Two windsurfers on one windswept afternoon.

Boat launched : Atlantic 85

Date : Sunday 29 March

Launched at : 13:12 and then at 13:44

Returned at : 13:25 and 14:25

Weather : A wild day with the SSW wind at F9 abating slightly later to F8

Two separate sailboarders came to grief inside Chichester Harbour on a very windy Sunday in March. The first casualty was reported to the Solent Coastguard as having been seen clinging to a buoy to the north of Hayling Island SC (HISC).  Once launched it took a few minutes to reach the windsurfer and to take him aboard the lifeboat. Having also secured his rig, the casualty was taken to the Lifeboat Station and the lifeboat recovered, but whilst refuelling, a second call from the Coastguard sent us out again to look for a second sailboarder in trouble in roughly the same area as before. We soon located the second casualty who had managed to get onto a cruiser in the HISC moorings. A crewmember went on board to help dismantle the windsurfing rig and then both this and the person were taken ashore at the HISC pontoon. The lifeboat was then asked to look for an item in the water and found and recovered a child’s bodyboard drifting in the wind near the Camber mark. Fortunately it was quite damaged and therefore clearly not being used in the F8/9 gale and so no need to search for a lost child ! The crew returned to the station and this time were able to put the lifeboat away and ready for another service.

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Service Numbers 2019

Total Launches: 84
Atlantic 85: 42
D-Class: 42

Services Totals

2015 - 67
2014 -77
2013 - 86
2012 - 77

Tide Times

Tide times and heights not available for http://www.tidetimes.co.uk/rss/chichester-harbour-entrance-tide-times

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