THE RNLI and Coastguard rescued four kayakers in difficulty at Ramsey Sound on Tuesday (Apr 23).
St Davids RNLI all-weather and inshore lifeboats were launched after HM Coastguards received a call from kayakers to say that one of their kayaks had been holed by rocks on the Bitches reef and was rapidly filling with water. They would be unable to return to the mainland so were attempting to get to Ramsey Island. However, the strong tides prevented them from reaching the island and they had to scramble onto the reef to await assistance.
St Davids Coastguard Rescue Team posted on Facebook: “St Davids Lifeboat RNLI paged and rescued the stranded kayakers using the ILB [Inshore lifeboat] and ALB [All-weather lifeboat]. The kayaking group had headed south in Ramsey Sound and were planning to ferryglide [a kayaking technique] across to play on the Bitches.”
St Davids Lifeboat RNLI also posted on Facebook: “Both our boats launched at 8.11am on Tuesday April 23 to four kayakers in difficulties in Ramsey Sound.
“The all-weather lifeboat arrived on scene about five minutes after launching and got close enough to the kayakers to ensure they did not need medical assistance. The kayakers were then escorted from the reef to the all-weather lifeboat by St Davids inshore lifeboat. The kayaks and their occupants were then taken aboard the lifeboat and brought back to St Justinians where they were landed onto the beach and into the care of St. Davids Coastguard Rescue Team.”
Both lifeboats returned to station and were rehoused at about 8.45am.
