Well Done to the Cullercoats Boys

On Sunday 28 December, at 1.39pm Humber Coastguard paged RNLI Cullercoats after receiving a report of a person in the water following damage to his Kayak and led to it taking in water. Within 6 minutes of the alarm the lifeboat was at the scene.

The volunteer crew of Ben Bradshaw, Helmsman, Curtis Dunn, George Redfern- Lown and Scott Brown, tackled a large sea swell and challenging waves to locate the casualty off Tynemouth Longsands. Once at the scene the casualty was found to be in the water next to his kayak which had received considerable damage. The man, from Monkseaton North Tyneside, had been kayaking with two other friends from Tynemouth to Cullercoats and was on the return journey when a large freak wave hit him, the force of which damaged his hull as well as the front end. He was thrown out of the Kayak as well as one of his fellow kayakers. Unlike his friend however, the casualty was unable to get back into his boat because of the sea state and large waves and the kayak taking in water.It was at this time his fellow kayaker raised the alarm with the Coastguard and asked for immediate assistance. The casualty was taken back to Cullercoats Lifeboat station where his welfare was checked by the volunteer crew. He was very cold after being in the water for nearly 10 minutes and had a few cuts and bruises. His kayak was then located and brough back to the station by which time the casualty was in better shape.He was then handed over to members of Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade who provided him with transport back to Tynemouth.