Last Thursday a group from the club had a session with the RNLI from Amble practising rescues with both the big lifeboat and the inshore RIB. A very worthwhile session. Bjoern summarised a few key lessons learned:
- Don’t paddle towards the lifeboat – let them approach you.
- If you are towing a casualty in a raft with another kayak then release the towline and let the raft drift.
- If you are in a raft try to have the casualty on the side facing the lifeboat.
- Don’t swarm the lifeboat – any other kayaks not involved should group together and keep their distance.
- Holding a paddle up vertically can help the lifeboat crew pinpoint your location, especially when close to the big lifeboat where the bow of the boat obscures the coxswain’s view.
Photos by Richard Sill
