Kayakers should carry flares to summon help
21/09/2020
Kayakers should carry essential safety equipment such as flares to summon help in emergencies.
A flare pack is a small investment, but is worth it, says Minehead RNLI spokesperson, Chris Rundle.
His comments came after two exhausted kayakers were rescued by Minehead RNLI after being swept out into the Bristol Channel by strong offshore winds.
The kayakers and a friend set out from Porlock Weir one September evening to paddle around Porlock Bay. However, they soon encountered choppy water and a steady southerly wind.
The third man managed to struggle back to Porlock Weir and raise the alarm. Minehead’s D class and Atlantic 85 lifeboats were launched. But by the time the crews arrived on scene darkness was falling.
A coastguard helicopter later located the kayakers nearly a mile away from their last reported position. The helicopter used its searchlight to guide the lifeboats to them. Crews helped the men aboard and returned them to Porlock Weir, cold but unharmed.
Kayakers should be well prepared
Lifeboat helm Phil Sanderson says, “They were very relieved to be rescued. They were only wearing tee shirts and clearly, the cold was getting to them. Conditions were quite nasty out there and with that wind, they weren’t going anywhere except further out into the channel.
“When we arrived we started sweeping the area but we had no way of assessing how far they might have been carried from their last known location and there was the additional problem that they were very low in the water.
“Even when the helicopter found them and illuminated the area we couldn’t see them until we were about 30 yards away.”
RNLI Minehead spokesman Chris Rundle says safety equipment is a small but vital investment for kayakers.
“We would stress the importance of kayakers preparing for all eventualities by wearing proper clothing and buoyancy aids. And above all, they should always carry some means of attracting attention, such as a flare pack or a good waterproof torch.
“It’s only a small investment but one which could make all the difference between life and death.”
