63-year-old yachtsman Ken Milburn, a member of Lower Halstow Yacht Club, has visited the RNLI station at Sheerness to personally thank the crew. In the early hours of 19 May Ken fell into the water when loading gear from his dinghy. Fortunately someone heard his cries for help and the crew of the Sheerness Inshore Lifeboat came to the rescue. Ken says a simple safety measure saved him, “Put your life jacket on. Go for a self-inflating one – fifty quid to save your life. Without one I would not be here!”
Category: RNLI
Visit the Sheerness Lifeboat, Sun 3 July, 11am-3pm
The RNLI station at Sheerness is not open to the public but the All-weather Lifeboat and Inshore Lifeboat will be on display for you to visit at the All Tide Landing, Crundall’s Wharf, Queenborough Harbour. Come and meet the Crew and helpers and find out more about the work of the RNLI. Demonstration by the Inshore Lifeboat, RNLI Lifeguards and HM Coastguard.
Operational requirements permitting, the RNLI Lifeboats, lifeguards and stalls will be on display along with Kent Fire Rescue Launch and Fire Tender, HM Coastguard, Classic Cars and Scooters.
Yachtsman rescued from water in Halstow Creek
The Sheerness Lifeboat team reports that a man clinging for his life to a buoy for two hours in the dark in the Medway Estuary was rescued by a Good Samaritan and Sheerness RNLI lifeboat volunteers. The 64 year old man had transferred from his yacht moored in Halstow Creek to a dinghy which then capsized, leaving him in the perilously cold water alone at night. Eventually the man’s cries for help were heard by someone in a nearby house sparking an emergency 999 call to the Coastguard and a late night launch of Sheerness RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Eleanor at 12.05am on Thursday 19 May.
Within less than half an hour of leaving their beds, the charity’s volunteer crew reached the area at 12.27pm and immediately launched two flares to illuminate the dark night and assist their search. RNLI helmsman Mark Tucker said: ‘We spotted a man in a small rhib type boat next to a mooring buoy who we later learned had been alerted by a phone call saying that cries for help could be heard in the creek.The chap got into his boat and eventually located the casualty in the water where he was clinging to the buoy. Having found the man in the water the Good Samaritan hadn’t been able to get him out and so hung onto him until we arrived on the scene.’
As the lifeboat neared the scene crew member Kris White jumped into the water to support the casualty before getting him aboard the lifeboat with the support of his fellow RNLI crew members. Kris added: ‘It was a pitch black night and the water was extremely cold. The guy was in a bad way. He was so cold he looked blue. We think he had been in the water for two hours. He was lucky he’d been spotted and help came. I don’t know how much longer he could have held on if he’d been alone but the fact that he was wearing his lifejacket undoubtedly saved his life because apart from the extreme cold there was a very strong tide running which would have been impossible to swim against.’
‘This incident goes to show how quickly and unexpectedly things can go wrong, even in a sheltered creek. We’d urge everyone to carry a waterproof means of communication, whether that’s a radio, a mobile phone in a protective pouch or even flares, so that if they find themselves in a similar situation they can call for help.’
The casualty was taken to a nearby slipway where he was handed over to a waiting South East Coast Ambulance Service crew. It is not thought the man’s condition was life threatening.
The ILB crew had earlier been called at 5.55pm on Wednesday 18 May to assist in the recovery of a body found in the water at Strood Pier.
Follow the RNLI Sheerness Lifeboat’s activities on Facebook.
Flare Amnesty at Dover Marina, 21 May
Dover Marina as part of its open day on Saturday 21 May have arranged a “Flare Amnesty.” Private individuals can take flares along to Dover Marina between 10am and 1.30pm (not as previously stated) and dispose of them free of charge. Entry to the open day, which runs from 10am to 4pm. For further information please read the attached flyer: Dover Marina Open Day 2016
Gillingham Marina Safety Weekend, 15-17 April
RNLI Lifejacket Evening, 21 Nov at Medway CC
Unfortunately this event has been postponed.
Dutch barge towed to Queenborough by Sheerness lifeboat
On Saturday 12 September, the Sheerness all-weather lifeboat went to the aid of this 20 metre Dutch barge “Friso” that had broken down and was anchored south of the Kentish Flats wind farm. The barge, with six persons on board, was towed to Queenborough Harbour..
Pirates raid lifeboat station
The notorious Sheppey Pirates led by Captain Cutlass, aka Adrian Collins, boarded the Sheerness all weather lifeboat ‘George and Ivy Swanson’ on Sunday 6 September to present a cheque for the amazing sum of £2500.
The Sheerness Lifeboat Run takes place on Sunday 20 September at Marine Parade on the Island. If you would like to take part, entry packs are available from Sheppey Leisure Centre or by ringing Paul or Kay on 01795 664922 or direct to the lifeboat station on 01795 664868.
Tug Kent in dramatic helicopter rescue
A superb video by Ted Ingham
A man who had become ill on the tug Kent was rescued by a Coastguard helicopter near the Montgomery wreck on Monday. The veteran 1948 tug was returning from a maritime festival in Ipswich. Also on the scene were the Kent Police RIB and the Sheerness all-weather lifeboat. A pilot cutter also offered assistance. Your webmaster also happened to be passing and watched the drama unfolding from a distance. The casualty was treated on board the tug by a paramedic from the helicopter, then airlifted to Ashford. We understand that, happily, he has now been discharged.
Lifeboat searches for lone sailor in Medway Estuary
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness inshore lifeboat ‘Eleanor’ were called at 4.15pm on Monday 3 August to the assistance of the 23 foot craft ‘Serendipity’ with one man on board, reportedly aground off Bartlett Creek, which is in the Lower Rainham area of the River Medway. The ILB arrived at the reported area but could find no trace of the casualty. A search of the area up to Kingsnorth was made, again with no result. The search was then expanded to the areas of Stangate and Sharfleet Creeks. The casualty was eventually found ‘hard aground’ on Slayhill Marsh, a remote area between Lower Halstow and the Sheppey Crossing – a long way from the first reported position.
The crew of the ILB secured an anchor to the craft and the owner was then brought ashore to the safety of the lifeboat station at Sheerness. Lifeboat coxswain Robin Castle said, “the craft was left high and dry on a mud bank and will be very difficult to re-float. The Medway mud gets everywhere.” After a thorough clean, the ILB and crew were ready for service again at 6.30pm.