Scarborough inshore lifeboat rescues three kayakers who were blown out to sea

Three kayakers were rescued by Scarborough RNLI when a strong offshore wind blew them out to sea.
Scarborough's inshore lifeboat. Photo: Erik Woolcott.Scarborough's inshore lifeboat. Photo: Erik Woolcott.
Scarborough's inshore lifeboat. Photo: Erik Woolcott.

When they called for help, the two men and one woman were roughly one nautical mile out to sea; by the time the inshore lifeboat found them, the distance to shore had doubled.

Fortunately, they were all wearing buoyancy aids.

The lifeboat crew of three helped get the kayakers into their vessel and towed the kayaks back to shore, where they handed them over to the waiting coastguards. The incident happened this afternoon.

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Scarborough RNLI’s community safety officer Dave Grieves has the following advice for kayakers:

1. Wear wetsuits or water / wind proof clothing;

2. Carry a means of calling for help - preferably a VHF radio or phone in a waterproof case;

3. Download the app What3Words, from which the coastguard can get a precise location;

4. Take note of the tide and wind conditions and think carefully about your route, particularly when strong offshore winds are blowing.