Displaying items by tag: Newquay

9th March 2024

Major Rescue in Irish Sea as Lifeboats Respond to Fishing Vessel Mayday

RNLI lifeboats from Ireland and the UK launched to a Mayday distress call from a fishing vessel taking on water on Friday (8 March).

The 24-metre Irish trawler had five crew onboard and was some 21 nautical miles northwest of Strumble Head near Fishguard in south Wales when HM Coastguard tasked the charity's Welsh lifeboats just before midday.

The all-weather lifeboats and volunteer crew from St Davids, Fishguard, Newquay made best speed to the scene.

HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter R936 from Caernarfon also tasked to assist and was first to arrive on scene, lowering a water pump to the vessel.

With no casualties reported, Newquay lifeboat was stood down en route. St Davids’ Tamar class lifeboat Norah Wortley arrived at 1.10pm with sea conditions rough in a Force 5-7 easterly wind. Fishguard RNLI’s Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII arrived at 1.35pm.

With no engine damage and the coastguard pump sufficiently reducing the water level, it was decided the fishing vessel would be escorted the 35 nautical miles west to Ireland.

St Davids RNLI escorting the trawler as Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrives | Credit: RNLI/St Davids

Kilmore Quay RNLI’s Tamar class lifeboat Victor Freeman was tasked by the Irish Coast Guard to complete the escort and launched at 2.10pm. At this point, the Fishguard lifeboat was stood down and returned to Wales.

St Davids RNLI escorted the trawler a further 20 nautical miles west-southwest towards Tuskar Rock until the Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrived at 3.20pm and took over the escort, getting the vessel safely into port around 6pm.

Will Chant, RNLI coxswain for St Davids RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat said: “This rescue was a good, fast response from all crews, which with an incident of this nature was exactly what was required.

“Fortunately the salvage pump from the helicopter was all that was required in order to quell the problems on board the trawler, and after that it was a straightforward but long job of escorting the vessel to safety.

“Our crew even received ‘welcome to Ireland’ messages on their mobile phones, such was the distance from home.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.