#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI volunteer crews were woken by their pagers at 3.34am yesterday morning (Wednesday 26 July) after a lone yachtsman ran aground at the mouth of Ardglass Marina in Co Down.

The all-weather lifeboat Eleanor and Bryant Girling was on the way by 3.55am and arrived on scene with the casualty vessel 45 minutes later. 

The lifeboat crew found the yacht hard aground and listing heavily to starboard on the breakwater protecting the marina. 

Under command of coxswain William Chambers, the RNLI crew tried manoeuvring their lifeboat close to the yacht only to find the tide had fallen too much and was too far away to retrieve the lone sailor from his vessel.

With full co-ordination between the RNLI and Newcastle Coastguard on the shore, the lifeboat pulled back to deeper water and provided safety cover while members of the coastguard team carried out a rescue from the shore.

The casualty was removed from the vessel for his own safety with no injuries, and with everyone accounted for the lifeboat was stood down.

Ardglass Marina (also known as Phennick cove marina) is situated just south of Strangford, Ardglass has the capacity to accomodate up to 33 yachts as well as space for small craft. Despite being relatively small in size, the marina boasts an extensive array of facilities, either on site or close at hand. Most of the necessary shops, including grocery stores, a post office, chemist and off-licence, are all within a five-minute walk from the marina. Among the local onshore activities are golf, mountain climbing in Newcastle, which is 18 miles south, aswell as scenic walks at Ardglass and Delamont Park.