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Stranded holidaymakers rescued after writing help message in sand Stranded holidaymakers rescued after writing help message in sand
(about 4 hours later)
A group of holidaymakers stranded on a beach were saved when a walker on the cliff-top spotted their "send for help" message written in the sand.A group of holidaymakers stranded on a beach were saved when a walker on the cliff-top spotted their "send for help" message written in the sand.
The four adults and three children had navigated around Stepper Point near Padstow in north Cornwall to a beach in a sailing dinghy and small rigid inflatable boat for a picnic. The four adults and three children had navigated in a sailing dinghy and small rigid inflatable boat around Stepper Point, near Padstow in north Cornwall, to a beach for a picnic.
Conditions were perfect until the tide flooded and waves increased, leaving the group trapped on the beach at Butter Hole. Conditions were perfect until the tide flooded and waves increased, leaving the group trapped on the beach at Butter Hole. They did not have radio or mobile phone reception so wrote "send for help" in the sand.
They did not have radio or mobile phone reception so wrote "send for help" in the sand. A walker on the cliff-top spotted the message and raised the alarm. RNLI and coastguard crews raced to the scene and helped all seven to safety on Wednesday afternoon.
A walker on the cliff-top luckily spotted the message and raised the alarm. RNLI and coastguard crews raced to the scene and helped all seven to safety on Wednesday afternoon. Mike Hewitt, the RNLI volunteer lifeboat operations manager at Rock, said: "This was a very difficult rescue carried out with great skill and bravery. There was the ever-present threat of the lifeboat being swamped or capsized by the dumping seas, but using their RNLI training our crew worked together to recover all the people and then their boats.
Mike Hewitt, the RNLI volunteer lifeboat operations manager at Rock, said: "This was a very difficult rescue carried out with great skill and bravery. There was the ever-present threat of the lifeboat being swamped or capsized by the dumping seas, but using their RNLI training our crew worked together to recover all the people and then their boats. "The group made a very sensible decision not to try launching their boats into the building seas but they were lucky that a passing walker noticed the message calling for help written in the sand. I would remind people that it's important to have a suitable means of contacting someone when going to sea. Don't assume you will have a mobile phone signal when you go to a beach by water so take a VHF radio.
"The group made a very sensible decision not to try launching their boats into the building seas but they were lucky that a passing walker noticed the message calling for help written in the sand and I would remind people that it's important to have a suitable means of contacting someone when going to sea. Don't assume you will have a mobile phone signal when you go to a beach by water so take a VHF radio. "Be aware of local conditions, too. The group left in near perfect conditions but big waves can suddenly develop around here when the tide starts to come in and this can catch you out."
"Be aware of local conditions too. The group left in near perfect conditions but big waves can suddenly develop around here when the tide starts to come in and this can catch you out." Tim Humfrey, one of those rescued, said the group had headed to the cove as it was "another idyllic sunny day".
He said: "We must have stayed on the beach for about an hour, exploring the cove but we did notice the tide was rising and the swell was increasing. We monitored the situation and even discussed what we might do if it didn't ease.
"By the time we decided to get everything together to leave, the swell and the waves were fairly serious. We had to take the decision that it was too dangerous to try to get out by boat with the children.
"So we wrote a message in the sand hoping someone would see it as we couldn't call out over the sound of the sea crashing on the rocks around us."
Remarkably, the message was noticed within minutes – with lifeboat crews arriving just 15 minutes later.
He added: "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the RNLI and the coastguard for doing an amazing job. The lifeboat crew were utterly professional and considerate throughout; they were particularly marvellous with the children."
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