Skerries RNLI volunteers responded to incidents involving inflatable paddle boards last Wednesday (7 August) and Friday (9 August), bringing three adults and four children to safety.
On Wednesday, shortly after 3pm, Dublin Coast Guard received a 999 call from a man who reported that they were being blown out to sea off Portrane beach. A Pan Pan emergency was issued and the lifeboat in Skerries was tasked.
The volunteers in Skerries launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis Simson and navigated around the headland at Red Island before proceeding towards the location given for the casualty.
As they were nearing the location, they received an update that one of the volunteer helms at station had been close to the area in his commercial vessel, Ros Áine, and had taken the two adults and two children aboard, along with their paddle boards.
A volunteer crew was transferred from the lifeboat to the Ros Áine to assess the casualties and administer first aid. The crew member stayed aboard and the lifeboat escorted as the casualties were landed at Rogerstown pier, where they were handed into the care of an ambulance crew and Skerries Coast Guard unit.
Weather conditions at the time had a south-easterly Force 4–5 wind with a choppy sea and good visibility.
The volunteers were tasked again on Friday, shortly before 3pm, after lifeguards on the south strand in Skerries raised the alarm that a man and two children on a paddle board were struggling to make it back to the beach against the wind and the tide.
The lifeboat was launched and proceeded directly to the area indicated by the lifeguards. As the lifeboat rounded Red Island, the volunteers spotted the casualties almost immediately. The two children were aboard the stand up paddle board and the man was swimming alongside.
All three were taken on board and a first aid assessment was carried out. No medical assistance was required and they were dropped safely back to the beach. Conditions at the time had a north-westerly Force 4–5 wind with a slight sea and good visibility.
Speaking after the call-outs, volunteer lifeboat press officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning said: “Unfortunately, we do get a number of call-outs to stand-up paddle boards every year. Thankfully everyone was wearing lifejackets and had a means of contacting the shore.
“We would also just remind people to check the sea area forecast before taking to the water as only a slight increase in the wind can make it more challenging to get safely back to shore.”
