apparent difficulty - able to make their own way ashore and, dragging the dinghy behind, begin trudging the half mile or so back along the beach to their start point. As they did so the opportunity was taken to ask the youth guarding their remaining booze what they were drinking, how much they’d taken with them and - now that they were safely ashore - if he thought they’d be putting to sea again. The answer; they had several cans with them, but that he was sure they'd scared themselves and wouldn't be venturing out again.
Returning to the lookout we awaited the expected display of youthful bravado. Instead there was a short discussion before the youths quietly made their way off the beach. Body language alone suggested a lesson had indeed been learned; alcohol and water - especially sea water - can be a deadly cocktail!
Whilst a further demonstration of the close co-operation between the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat and NCI, the lesson learned by the Coastwatch team was that – especially during the summer months - we really MUST ensure there are two watch-keepers on every watch.
One watch-keeper by his or herself cannot be expected to provide effective cover. It is for this reason that we continue to seek additional volunteers to help improve and increase our watch keeping capabilities.
In the latter case; concerned at erratic, late afternoon, movements of a high speed boat seen beyond the wind farm (and in an area where there was not thought to be a reason for such a boat to be), watch keepers consulted the lifeboat Coxswain with the result the IRB was launched to investigate. Dissatisfied with what they'd found when the IRB crew reached what turned out to be a questionably equipped dive support boat (which was found to be much further offshore than either we or the lifeboat crew had suspected) it was agreed NCI would report the incident to the Border Agency. Thereafter we couldn’t help but note that, whenever this boat appeared in our area, radio procedure for advising the Coastguard and nearby vessels divers were in the water was scrupulously observed!
Also in 2012; we learned a lesson taught us by three youths armed with a rubber dinghy and several cans of cider. With an ebbing tide and strong offshore breeze the youths were seen putting the cans into a dinghy and obviously preparing to put to sea. Once loaded there was a short delay whilst a stout piece of drift wood was found to act as an oar. Then two of the group - there wasn't enough room for a third occupant - set off through the surf leaving the third youth on the beach to guard the remaining cans.
That Sunday - it always seems to happen on a Sunday! - our Station Manager was alone on watch, and so now faced a problem; how to monitor the youths and at what point to notify the Coastguard (also how to temporarily prevent curious visitors from periodically appearing up the stairs from the Heritage Centre below while he dealt with the incident). Relief came in two forms: first the unexpected arrival on station of second watch keeper (albeit out of uniform and not expecting to be pressed into service) followed, moments later, by the Secretary of the Caister Lifeboat.
The extra watch keeper immediately took over surveillance while agreement on a course of action was reached between the duty watch keeper and lifeboat Secretary. A member of staff from the Lifeboat Heritage Centre was sent down the beach to "offer advice" to the remaining youth. Next the off duty watch-keeper was despatched along the beach with a pair of binoculars and two-way radio and – just in case! – his NCI identity card. The plan; to keep the dinghy in view as it disappeared behind dunes which, unfortunately, block our view of the shoreline at various points, and to relay progress of the dinghy and occupants to the watch room. Thankfully a full emergency was averted as the youths were - with some apparent difficulty - able to make their own way ashore and, dragging the dinghy behind, begin trudging the half mile or so back along the beach to their start point. As they did so the opportunity was taken to ask the youth guarding their remaining booze what they were drinking, how much they’d taken with them and - now that they were safely ashore - if he thought they’d be putting to sea again. The answer; they had several cans with them, but that he was sure they'd scared themselves and wouldn't be venturing out again.
Returning to the lookout we awaited the expected display of youthful bravado. Instead there was a short discussion before the youths quietly made their way off the beach. Body language alone suggested a lesson had indeed been learned; alcohol and water - especially sea water - can be a deadly cocktail!
Whilst a further demonstration of the close co-operation between the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat and NCI, the lesson learned by the Coastwatch team was that – especially during the summer months - we really MUST ensure there are two watch-keepers on every watch.
One watch-keeper by his or herself cannot be expected to provide effective cover. It is for this reason that we continue to seek additional volunteers to help improve and increase our watch keeping capabilities.
September 2011; Early Days (Our First Summer)
The relationship with the CVLS (Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service) started well with the two organisations working together on two incidents early in the summer of 2011.
First; an eagle-eyed watch keeper spotted a toy inflatable dinghy with two bathers floating dangerously far out to sea, prompt reporting of their approximate position to the Coastguard led to swift rescue by the Caister Lifeboat.
On another occasion; with the crew of the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) preparing to start a routine Sunday morning exercise, watch keepers noted several jet skis close to the wind turbines on Scroby Sands. When one rider gave a distress signal to his companions it was simply a case of descending a flight of stairs to pass on the information and the lifeboat diverted from its intended sortie. Thankfully it was just a case of youthful high jinks and inexperience; the riders were sent on their way out of the wind farm.
First; an eagle-eyed watch keeper spotted a toy inflatable dinghy with two bathers floating dangerously far out to sea, prompt reporting of their approximate position to the Coastguard led to swift rescue by the Caister Lifeboat.
On another occasion; with the crew of the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) preparing to start a routine Sunday morning exercise, watch keepers noted several jet skis close to the wind turbines on Scroby Sands. When one rider gave a distress signal to his companions it was simply a case of descending a flight of stairs to pass on the information and the lifeboat diverted from its intended sortie. Thankfully it was just a case of youthful high jinks and inexperience; the riders were sent on their way out of the wind farm.
National Coastwatch Institution Registered Charity No. 1159975