***Lifeboat Called Out*** / Barton Sole Bashing

[paintfly]

Thanks to Starvinmarvin for locating this comprehensive list of CG stations. I reckon it ought to be a sticky (Elton?)

 

Also a great link to all the Coastwatch Huts taken from John’s very interesting blog (hope you don’t mind John)

 

http://www.nci.org.uk/stations.htm

 

So, no excuses not to call now

 

Eastern Region

 

Dover Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

Langdon Battery

Swingate

DOVER

CT15 5NA

Tel: 01304 210008

Fax: 01304 218505

 

Humber Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Limekiln Lane

BRIDLINGTON

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO15 2LX

Tel: 01262 672317

Fax: 01262 606915

 

London Search and Rescue

Unit 28

34 Bowater Road

Woolwich

London

SE18 5TF

 

Portland Maritme Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Custom House Quay

WEYMOUTH

Dorset

DT4 8BE

Tel: 01305 760439

Fax: 01305 760452

 

Solent Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

44A Marine Parade West

LEE-ON-SOLENT

Hants

PO13 9NR

Tel: 023 9255 2100

Fax: 023 9255 1763

 

Thames Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

East Terrace

WALTON-ON-NAZE

Essex

CO14 8PY

Tel: 01255 675518

Fax: 01255 675249

 

Yarmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

4th Floor

Havenbridge House

GREAT YARMOUTH

Norfolk

NR30 1HZ

Tel: 01493 851338

Fax: 01493 852307

 

 

Wales & West Region

 

Brixham Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Kings Quay

BRIXHAM

Devon

TQ5 9TW

Tel: 01803 882704

Fax: 01803 882780

 

Falmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Pendennis Point

Castle Drive

FALMOUTH

Cornwall

TR11 4WZ

Tel: 01326 310800

Fax: 01326 314331

 

Holyhead Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Prince of Wales Road

HOLYHEAD

Anglesey

LL65 1ET

Tel: 01407 762051/763911

Fax: 01407 764373

 

Liverpool Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Hall Road West

Crosby

LIVERPOOL

Merseyside

L23 8SY

Tel: 0151 931 3341

Fax: 0151 931 3347

 

Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

Gorsewood Drive

Hakin

Milford Haven

Pembrokeshire

SA73 3HB

Tel: 01646 699600

Fax: 01646 699603

 

Swansea Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Tutt Head

Mumbles

SWANSEA

County of Swansea

SA3 4EX

Tel: 01792 366534

Fax: 01792 369005

 

 

Scotland & N.Ireland

 

Aberdeen Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

4th Floor

Marine House

Blaikies Quay

ABERDEEN

AB11 5PB

Tel: 01224 592334

Fax: 01224 575920

 

Belfast Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Bregenz House

Quay Street

BANGOR?Co.Down

BT20 5ED

Tel: 028 9146 3933

Fax: 028 9146 5886

 

Clyde Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Navy Buildings

Eldon Street

GREENOCK

Strathclyde

PA16 7QY

Tel: 01475 729988

Fax: 01475 786955

 

Forth Martime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Fifeness

CRAIL

Fife

KY10 3XN

Tel: 01333 450666

Fax: 01333 450725

 

Shetland Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

The Knab

Knab Road

LERWICK

Shetland

ZE1 0AX

Tel: 01595 692976

Fax: 01595 694810

 

Stornoway Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre

HM Coastguard

Clan MacQuarrie House

Battery Point

STORNOWAY

Isle of Lewis

Western Isles

HS1 2RT

Tel: 01851 702013/4

Fax: 01851 704387

[LifeboatJohn]

Just got round to doing something I have been intent on doing for a month. Thanks John for the balanced view etc.!

 

Much appreciated Moonyaker.......thanks for being a sport!

 

John

[Neil]

You would be suprised how many false alarms the Lifeboats have to attend.

 

I was in the same situation a few weeks back. I was out fishing out from Berwick upon Tweed early one evening when I heard the ILB contact Humber coast guard on Ch 16. I wondered where they were heading for. I soon realized they were coming to visit us.

 

Within minutes they were along side us. They told us a concerned Police Officer had seen us fishing and thought we were in difficulty. I knew a couple of lads on the ILB and we had a bit crack before they returned to the station.

 

After that I felt bad about it ,I cut our trip short, and went ashore. The next morning I phoned Humber CG to discuss what had happened and asked them if there was any way this could be prevented as this has happened to me before. The answer in short was NO. I am registered with CG66, I phone our local coast watch tower when they are there, and phone the CG at all other times. The Humber CG was sympathetic as well. He does a bit of shore diving and has had 4 call outs himself over the years, all of them false with good intent.

 

He told me the procedure was to launch the ILB first then contact anyone that might be in the area. If someone reports a kayak in difficulty in a certain area and you have been eliminated from the search, then who's to say there's not someone else in difficulty that you don't know about. They still have to search the area.

 

The one comforting thought is that these guys are there when we need them. Offshore membership is easy and you can pay by DD. I have been a member for years, but if I was paying for the times they have launched I think I would still be owing them a few quid..

 

Neil

Edited July 14, 2007 by Neil

[SpeciMan]

Nice post Neil. Paintly and Darnsarf posting on the parallel thread at the AnglerAfloat forum also mentioned they've been involved in a call out too.

 

Have just signed up for Offshore RNLI membership. £5 a month direct debit.

Edited July 14, 2007 by SpeciMan

[Sendem]

Can I chip in here as a Coastguard ?

 

If you are doing something "odd" in the sea then it is very likely that some passerby will call the Coastguard, convinced that they are saving you from a watery death, when all they are doing is interrupting your fishing.

 

The Coastguard, having been told that there is a man drowning, cannot say "Naw, you're just exaggerating. Don't believe you." We have to do something and prove it is a false alarm.

So the minimum response is to send a land based unit round to have a look and talk face to face with the person who called us.

 

Something to bear in mind when you are on the coast or at sea is " Will an ordinary person, watching me from the road, think I am in trouble." Fly fishing from a kayak looks like waving for help, for example. So I would suggest that if you are going to do something odd, which might be misinterpreted, give the coastguard a phone call and tell them where and when.

For the kayakers, carry a marine VHF (and learn how to use it properly) so you can either call for help if you need it or reduce confusion by updating your positon/activity.

 

You are not the only ones to cause false alarms, but much can be done to reduce them. If you are going to do something "unusual" then tell the coastguard in advance; they can't stop you and they will be gratefull to be informed.