Boat Launched : D-Class
Date : Saturday 10 May
Launched at : 17:25
Returned at : 18:45
Weather : Strong F7 gusting 8 SW wind
54 year old Andy Lawson was rescued on Saturday 10 May from Chichester Harbour having been left in the water when his tender hit an obstruction, spiralled out of control and flipped. At the time, late in the afternoon, there was a SW Force 7 and the sea was quite rough on the east side of Hayling Bridge making passage difficult..
The wind was blowing hard across the top of Langstone Harbour and under the bridge to where the casualties’ boat was moored, and the owner having spent a couple of days on board doing jobs and getting ready for the sailing season prepared to leave the boat. With the oars for the tender and its outboard engine safely transferred he set off in the tender to go ashore. The outboard hit an obstruction and lost power and in the wind he spiralled downwind onto the ancient Wadeway. His bad luck continued as the tender flipped twice in the wind breaking his finger! He was resolute however and tried to walk to shore, but it was too deep and he lost his shoes so returned to the shingle bank of the causeway. Realising he was surrounded by deeper water and with a rising tide he had no option but to call 999 for help.
The Hayling Island RNLI D-Class Lifeboat was launched at 5:25pm in response to the call, was quickly on the scene, and found the man. They took him and his various items into the lifeboat and having wrapped him in a thermal blanket to keep warm took him to Langstone Sailing Club. Once the crew were sure he was OK he joined colleague club members who took charge of looking after him. Then the lifeboat crew went looking for his tender which had travelled some way on the wind. It was found on the Northney Shore, recovered, and taken back to the sailing club and secured! Mr Lawson said ‘I will be forever grateful to Andy Ferguson (Senior Helm) and the D-Class crew, who not only hoiked me from the Wadeway but also saved my tender.’ Mr Lawson showed great determination and fortitude in trying to solve his situation and avoid calling for help. We are all glad he did so however.
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