Displaying items by tag: RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin

8th August 2010

Red Bay RNLI Rescue brother and sister off Fair Head Rocks in County Antrim

County Antrim's Red Bay Lifeboat crew launched this evening (Saturday 7 August 2010) to rescue a brother and sister who had got into difficulty in the Boulder Field on Fair Head rocks on the North Antrim Coast. This is the first callout for Red Bay's new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Geoffrey Charles.

The call for help was received at 18.25 this evening when the siblings went walking in the Boulder field and got into difficulty. The Red Bay lifeboat was launched and in a heavy swell manoeuvred close to the rocks. One of the volunteer lifeboat crew then swam from the lifeboat onto the rocks with another crewmember's drysuit and a lifejacket. He then assisted the casualties one at a time using a rope.

Under difficult conditions the two casualties were recovered onto the lifeboat and landed at Ballycastle. No further medical attention was needed. Commenting on the rescue Red Bay RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin said, " Although people like to walk in this scenic area of North Antrim it can be a very dangerous spot. This was a successful first callout for our new lifeboat and the two people are recovering well from their ordeal."

The new lifeboat was only put on station less than a fortnight ago. It has a number of improvements on its predecessor including a faster top speed of 35 knots; radar; provision for a fourth crew member and more space for survivors. It can operate safely in daylight in up to force 7 conditions and at night in up to force 6, it is also capable of being beached in an emergency.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.