Ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend, the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, Water Safety Ireland and Met Éireann are appealing for people to take care when they are on or near the water.

With many people continuing to enjoy the summer holidays or planning a break this weekend, the organisations are asking people to be particularly mindful to check weather forecasts and tide times before venturing out and if planning on entering the sea to know how to spot and safely handle a rip current.

If planning other activities such as paddleboarding, the request is to always go prepared so the water can be enjoyed safely.

Evelyn Cusack, head of forecasting in Met Éireann says: “While there will be some warm sunny spells, the weather will be mixed this weekend. For a detailed forecast for 10-days ahead for over 1,000 locations around Ireland including the beaches, lakes and mountains, go to met.ie.”

If heading out on the water or visiting the coast:

• Always check the weather and tide times.
• Carry a reliable means of raising the alarm such as a VHF radio or personal locator beacon (PLB) and a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch as back-up.
• Tell someone where you are going and what time you are due back.
• If going afloat, wear a lifejacket or suitable personal flotation device for your activity.
• Never ever swim alone. Only swim in areas that are supervised by lifeguards or in areas with which you are familiar.
• Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.

Kevin Rahill, RNLI water safety lead said: “This weekend will see spring tides so we would encourage anyone planning a walk or activity near the coast to check tide times before venturing out to avoid becoming cut off.

“The RNLI is also urging everyone to remember to ‘Float to Live’ if they do get into trouble in the water this weekend. To do this: Lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 for the coastguard.”

Irish Coast Guard operations manager Micheál O’Toole said: “We wish to thank the public for their cooperation and support and for the responsible approach displayed when participating in any water based or coastal activity.

“We would also advise people to avoid bringing inflatable toys to the beach, rivers or lake side as users can easily get swept away from the shore.”

Water Safety Ireland’s acting chief executive Roger Sweeney said: “Swimmers should watch out for rip currents which are one of the most dangerous natural hazards at Irish beaches.

“The strong channel of water running from a beach back to sea can be difficult to spot so the best way to avoid them is to swim at lifeguarded beaches between the red and yellow flags. If caught in one, don’t exhaust yourself trying to swim against it. Swim parallel to the beach until free of the narrow current and then head for shore.”

Three people were brought to safety by Ballycotton RNLI after their pleasure boat suffered engine failure 17 nautical miles south of Helvick Head on Wednesday evening (27 July).

Ballycotton’s all-weather lifeboat Austin Lidbury was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard at 6.50pm when the 16.5ft fishing boat reported engine failure.

Weather conditions were calm and once on scene, the lifeboat crew assessed the situation. Alan Cott, a volunteer crew member, boarded the small boat and was able to get the engine started again.

Ballycotton RNLI lifeboat crew made the decision to then escort the boat to the safety of Helvick Harbour before returning to Ballycotton at 10.30pm.

Commenting after the callout, Cott said: “Thankfully conditions were very good and all three people were wearing lifejackets and had called for help as soon as they encountered engine difficulties.

“We would advise people to take the correct water safety advice for the activity they are taking part in and to always make sure they have a means of raising the alarm if things go wrong.”

The volunteer crew of Howth RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat Roy Barker III on Sunday afternoon (24 July) to aid a father, son and their dog Billy on a boat drifting towards the cliffs off Howth Head.

The lifeboat, with a crew of seven, launched at 1.40pm following a request from Dublin Coast Guard to assist the boat, which had come across Dublin Bay from Dun Laoghaire and suffered engine failure close to the Baily Lighthouse.

Weather conditions were challenging with fresh southerly winds and, having lost power, the boat was being blown towards the cliffs on the south side of Howth Head.

The lifeboat reached the casualty vessel within 15 minutes of launching. Once it was established that all on board the boat were well, Howth RNLI coxswain Fred Connolly took the decision to take the father, son and their black Labrador on board the lifeboat and to tow their boat back to Howth.

Speaking following the incident, Connolly said: “The owner of the boat in difficulty did the right thing in calling the coastguard for help straight away. When the winds are blowing onshore and a boat is broken down, every minute counts. Our volunteer crew responded quickly once the pager went off and we launched the lifeboat within minutes. 

“Once on scene, we cast a line to the boat and pulled them alongside so that the father, son and their dog could be transferred to the safety of the lifeboat. Our crew then established a tow line and we were able to tow the boat back to Howth Harbour.”

The coxswain added: “This type of call out for the RNLI provides a good opportunity to remind boat owners to have a means of calling for help at all times and if you do get into difficulty that you're prepared. We were delighted to be able to return Billy and his owners safely ashore.”

Fethard RNLI launched its inshore lifeboat on Friday afternoon (22 July) after one of its helms spotted a lone boatman struggling to make ground with oars while being blown away from the shore.

The volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat at Fethard Dock and headed to an area around half a mile off The Windy Gap. Weather conditions were good, with good visibility and a Force 4 southwesterly wind.

It emerged that the lone boatman had taken his flat-bottomed punt to check on a larger vessel that was moored, when the wind overpowered the small craft.

Upon arrival at the casualty vessel, the crew assessed the situation, brought the casualty on board the lifeboat, set up a towline and brought the vessel to the safety of Fethard Dock.

Commenting about the callout, volunteer helm Mick Roche said it “highlights the huge importance of always having a means to call 999 or 112”.

He added: “It also should encourage all members of the public engaging in water activities to know the local tides and weather, in particular the direction of the wind, and if an offshore wind is blowing.”

Friday’s callout also marked the first shout for volunteer crew member Ian O’Grady, who downed tools at a local building site to join the crew.

Youghal RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew rescued a family of three from their stricken yacht this morning (Friday 22 July) as it drifted towards rocks near Black Head in Youghal Bay.

The couple with their teenage son radioed for help after their 44ft yacht had lost power, leaving them slowly drifting towards the rocky shoreline
 
Youghal’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was launched at 6.42am and reached the 44ft yacht in just 10 minutes amid favourable conditions with a falling tide.

It emerged that a rope had become caught up in the yacht’s propeller and the vessel had lost all power.

The family onboard were experienced sailors and were travelling the world on their yacht for the last 10 years. The lifeboat crew found them to be safe with none requiring medical attention.
 
One volunteer crew member boarded the yacht and established a towline to bring it back to Youghal pontoon, where the family were handed into the care of Youghal Coast Guard who were awaiting their arrival.
 
Youghal RNLI deputy launching authority Mark Nolan said: “The family had a VHF radio onboard and didn’t hesitate to call the coastguard to alert the lifeboat for assistance when they experienced difficulty.

“This has been a very busy time for us here in Youghal with this being our fifth shout less than a week. We would urge people to always carry a means of communion and if they get into difficult to call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

Less than 24 hours after their role in the dramatic rescue of French yachtsman Loic Escoffier, Baltimore RNLI were called out to provide a medical evacuation on Wednesday afternoon (20 July) from Cape Clear Island in West Cork in what marked their third callout in five days.

The volunteer crew — coxswain Aidan Bushe, mechanic Nigel Kehoe and crew members Emma Lupton, Emma Geary and Don O’Donovan — launched their all-weather lifeboat at 4.25pm following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medevac for a man on the island.

Arriving at North Harbour 25 minutes later, they transferred the casualty onboard the lifeboat and returned to station where the casualty was then handed over to the care of an HSE ambulance crew at 5.35pm.

Speaking following the callout, volunteer lifeboat press officer Kate Callanan said: “It has been a busy few days for Baltimore Lifeboat with three calls in the last five days.

“On [Saturday] 16 July the all-weather lifeboat assisted a yacht with two people on board that was in difficulty close to rocks off the eastern side of Cape Clear Island. [Tuesday night] the all-weather lifeboat rescued a lone sailor 70 miles south of Baltimore after his catamaran capsized during a race.

“We are grateful to the crews of both our all-weather lifeboat and our inshore lifeboat who are always ready to answer their pagers as soon as required. Please remember, if you find yourself in a medical emergency whilst on an island, call 999 or 112.”

Portaferry RNLI launched for the third time in two days on Wednesday evening (20 July) to retrieve a kayak that had drifted off Slanes Bay on Northern Ireland’s Arts Peninsula.

A member of the public raised the alarm shortly before 7.30pm after observing two children abandon a kayak when they got out of their depth in the water and decided to return to shore.

Portaferry RNLI’s volunteer crew — including new member Jesse Brown on her first callout — launched the inshore lifeboat promptly and made their way to Slanes Bay amid good weather conditions.

The kayak was located one mile off Slanes Bay at 8.05pm and the crew took it on board to prevent it becoming a risk to others on the water. The lifeboat then proceeded bay to nearby Cloughy beach and transferred the kayak into the care of the Portaferry Coastguard rescue team.

Commenting on the callout, Portaferry RNLI helm Chris Adair said: “Thankfully we were able to assist in bringing the kayak safely back to shore without it posing a danger to others.”

The previous evening, the Portaferry lifeboat launched to the aid of three casualties across two callouts in the space of two hours.

The first of these was two assist a female sea swimmer who had got into difficulty close to Killough Pier, west of Ardglass in Co Down.

As the lifeboat was en route via the Strangford Narrows, word came through that a local RIB has provided assistance and brought the swimmer ashore to the care of waiting emergency services. The crew were stood down and returned to Strangford to carry out their weekly exercise.

While out on exercise, the volunteer crew received reports from concerned kayakers of two paddleboarders struggling against the tide off Kilard Point after drifting a mile out from Kilclief Beach.

Once on scene, the volunteer crew helped the casualties aboard the lifeboat and brought them ashore to Strangford Pier.

Josh Boyd, Portaferry RNLI helm said: ‘“Clear information made it very straightforward for us to locate the two paddleboarders in the nick of time. With tide pulling the two further away from the shore, it was absolutely the correct thing for the kayakers to do in calling for help.”

As the weather gets warmer and more people travel to the coast, Portaferry RNLI reminds anyone planning a trip to sea or an activity on the water to always carry a means of calling for help, always wear a lifejacket and other appropriate protection and always check the weather and tides before going to sea.

Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.

Youghal RNLI in East Cork responded to two callouts in less that two hours on Tuesday (19 July), coming to the aid of six people.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were first requested to launch at 4.37pm to aid a family that had been left to anchor their vessel due to engine failure one mile south of the lighthouse in Youghal and were drifting due to a falling tide and westerly wind.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew observed that the family were all safe and well and all wearing lifejackets and did not require first aid. The crew assisted three family members onto the lifeboat while one crew member boarded the vessel and a towline was established.

The boat was then towed back to the Quays slipway in Youghal and two crew members assisted the safe recovery of the vessel by helping it back onto its trailer.

The lifeboat was back and ready for next service when the pagers went off again at 6.32pm to reports of a 28ft pleasure craft with two onboard that was experiencing engine difficulties due to overheating a quarter of a mile east of the Black Ball Ledge cardinal mark in Youghal Bay.

Weather conditions had changed a small bit since the first call and the sea state was now choppy but overall still clear and visible.

When the crew arrived at the location given they observed two men onboard that were both safe and well. They lifeboat assessed the casualty vessel and established a safe towline to bring the boat back to the pontoon in Youghal.

Speaking after the callouts, Youghal RNLI helm Liam Keogh said: “It was great to see on both calls today the people onboard had mobiles and rang for help. We would urge people to remember to bring any means of communication with you because you don’t know when you might need it.”

The back-to-back shouts also represented Alan Revins’ first since recently completing his helm training. He said: “This is an exceptionally busy time for all emergency services so please take care when you head out and enjoy the fantastic weather, stay safe and respect the water.

“If you think you’re in trouble or if you think you see someone else is in danger in or near the water call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

Just after 8am on Monday morning (18 July), Lough Ree RNLI was requested to go to the aid of four people on board a stranded cruiser near Clawinch Island.

It brought to 19 the total number of people assisted across six incidents this week for the Co Westmeath lifeboat station.

The lifeboat crew located the 32ft cruiser which had run aground on rocks south of the island. After confirming that all four people on board were well and following a hull inspection, the stricken vessel was towed to safe water and continued under its own power.

The rocks around the Hexagon Shoal claimed another casualty when on Sunday (17 July) the inshore lifeboat Tara Scougall with her volunteer crew was called to the assist five people on board a speedboat on the rocks.

Launched at 2.42pm under helm Kieran Sloyan, the lifeboat reached the scene in minutes and found that three people had been taken on board a passing vessel while the remaining two were rescued by the lifeboat crew.

The speedboat, which was holed and taking water, was towed to Coosan Point where it was beached.

While this callout was continuing, the lifeboat station was alerted to an incident at Coosan Point where a member of the public had been injured while jumping into the lake. The casualty was assisted by Shane McCormack, a volunteer helm and casualty care specialist.

In a double callout last Thursday (14 July), Lough Ree RNLI responded to a call for assistance at midday to five people on board a stranded cruiser on the Hexagon Shoal. The cruiser was towed to safe water and headed north towards Lanesboro.

While returning from this call, the volunteer crew were diverted to another incident near Inchclearaun where a 27ft cruiser with one person on board was stranded on rocks. Following inspection, the boat was towed off the rocks and continued north.

Last Monday (11 July) Lough Ree RNLI’s volunteer crew were called to assist a 40ft cruiser with five people on board which was stranded on rocks at Kids Island. After safety checks, the boat was towed to safe water.

Following this busy week and weekend on and off the water, Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat operations manager Kevin Ganly appealed for anyone using amenities around Coosan Point to “stay well away from the slipway and launch area for the charity’s lifeboat. At busy times congestion in the area can hamper the launch of the lifeboat responding to an emergency call.”

This past week has been a very busy period at Courtmacsherry RNLI in West Cork with three callouts in five days.

The all-weather lifeboat was requested at 10.45pm on Tuesday night (12 July) to launch in search of a person in a kayak that was overdue from Dunworley Bay on the Seven Heads peninsula. The alert was raised by family personnel and an observer from the shore.

Under coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of six, the lifeboat was under way within minutes, but while en route it emerged that while the kayaker had overturned, he was able to right himself and was able to get ashore by himself.

The lifeboat returned to base after being recalled at 11.15pm.

Crew members on this callout with Cashman were mechanic Dave Philips, Denis Murphy, Paul McCarthy, Donal Young, Dean Hennessy and Enda Boyle.

On Wednesday evening (13 July) at 5.40pm, the pagers were again activated by the Irish Coast Guard’s Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia as a pleasure craft had developed mechanical problems two miles off the Old Head of Kinsale.

The lifeboat, under coxswain Mark Gannon and a crew of six, reached the casualty vessel at 6.15pm and following an assessment it was towed back to the nearest port in Courtmacsherry.

Joining Gannon on this callout were mechanic Stuart Russell, Chris Guy, Donal Young, Ken Cashman, Mark John Gannon and Dave Philips.

The third callout was to rescue a person from the rocks off Broadstrand on last Saturday (9 July) in conjunction with the Old Head/Seven Heads Coast Guard unit and the coastguard’s Waterford-based helicopter Rescue 117.

The casualty was brought by the lifeboat back to Courtmacsherry Pier and transferred to a waiting HSE ambulance.

The lifeboat crew on this callout were coxswain Mark John Gannon, mechanic Stuart Russell, Tadgh McCarthy, Denis Murphy, Austin McKenna, Dave Philips, Pat Lawton and Conor Dullea.

As the fine weather continues, and we head into peak holiday season, Courtmacsherry RNLI stresses to all those that are partaking in any water activities, or planning a visit to the coast over the busy summer season, to remember and follow RNLI safety advice below to stay safe at all times:

• Have a plan — check the weather forecast, tide times and read local hazard signage.
• Keep a close eye on your family — on the beach, on the shoreline and in the water.
• Don’t allow your family to swim alone.
• Don’t use inflatables at all on the sea.
• Make sure to wear a lifejacket at all times when taking to the sea in a boat.
• If you fall into the water unexpectedly, Float to Live. Fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back, extend your arms and legs, gently move them around if you need to, and float.
• In an emergency dial 999 or 112 immediately and ask for the coastguard.