0:00:02 > 0:00:04We're an island nation,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06drawn to the sea that surrounds us.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08For many, it's a playground.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13For others, it's where we earn our living.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15But the sea is unpredictable.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19It can change in an instant.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23And when accidents happen, they happen very fast.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25The sea is a dangerous place.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28If you don't respect the sea, the sea will bite you.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31There to save our lives is a volunteer army
0:00:31 > 0:00:34of nearly 5,000 ordinary people,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38ready to leave their jobs, their families,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40to race to our rescue.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45It makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48to know that if it wasn't for you, that person wouldn't be here.
0:00:48 > 0:00:54They rescued me but they also saved a mum, a daughter, a sister, a wife.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56- Oh, my gosh! - To see someone disappear
0:00:56 > 0:00:58under the water right in front of you...
0:00:58 > 0:01:01is brutal. It's absolutely horrendous.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Equipped with their own cameras...
0:01:04 > 0:01:07- Is my light flashing? - Yeah, is mine?
0:01:07 > 0:01:10..the crews give us a unique insight into every call-out
0:01:10 > 0:01:12as only they see it.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Right, here's another little wave.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Speeding through the roughest weather,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23searching for people who may only have moments to live.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Can you still hear me?
0:01:24 > 0:01:29To those who risk their lives, it has become a way of life.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34When those pagers go off, it's life and death.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Facing out into the Atlantic,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Newquay, on the north coast of Cornwall,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49is one of the South West's most popular resorts.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Each year, it is inundated with visitors
0:01:53 > 0:01:56keen to make the most of its sea cliffs, sand
0:01:56 > 0:01:59and, above all, internationally renowned surf,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02thanks to waves whipped up over thousands of miles of open ocean.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Little surprise, then, the lifeboat station here is busy,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11with an average of 60 shouts a year.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15We're really fortunate to have such a beautiful stretch of coastline
0:02:15 > 0:02:18in quite a condensed area, so we've got so many coves,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22really high-sided cliffs, it looks very dramatic.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26But it is very exposed to the swells and the conditions.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30So, with the beauty does come the danger.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33We get a lot of people from inland and really,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35they have no concept of the dangers of the sea.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38You get a lot of shouts for people who have
0:02:38 > 0:02:39literally got no idea.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Newquay's coves and inlets are often fully submerged
0:02:47 > 0:02:49well before high tide,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52which means a lot of repeat business for the crew.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57We deal with a lot of cut off by the tide,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00people coming down on holiday who don't know the area
0:03:00 > 0:03:01and they go out on the beach
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and don't really know what the tide is doing.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07I can never imagine a world
0:03:07 > 0:03:09without tidal cut-offs in Newquay, I'm afraid.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15A warm weekend evening in mid-August.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- ALARM BLARES - Attention - lifeboat launching.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24Once again, some holiday-makers have been caught out by the rising tide.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27This time, a couple have been stranded in a cove
0:03:27 > 0:03:30by one of the town's most popular beaches.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32With no way up the steep cliffs,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36the husband has braved the waters to swim around the rocks and raise
0:03:36 > 0:03:40the alarm, leaving his wife waiting on the ever-shrinking beach.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Every minute the tide is rising, the surf is becoming bigger, too.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59And as the crews speed towards the cove,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01they learn of a further complication.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Definitely thinking I'm going to have to be more careful.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Obviously, it is a more delicate situation
0:04:19 > 0:04:22than the normal sort of person that you might rescue.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We've got to think of how we get her into the boat,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and then also coming out on the boat, it's not just like sitting in
0:04:32 > 0:04:34an armchair, you're going to get wet and a few knocks from the waves.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36There, look.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Sea conditions on the day is the biggest consideration, really.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43There's no way that we would like
0:04:43 > 0:04:47to take a pregnant lady out through heavy surf.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54The casualty is over half a mile away from the lifeboat station near
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Tolcarne Beach, in a narrow bay fringed with jagged rocks.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Within three minutes of launching, the D Class inshore lifeboat arrives
0:05:06 > 0:05:09to be faced with large waves breaking IN the cove.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12First sighting of her, she was stood on the beach,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16looked to be unharmed at that stage, from afar, anyway.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Then really, the situation sort of turns away from her
0:05:21 > 0:05:22back into the boat again,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and how we are going to get in to get her?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28If it was going to prove too much, then we would have to look at
0:05:28 > 0:05:31other options of extracting her from the cove.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33I stopped and had a chat with my crew,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36not only for me to tell them what we could do,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39it was to have a chat and see between us if we had ideas
0:05:39 > 0:05:40we could bounce off each other -
0:05:40 > 0:05:43they might have better ideas than me.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Do you want to get the paddle out?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- Just go in there quietly? - Just to push off.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51Get past any waves like that
0:05:51 > 0:05:55and then we're just going to push in with the paddles, all right?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Are you ready to do it like a canoe if you have to?
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Just stand up, like, paddle board or something?
0:06:00 > 0:06:05Improvising, the crew decide to use the D Class's oars
0:06:05 > 0:06:07to navigate a path to the shore.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11- Got one here. - Yeah, you're right.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Where she was situated on the beach,
0:06:14 > 0:06:19there's quite a lot of submerged, semi-submerged rocks.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23But low enough that it makes it difficult to see them,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27but high enough that you'd take the prop off the boat if you hit them.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30You've got a fairly clear channel right through there.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- Yeah. There's one.- There's one.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40If the engine had hit a rock,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42it's quite possible we could have lost the engine.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46If we had damaged the engine, we would have lost propulsion.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48I think we're all right here.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Teamwork is extremely important. It always is really, like that.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59You've got this one here.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- You've got one here as well. - You can go right through there.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05They were able to look all around,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07I could concentrate more on steering,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09and then they're ready to shout orders -
0:07:09 > 0:07:12if they see a rock, I can respond to it.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13To the right a bit. Through here.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- Across here.- Yeah, you're in, you're in, you're in.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Across there. And straight up.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20We're in.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22That's all right.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26You've got a little one just in front of your nose here.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29It's taken ten minutes to reach the pregnant casualty.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33In that time, a passing surfer has stopped to offer help.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38How are you doing, all right?
0:07:38 > 0:07:42The rising tide is now only a few metres from the back of the cove.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45The lady's reaction was that of joy, I would say.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49She looked quite excited that finally help was with her.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I suppose just complete relief, really.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Nearly an hour has passed
0:07:58 > 0:08:01since the casualty watched her husband swim out for help.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03She was lucky.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Had the husband not made it round from the cove,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09there's quite a treacherous patch of water there,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11then the tide could have run in
0:08:11 > 0:08:13and she would have had no dry beach to stand on.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16So she relied on her husband to raise the alarm,
0:08:16 > 0:08:21because from the beach you can't see inside the cove, so they were lucky.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Very.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26As the tide continues to rise,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29sea conditions in the cove begin to settle.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33The crew's return journey will be much smoother.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37But it's unlikely to be the last of this type of rescue they do this summer.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42It does get frustrating, actually,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45because a lot of these situations could be avoided.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50There is only one jut of cliff that separates them from safety.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54So literally, if they had known about the tides,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58and known not to be in that cove at that time,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02they would never have got cut off and it could have been avoided.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07The casualty's husband has been waiting on the main beach.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Her husband came down to the sea. He was absolutely relieved.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15We even managed to get his bag of beers,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17so I think he was doubly relieved!
0:09:17 > 0:09:22Thank you very much. Guys, I should say thank you to all of you, OK?
0:09:22 > 0:09:23All right, mate.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28I'd like to think that we potentially just sort of saved
0:09:28 > 0:09:31a disastrous ending to their day, really.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38On average, the Newquay lifeboat crew responds
0:09:38 > 0:09:43to over 20 tidal cut-offs a year - nearly a third of all their shouts.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Tide tables are a useful guide,
0:09:46 > 0:09:51but the tide times and heights can vary hugely from beach to beach.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55With this in mind, the crew here now carry out specialist foot patrols
0:09:55 > 0:09:58to the spots where people are most commonly caught out.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Historically, we've always had lifeboat shouts to Bedruthan Steps,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08but due to the popularity down here, they were just getting too frequent
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and really spiked a couple of years ago,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13so we had to do something about it.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16We're two hours off low tide now and as you can probably see, we've got
0:10:16 > 0:10:18the bays are starting to cut off, due to the tide.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21You can actually see, if you look over my shoulder,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23two people coming from one of the further coves along,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26so they're literally going to have to get wet now to come back
0:10:26 > 0:10:28around that cove already.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30So there's potentially some more people around there as well,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33so we'll have to go and do the checks to find out.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Twice a day, Lewis and his team do a complete sweep of the most dangerous
0:10:37 > 0:10:41beaches to make sure that no-one is left high and dry.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47How are you doing there, you all right?
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Good, good. Just come for a little explore,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51you'll probably see my colleague just bringing you back.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53We've got big tides at the minute.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Hey, buddy, around the rocks!
0:10:55 > 0:10:57It's the lifeguard, just come up to the main beach
0:10:57 > 0:11:00before you're cut off by the tide.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It's quite a tight time frame.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05We're actually sort of almost starting to be cut off ourselves.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08I think there might be somebody in the southern side, so if we just...
0:11:08 > 0:11:10We'll go through.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Here's two. How are you doing, fellas, you all right?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- Yeah, great.- Good, good. If you make your way back,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20because the tide's going to cut you off pretty soon.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22Nice one, cheers, boys.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30At the end of the day, we're here to advise,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33so if somebody doesn't want to listen to my advice,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36that's their prerogative. I can't force anybody to do anything,
0:11:36 > 0:11:37but most of the time, people are nice.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48Around the country, lifeboats are launched over 8,800 times a year,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50often into seas at their very worst.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59With this number of shouts, even the best planned rescues can go wrong,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02testing the mettle of crews to the limit.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Sometimes you have to deal with the unexpected.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Anything and everything can go wrong at sea,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18and if it does go wrong at sea, it'll go wrong dramatically.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Fear of capsizing our vessel, it's something which we never want to do.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28It's always the worry that's there.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I've been hit with rogue waves before,
0:12:31 > 0:12:36where we've been out on a fairly moderate day and we've been clumped.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Yeah, things can change instantly,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44it's split-second things and there is no safety net.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48You all right?
0:12:48 > 0:12:49If something goes wrong,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53like a prop gets fouled or an engine breaks...
0:12:53 > 0:12:55We've got problems.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58..then you have to have an instinct to be able
0:12:58 > 0:13:01to let you deal with that safely and effectively.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14It's the not knowing, I think, that probably keeps people going,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18and I think that's what keeps it... keeps it interesting.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34On the north-east coast of Wales, Rhyl was a popular Victorian resort
0:13:34 > 0:13:37that continues to pull in visitors in considerable numbers.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43The coastline around Rhyl - huge, sandy beaches.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45At low water, you can have up to a mile of beach.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Plenty of sandbanks and gullies in between and people sometimes
0:13:48 > 0:13:51get into difficulty, stuck on sandbanks,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53not realising that the tide's coming around them.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57There's been a lifeboat station here for over 150 years,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01and its pride and joy is the Mersey Class all-weather lifeboat.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05We get a variety of shouts, Rhyl,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07anything from commercial vessels
0:14:07 > 0:14:09right the way through to people cut off by the tide,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12children, inflatable dinghies, fishing boats...
0:14:12 > 0:14:16The angling trips at Rhyl are very popular.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18In the good weather, people come from all over the UK
0:14:18 > 0:14:20to fish off our coast.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24But any fishing trip out at sea has its dangers.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27ALARM BLARES
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Mid-April - the Coastguard has received a report
0:14:30 > 0:14:33of a medical emergency on a fishing boat.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35What we were told was that
0:14:35 > 0:14:38an elderly gentleman had fallen over and he was
0:14:38 > 0:14:41screaming in pain and they just wanted us to get on the scene
0:14:41 > 0:14:43straightaway and assess the situation.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47On shouts like these, time is of the essence,
0:14:47 > 0:14:53but the lifeboat's launch is often delayed by Rhyl's extreme low tides,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which is where the station's fully waterproof 19-tonne launch tractor
0:14:56 > 0:14:58comes into play.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Low tide can be quite frustrating at times.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09We can take sort of eight to ten minutes to get to the launch site.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12You know, you can hear it coming on the radio and you just want to be
0:15:12 > 0:15:14in the water and on the way to the casualty.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19After a mile-long haul, the lifeboat reaches deep enough water to launch.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21WHISTLE BLOWS
0:15:30 > 0:15:31On the way to a casualty,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34you're trying to get as much information as you can,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36from the Coastguard and from the angling boat.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Main concerns are, what state is he in himself,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43like, how is he coping with it, what's going on inside?
0:15:43 > 0:15:45You just don't know, it could be anything.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Nearly half an hour after the initial call came in,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52the fishing boat is located, seven miles offshore.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56He looks in pain. I'm ready to go.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Helm Martin tasks Andy and trainee midwife Tara
0:16:01 > 0:16:04to provide casualty care.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06I like to do the first aid shouts.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07I love doing them, actually.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Knowing about CPR and things like that, we get taught that,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14so it's helped me with, like, the first aid side of things.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15I'll go first.
0:16:17 > 0:16:18It was quite sloppy with the waves,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20there was a little bit of a swell running,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23and the most difficult part of the incident,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25you've got to place two of your own crew on board a fishing boat
0:16:25 > 0:16:27that might be rolling and pitching.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It can be heart-in-your-mouth a little bit.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41You all right?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- The casualty is a 71-year-old man. - What's happened?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49He's fallen while fishing and is in extreme discomfort.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51He needs urgent pain relief,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54but first, the crew have to assess his condition.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Where's the pain coming from?
0:16:56 > 0:17:00- It's coming from your hip? - Yeah? Right.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01Any movements, he's...
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Right, OK. What we've...
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Do you feel out of breath or anything?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10- Do you feel out of breath or anything?- No.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13You're not hyperventilating, so your breathing's normal.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15The crew decide to give the casualty Entonox,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen
0:17:18 > 0:17:22which provides pain relief without inducing a lack of consciousness.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Otherwise known as gas and air,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27it is used in many clinical procedures, including childbirth.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30What's his name again, sorry?
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Roy, he's called Roy.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- Roy?- Yeah.- Roy, my name's Andy and this is Tara.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37If you could keep on breathing the Entonox,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and then let us know how your pain relief is,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41we can then make an assessment
0:17:41 > 0:17:43of whether we'll be able to get you into our stretcher.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It looks like he has possibly a fractured hip.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51The biggest concerns would be internal bleeding.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54We just want to get him back as quickly as possible to the hospital,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57so that they can make sure he's OK.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Is the pain OK, is it going, or...?
0:18:01 > 0:18:02It's going.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05It's going? Good job. Keep on supping.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09THEY LAUGH
0:18:12 > 0:18:14THEY LAUGH
0:18:14 > 0:18:18It was good that he kept a sense of humour in the condition he was in.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Yeah, a really nice chap.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22- OVER RADIO:- How are you getting on?
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Initial assessment, casualty's in pain, can barely move.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Andy and Tara relay updates to helm Martin,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31who in turn keeps the Coastguard informed
0:18:31 > 0:18:33of the casualty's condition.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39The man needs urgent medical attention,
0:18:39 > 0:18:40but the tide is now so low
0:18:40 > 0:18:43that the fishing boat cannot get into the harbour.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Andy had called me and said, you know,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49it might be worth getting a helicopter,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52he's in considerable pain. He was quite elderly.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55So we spoke to the Coastguard, and it came back quite quickly
0:18:55 > 0:18:58that the helicopter was already on another incident,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00so it suddenly became apparent to us
0:19:00 > 0:19:03that it was down to us to get him ashore.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06With no airlift available,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09the quickest way of bringing the casualty ashore
0:19:09 > 0:19:10is on board the lifeboat,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and then up the beach on its launch trailer.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16First of all, the crew need to lift him over to the boat.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22We'll secure you in the stretcher and pass you to the lifeboat,
0:19:22 > 0:19:23and then we'll take you back to the beach,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25where we'll be met by an ambulance.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26You keep on supping.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31We've got another bottle of this left on the lifeboat, so...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36HE SHOUTS IN PAIN
0:19:36 > 0:19:37He wasn't happy with the plan.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40He knew that it would be painful to move.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Being strapped into a stretcher isn't the best of places to be,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46let alone when you're in a lot of pain.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Unfortunately we haven't got...
0:19:53 > 0:19:55We don't carry those sort of drugs, I'm afraid.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58THEY LAUGH
0:19:58 > 0:20:00We did have to persuade him somewhat,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04convince him that the plan that we'd made was the best for him.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07He knew that either way, he would have to go into a stretcher.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09He's got room...
0:20:09 > 0:20:10ROY SHOUTS IN PAIN
0:20:10 > 0:20:11You're doing great.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13When we started moving him,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16any slight bit of movement, you know, he was sort of yelping.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19HE GROANS IN PAIN
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I think anyone in that situation would be exactly the same.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27HE SHOUTS IN PAIN
0:20:27 > 0:20:29We could hear him screaming from across the way
0:20:29 > 0:20:32where we sat with the lifeboat, waiting for a report.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34HE SHOUTS IN PAIN
0:20:34 > 0:20:36We were probably 60-70 foot away.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38He was quite a character, I remember him.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41He was certainly in shock and he was certainly in a great deal of pain,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43so it was probably his way of coping.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Just give you a sit-rep, Martin.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49The casualty's now in the stretcher with some delicate manoeuvring.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52We're just going to fasten him in, get him strapped up,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55get the life jacket on before we pass across, over.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Getting the casualty into the stretcher is only half the challenge.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04The stretcher now needs to be transferred to the lifeboat waiting alongside.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08So we've got to put the two boats together,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and get the stretcher across as well.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14So one of the ways we do it is do what we call a slow speed transfer,
0:21:14 > 0:21:15so we get them to put the boat in gear,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18so the boat's travelling and we have to try to and gauge the speed,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20so it's not rolling and wallowing.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22At the same time, while he's steering one direction,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24we put the lifeboat alongside him.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27If you can steer the boat as best as you can,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29pick up speed just a couple of knots.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30One, two, three, lift!
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Rest him on the handrail, there we go, that will do.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It can be challenging,
0:21:41 > 0:21:42things can go wrong.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Hang on there, don't push.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46You're holding your breath.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I don't know why, it's just like a natural thing.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51You're holding your breath till he gets across, because, you know,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53it would be the worst thing ever if you dropped someone.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01OK, one, two, three.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12OK, you got him? All yours. Hands clear, everyone.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Thanks for all your help, guys, you've been great.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18Thank you.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Your fingers are moving all right?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Let me just test the blood in your fingers.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Casualty care doesn't stop as soon as you put a casualty into
0:22:34 > 0:22:36the stretcher, it's constant.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39So there's constant assessment that needs to be done,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41until you can hand over to the paramedics.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44The tractor coming out to us, they're going to attach a line
0:22:44 > 0:22:47to the boat and then pull us up onto the beach, out of the water.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50When the elderly fall over and hurt themselves,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53they don't recover as quick as what a younger person would,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55and they might not recover.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00You have to try and, not in a bad way,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02but you have to try and block it out
0:23:02 > 0:23:04and just think how you can help them.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09The casualty was met by a waiting ambulance onshore
0:23:09 > 0:23:11and taken to hospital.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16X-rays revealed he'd not only fractured his hip,
0:23:16 > 0:23:17but also one of his wrists.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23He had a realisation that if he was going to hospital,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26there'd be nobody to feed his cat that evening.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28I think he was more concerned for his cat
0:23:28 > 0:23:30than he was his own wellbeing.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42This seaside town of Tenby lies
0:23:42 > 0:23:45on the rugged southern coast of Pembrokeshire.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Its picturesque Victorian houses are surrounded by a 13th-century
0:23:50 > 0:23:55fortified wall, built to protect residents from marauding invaders.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02Tenby's on the west coast of Wales, right on the end of nowhere.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04There's one road in, one road out.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12A lifeboat station has been keeping the seas here safe since the 1850s.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14A lot of the locals have pleasure boats
0:24:14 > 0:24:16which they bring down in the summertime.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20There's a lot of kayaking, or windsurfing as well is quite common,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22and we do get the occasional commercial fishing vessel
0:24:22 > 0:24:23that has broken down.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29ALARM BLARES
0:24:29 > 0:24:33On a calm June day, the station receives an emergency call.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37This time, it's not the usual suspects.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39I was in the harbour when the pager went off.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41You never know what's going to happen,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43the adrenaline starts running and you just, you know,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45you do get that buzz of excitement
0:24:45 > 0:24:47that you don't know what you're going to.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Got to the boathouse and found that we were waiting for the police,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56so, a bit strange.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01I have never used the lifeboat for support before.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03I've worked in Tenby on and off for ten years.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07But personally, I don't have any experience at sea.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16I didn't realise that, having never been there before,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18how powerful and how fast the boat is.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21From the moment of launching down the slip
0:25:21 > 0:25:23and turning around to look back at Tenby,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25we'd travelled an immense amount of distance
0:25:25 > 0:25:27in a very, very short space of time.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30A sailing boat has been reported stolen
0:25:30 > 0:25:32from neighbouring Saundersfoot Harbour.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36It's been sighted heading out to sea.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38On the way out, you're thinking,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40why steal a boat, what's the guy's intentions?
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Is he stealing it, you know, to make money out of it or, you know,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48is he drunk? You do get a lot of that, where people just, you know,
0:25:48 > 0:25:49pinch a boat because they're drunk.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Our initial concerns were not so much of dealing with a crime
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and needing to apprehend an offender or recover stolen property,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03but you had to start questioning the person's skill level and knowledge
0:26:03 > 0:26:04when it came to sailing,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07and was he putting himself or other seafarers at risk?
0:26:07 > 0:26:10We had actually established that this male had been seen the previous
0:26:10 > 0:26:14evening within the harbour and had been sleeping rough.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15We didn't know what his state of mind was
0:26:15 > 0:26:17or what his intentions were.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20We'd had quite a detailed description,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and it was quite a distinctive boat,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25in that it had a green hull and a red sail.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26So I knew pretty much early on
0:26:26 > 0:26:28from the outset that that boat was going to stand out to us.
0:26:33 > 0:26:3825 minutes after launching, two miles offshore from Tenby,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40the stolen boat looms into view.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I thought it would have been, like, a nice luxury cruiser
0:26:48 > 0:26:50or something like that,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53not a wooden, old, rickety yacht with a big, red sail!
0:26:54 > 0:26:58You know, somebody sailing away and thinking they're going to get
0:26:58 > 0:27:01a fast getaway and they're doing about three or four knots!
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Yeah. Looking guilty.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12We called out initially, demanding he lower the sail.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15At that stage, he sort of pretty much blanked us.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18He totally ignored the big orange lifeboat heading towards him,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21he just played dumb. He just didn't have a clue
0:27:21 > 0:27:23what was going on and he just kept going
0:27:23 > 0:27:24in the direction he was sailing.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26HORN BLASTS
0:27:28 > 0:27:29There was a little bit of concern
0:27:29 > 0:27:31in the fact the male was ignoring us,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33because we didn't know what his intention was,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35we didn't know what his state of mind was.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37People do try and get away from the police.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42You don't know if he's carrying a knife or a weapon
0:27:42 > 0:27:44or if he's going to be aggressive,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47so you try and stay back a little bit on a boat.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54It was a different adrenaline feeling, having the police on board.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56It's like, what's going to happen, is this guy going to kick off?
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Are we going to be dealing with all sorts?
0:27:59 > 0:28:01It was quite surreal, really.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08The skill of the lifeboat crew, very skilled as they are,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10they managed to manoeuvre the lifeboat
0:28:10 > 0:28:11alongside the stolen vessel.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15The lifeboat crew sort of grabbed a piece of the rigging, as it were,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17and pulled the boat closer,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and one of the lifeboat crew boarded the vessel.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23There was an element of concern for their safety as well.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25You know, were we putting him in danger?
0:28:25 > 0:28:30As coxswain, Phil is responsible for his crew's safety.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33He chooses nightclub bouncer Matt to board the boat.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37I am usually the first person to jump in the water
0:28:37 > 0:28:39or offer my services to the skipper.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42I wasn't concerned how he was going to react.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44I mean I've worked the doors for 20 years,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47so I'm used to dealing with aggressive people,
0:28:47 > 0:28:48if he did turn aggressive.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52He appeared sort of dishevelled,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55which tied in with the fact that we'd received that information
0:28:55 > 0:28:56about him sleeping rough.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59He spoke very little, he didn't really engage with us,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02and, for his safety, he was taken below deck
0:29:02 > 0:29:05to prevent him either jumping off or harming himself.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Once questioned, the boat thief reveals to the police
0:29:10 > 0:29:13that his intention had been to sail round the south coast
0:29:13 > 0:29:15and across the Channel to France.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18Once I jumped on board,
0:29:18 > 0:29:22we realised that he was navigating with a 20-year-old AA road atlas -
0:29:22 > 0:29:24I don't think that was going to get him to France,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26I don't think it even covered France -
0:29:26 > 0:29:28and a couple of tins of random food.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31I think he might have had a Pot Noodle and some
0:29:31 > 0:29:34red salmon, you know, it's just ridiculous.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37But then, I don't think he was in the right frame of mind
0:29:37 > 0:29:40for sailing to France!
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Had we not had the support of the lifeboat that day,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53I dread to think what would have happened to the individual,
0:29:53 > 0:29:55how far the individual would have gone
0:29:55 > 0:30:00before he would have succumbed and either capsized or fallen overboard,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03or indeed injured other sailors at sea.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Back in Saundersfoot Harbour, a police car is waiting for the thief.
0:30:17 > 0:30:18"Who dobbed me in?"
0:30:18 > 0:30:21He later pleaded guilty to stealing a boat
0:30:21 > 0:30:24and was sentenced to 14 days in prison.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28We don't get too many shouts like it, to be honest.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31We do have a blue light on top of the boat,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33but we haven't got any sirens!
0:30:41 > 0:30:44160 miles south-east is the city of Portsmouth,
0:30:44 > 0:30:47which lies on Portsea Island in the Solent.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53The port's strategic position in the Channel has given it a central role
0:30:53 > 0:30:55in naval history.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57At the height of the British Empire,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00it was the world's most fortified military base.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05Today, the local lifeboat crew keep the sea safe from their base
0:31:05 > 0:31:06on Langstone Harbour.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Right, chappies, we're just practising some rope work.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13If you can all tie a bowline for us.
0:31:13 > 0:31:1624-year-old Brittany has been volunteering here
0:31:16 > 0:31:18for over five years.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22So, I'm from Portsmouth, lived here all my life, grew up here.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25It's basically an island filled with water around it,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27busy station here, as well.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30A lot of the time in the summer, you're kind of looking more for
0:31:30 > 0:31:33casualty care jobs, or people going missing
0:31:33 > 0:31:35and spending a bit more time out on the water,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37and we'll go and search for them.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41The Portsmouth lifeboat station is at the centre
0:31:41 > 0:31:42of three linked natural harbours,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46between them, home to hundreds of dinghies and yachts.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49You've got people out there that are really experienced,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and yet stuff still goes wrong, so sometimes we are our worst enemy,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56but then sometimes, things just go wrong.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05A warm day in June - the inland waters appear calm,
0:32:05 > 0:32:07but beyond the harbour, a strong wind is creating
0:32:07 > 0:32:10choppy seas with large swells.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14ALARM BLARES
0:32:14 > 0:32:16A call comes into the station.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Two dinghies have capsized.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Four people are in the water, over a mile out to sea.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30The casualties that we went out to
0:32:30 > 0:32:34were quite a long way offshore for the size of the boats they were in.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36I think the wooden dinghies they were in
0:32:36 > 0:32:39were 10-12 foot long, so they weren't big.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Sailing dinghies have the potential to sink -
0:32:41 > 0:32:46I wouldn't say they were in the safest place that they could be.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52When you capsize, it's a lot more serious
0:32:52 > 0:32:55and a lot more time critical that you need to get there,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58because someone can drown in 90 seconds.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01It's really important that you get there quickly.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06It was quite choppy.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10The wind had picked up a little bit as well, so you're kind of thinking,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12how far have they drifted?
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Have they managed to get any of their boats back up yet?
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Are they with their boats, or is it four singular people
0:33:18 > 0:33:21in the water just kind of bobbing around
0:33:21 > 0:33:23and we've got to search for them and try and find each one?
0:33:30 > 0:33:32It takes four minutes for the Atlantic Class
0:33:32 > 0:33:35to reach the casualties' last known location,
0:33:35 > 0:33:40but there's only one dinghy and just two people clinging on.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46A passing motorboat has picked up the other two sailors,
0:33:46 > 0:33:47but this dinghy has now drifted
0:33:47 > 0:33:50over a half a mile away from their friends.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52As we got to the first casualties,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55they were pointing over to where this motorboat was,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59but as we were with them and the fact that the other casualties
0:33:59 > 0:34:01were in or on another vessel,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03we went for the first capsized boat,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05as they were still in the water and the other ones weren't.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14The challenge now is getting these two men out of the water.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21It can be quite difficult, depending on the size of your casualty,
0:34:21 > 0:34:25especially when you've got kit on that then weighs them down as well,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29so they've got water on their kit or soaked into their kit,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32so it weighs a bit more once you start lifting them out of the water.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38The exhausted casualties have been clinging on to their dinghy
0:34:38 > 0:34:40in choppy seas for nearly an hour.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46I'm in.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- There we go.- OK?
0:34:51 > 0:34:52I'll hold that.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56When you're dealing with people in the water,
0:34:56 > 0:35:01you kind of just look at getting them in and assessing how they are.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04If they're cold at all, have they swallowed any water,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06have they inhaled any water?
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Just to see if they're going to need treatment from us.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12With two casualties now safe,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15the crew must locate the other members of their group.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19But as the lifeboat approaches the motor cruiser,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21it becomes clear that one of these sailors
0:35:21 > 0:35:23is not completely out of danger yet.
0:35:25 > 0:35:31I saw that there was one gent sitting on the back of the swim deck
0:35:31 > 0:35:36and the lady that was on the boat had handed him a towel.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39I thought at first it was just to kind of dry him off a little bit,
0:35:39 > 0:35:44and as we got a bit closer, he said that he'd hurt his leg.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48A crew member needs to board the motor cruiser to properly assess
0:35:48 > 0:35:52the sailor's injury, but as they come alongside,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54they learn that this boat has problems of its own.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59The motorboat had actually got a rope around its propeller,
0:35:59 > 0:36:01so it was just drifting in the swell and with the wind.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03They'd only just picked up that motorboat that day,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06so they were quite new to that boat themselves,
0:36:06 > 0:36:07and had attempted to rescue
0:36:07 > 0:36:10and then got into a sticky situation themselves.
0:36:10 > 0:36:16Manoeuvring the 27 foot, 1.8 tonne lifeboat alongside a drifting vessel
0:36:16 > 0:36:18in these seas is no mean feat.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23But Lewis must get Brittany on board.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31The laceration that he had, it was a bit more than just a cut,
0:36:31 > 0:36:37it was quite big, probably say maybe 6-7 inches long.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39There were quite a lot of waves coming over
0:36:39 > 0:36:41and almost washing the blood off,
0:36:41 > 0:36:46but he was also quite cold as well, so that was, I believe,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49kind of almost stemming the bleeding that was coming out.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54I asked for a first aid kit to be sent over,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56along with another crew member.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Kim joins Brittany on the motor cruiser.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10He did seem quite kind of relaxed,
0:37:10 > 0:37:14but I think it was more just trying to keep himself calm.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16He was quite cold, as well.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19We did need to get his leg treated properly,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21because we can only do so much on the boat.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25While Kim runs preliminary medical checks,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Brittany dresses the man's laceration.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Can you imagine getting out of a swimming pool onto the side?
0:37:33 > 0:37:37He'd tried to do that onto the boat, but as he was doing it,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39he'd actually caught his leg on the propeller.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47The injured sailor, Phil, and his crewmate, Paul, were adrift
0:37:47 > 0:37:50in the sea for nearly an hour before the motor cruiser spotted them.
0:37:53 > 0:37:54The reason the dinghy capsized
0:37:54 > 0:37:57was mainly because a freak gust of wind just came straight at us.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01There was no warning.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Initially, it was quite worrying.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06My heart did pump and my adrenaline did kick in.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09It was just total shock.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Without the life jacket, I wouldn't be here now talking about it.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15I wasn't too sure how far we were getting dragged out, because you get
0:38:15 > 0:38:18quite disorientated and getting tired, getting very, very tired.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22As time went by,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25I was getting colder and colder and colder and I was thinking,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28is there anybody going to come and get us?
0:38:28 > 0:38:32I did say to Phil, we need some help soon because I'm not sure how long
0:38:32 > 0:38:33I can hold on for.
0:38:33 > 0:38:39I was just so pleased when this passing vessel come in to get us.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Phil's leg needs urgent medical attention,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47so the priority now is to get him and Paul off this boat.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02But while Paul can board with little assistance,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05the bigger challenge is transferring a wounded man
0:39:05 > 0:39:09off a broken-down motor cruiser, which, without engine power,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12is now rolling in increasingly choppy seas.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22The injured guy, we managed to get him up and onto his feet.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24He was actually pretty good.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28He managed to hop over quite elegantly, actually!
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Finally, four casualties,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37two dinghies and a drifting motor cruiser
0:39:37 > 0:39:40are all transported back to harbour.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44The guys were reasonably lucky to be spotted by the passing motorboat.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46If the vessel had sunk, we'd have run the risk
0:39:46 > 0:39:49that we were just effectively looking for heads in the water.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53We could have been out there until the hours of darkness.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55If they started to lose consciousness,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57they might have drifted away from their boat,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00they wouldn't have stayed with that, they might have let go and, yeah,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03trying to find four people that aren't with their boats
0:40:03 > 0:40:07compared to four people that are with their boat is a lot harder.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10How lucky was I that day?
0:40:10 > 0:40:13It's the closest I've come to death, I think.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Yes, very lucky.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17You're clear, you're clear.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22Safely ashore, the casualties are met by a waiting ambulance crew.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23The people that we rescued,
0:40:23 > 0:40:27they came round to every crew member afterwards and said their thanks,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29which, for us, it means a lot.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31I met Phil a couple of weeks ago,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33we had a little survivors' drink down in Eastbourne.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Phil's OK. Because the wound was quite wide, it's still healing,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41but hopefully, he should be back fighting fit soon.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Four lives have been saved today,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48but the Portsmouth crew won't be able to return to their families
0:40:48 > 0:40:50and friends just yet.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53ALARM BLARES
0:40:54 > 0:40:58We've got another job to go to, so hop back on.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00- INTERVIEWER: - No rest on a Sunday, then?
0:41:00 > 0:41:01Oh, no, never is!
0:41:05 > 0:41:07By the time we got back from the second shout,
0:41:07 > 0:41:09it must have been about seven o'clock.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11My barbecue was finished.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24With limestone cliffs rising hundreds of feet,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27the Gower Peninsula in Wales is home
0:41:27 > 0:41:30to some Britain's most breathtaking scenery.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Its many beaches and bays are popular with surfers and kayakers,
0:41:33 > 0:41:38but with strong tides and currents, the waters here can be dangerous.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44The Gower Peninsula's quite an interesting piece of coast.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47We have a mixture of cliffs, which are followed around
0:41:47 > 0:41:49by the Welsh coastal path,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51and we also have little coves and sandy beaches
0:41:51 > 0:41:53which offer a really good place for people
0:41:53 > 0:41:55to come and enjoy the coast,
0:41:55 > 0:41:58enjoy the sea and hopefully enjoy the sun when it comes out.
0:42:00 > 0:42:0322-year-old Aidan has been a lifeguard here for three years.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07I've always loved being around water.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I swam from when I was very young
0:42:09 > 0:42:13and grew up swimming and being in the sea and in the pool and stuff,
0:42:13 > 0:42:14and it just seemed pretty cool
0:42:14 > 0:42:16to be able to work at the beach every day.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22The lifeguards here are supported by the Mumbles lifeboat crew,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24and the popularity of their patch
0:42:24 > 0:42:27means that this station is the busiest in Wales.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Mumbles, yeah, we have a lot of people involved with watersports.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33On the water today, there's people kayaking,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35fishing, paddle boarding, swimming.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36The sea looks so inviting,
0:42:36 > 0:42:38it's definitely tempting to get involved.
0:42:40 > 0:42:41But there's one small watercraft
0:42:41 > 0:42:43which is the bane of life-saving crews here
0:42:43 > 0:42:45and around the country.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48When you hear "inflatable",
0:42:48 > 0:42:51you definitely don't think of it as the most seaworthy craft,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54so if there's any chop, they're going to struggle in it,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57and if it's windy, they're going to struggle to maintain
0:42:57 > 0:42:59their position against the wind.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01So if you're in something inflatable that sits on top of the water,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04you're most likely going to be blown away from the land,
0:43:04 > 0:43:06so you're going to struggle to get back to your safety.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10A warm spring day in the Gower.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13ALARM BLARES
0:43:15 > 0:43:17The lifeboat station is paged.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Two young men have been seen drifting out to sea
0:43:19 > 0:43:21in a small inflatable kayak.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27The questions that we generally sort of want answered as we're sort of
0:43:27 > 0:43:30processing the information coming in, I guess,
0:43:30 > 0:43:31are what ages they might be,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33what kind of clothing are they wearing,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35how far away from the shoreline are they,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38are they in the water, holding on to their kayak,
0:43:38 > 0:43:41are they in the kayak and, you know, safe enough?
0:43:41 > 0:43:45I've got my keys in my shorts if my parents are asking for them.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48The lifeboat station is a few miles
0:43:48 > 0:43:50from the kayakers' last reported position.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55- How long, 15 minutes? - Yeah.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58While the inshore boat makes its way to the scene,
0:43:58 > 0:44:01Aidan can see the unfolding emergency from the beach.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05On the binoculars, the boys were quite far out in the kayak.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08You could see the boys were trying to paddle in the opposite direction
0:44:08 > 0:44:10and they were making no leeway at all,
0:44:10 > 0:44:12so it was obvious from that point
0:44:12 > 0:44:14that the boys may need a bit of assistance.
0:44:14 > 0:44:18Watching the kayak continue to drift out to sea,
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Aidan decides to take action.
0:44:20 > 0:44:24I was already in my wet suit and the board was at the water's edge
0:44:24 > 0:44:26ready to go, so I ran down
0:44:26 > 0:44:29and paddled the board out in the direction of where the boys were.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35By the time the lifeboat arrives on the scene,
0:44:35 > 0:44:38Aidan has reached the drifting inflatable
0:44:38 > 0:44:41and secured it to a passing boat.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43But it's soon apparent that the bigger problem
0:44:43 > 0:44:45is the state of the kayakers.
0:44:47 > 0:44:48Right, OK.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53Oh, no, that's good.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56As the kayakers take refuge on the motorboat,
0:44:56 > 0:45:00it's clear they've been having a bit of a party.
0:45:03 > 0:45:04Yeah, I can imagine.
0:45:04 > 0:45:10So, when we approached the vessel that had taken the guys on a tow,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14it was pretty apparent that they'd had a lot of beer
0:45:14 > 0:45:17and there was still quite a lot of it in the boat as well, yeah.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20There's no way this is going to get towed round to there,
0:45:20 > 0:45:22it's waterlogged. They're in a bit of a state.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28The casualties are transferred to the lifeboat.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31They're safe, but worse for wear and freezing cold.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35Right, do you want to put that on? Put that on, please.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37Can you see that hole? Just put your head through.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40I think the type of clothing they were wearing reflects, sometimes,
0:45:40 > 0:45:43how often they use the water.
0:45:43 > 0:45:44These guys didn't have the kit,
0:45:44 > 0:45:48they were wearing jumpers and coats and things - no life jacket.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54And it's not just the kayakers' clothes that are unseaworthy.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57The kayak was quite an old inflatable kayak.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59It was afloat and it was pumped up fine,
0:45:59 > 0:46:04but it had taken on quite a lot of water as well. It looked quite old.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06Just for your information,
0:46:06 > 0:46:08we've currently got the boys on board...
0:46:08 > 0:46:10The priority now is to get the merry mariners warmed up
0:46:10 > 0:46:12and back on dry land.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Are you carrying all these cans back up with you?
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Yeah, sound. You can have one if you want, like.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22One of the lads, you know, was pretty aware that he was like,
0:46:22 > 0:46:24OK, I need to have my serious head on here,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27and the other lad, I think, just wanted to carry on drinking.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34- Can I say one little preachy thing? - Go on, then.- Please, please,
0:46:34 > 0:46:37just get life jackets next time you're on the water.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40- All right.- Promise? Because that'll save your life.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45I think they were pretty unaware
0:46:45 > 0:46:46of potentially how severe that situation
0:46:46 > 0:46:49could have been for them, so... Yeah.
0:46:52 > 0:46:53If the lifeguard wasn't there
0:46:53 > 0:46:56and the vessel that helped them wasn't there,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59they could have easily been adrift and continued to go out
0:46:59 > 0:47:03into the Channel, which would have made searching and locating them
0:47:03 > 0:47:04very difficult as well.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07So, yeah, it could have been quite serious.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11For now, the lads' booze cruise is over.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13They took the beers with them.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15They were appreciative.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17I think they were happy to get out of that situation,
0:47:17 > 0:47:19pleased to be back on dry land.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Each shout presents its own challenges.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28I think you've got to have a level head, I suppose,
0:47:28 > 0:47:29and with that comes patience.
0:47:29 > 0:47:34Patience to listen to people, patience to not panic somebody,
0:47:34 > 0:47:37patience just to kind of go with the flow, I suppose,
0:47:37 > 0:47:39a little bit, if someone's being a bit silly.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Our job isn't to judge anyone for their behaviour
0:47:44 > 0:47:45or what they're doing on any given day.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49I think the only thing to bear in mind is that on that day,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52two lifeboats were launched and a lifeguard was taken
0:47:52 > 0:47:54off the beach that they were meant to be patrolling.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04For volunteers and their families,
0:48:04 > 0:48:07one of the hardest things to adjust to is the fact that they have
0:48:07 > 0:48:10no idea where, why or when they could be called into action.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12PAGER BEEPS
0:48:12 > 0:48:14If there's a Sunday lunch, you're sat down,
0:48:14 > 0:48:16your pager goes off, you go.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18You're bathing your kids, pager goes off, you go.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20You're reading a story to the kids, pager goes off, you go.
0:48:20 > 0:48:25One of my first shouts was my boy's first birthday.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28The party started at two o'clock and the pager went off at five to two,
0:48:28 > 0:48:31so I missed his first birthday.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Christmas Day was the worst.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36Just about to sit down for Christmas lunch and the pager went off.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39To be fair, they did keep the dinner on hold,
0:48:39 > 0:48:41but it was a bit dry when we got back.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43- ALARM BLARES - Please, clear the area.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46I don't think my colleagues really realise what it involves.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48If my pager goes off in the middle of the night,
0:48:48 > 0:48:51I do have to get up and cycle down the cliff in a storm
0:48:51 > 0:48:52and get on the boat.
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Just gone half-past three.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56Two hours before work.
0:48:56 > 0:48:57Yeah...
0:48:58 > 0:49:01There was a time, the pager went off at my nan's funeral.
0:49:01 > 0:49:02PAGER BEEPS
0:49:02 > 0:49:04It was a bit like...
0:49:04 > 0:49:06all right, we've got to kind of respect you, Nan,
0:49:06 > 0:49:09but at the same time, you know that this is what we do.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16I make sure now that when we go out, I've got spare house keys,
0:49:16 > 0:49:18mobile phone and money for a taxi,
0:49:18 > 0:49:22because we can be anywhere and he's gone.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24He's just left me.
0:49:26 > 0:49:27ALARM BLARES
0:49:27 > 0:49:29Mid-May in Cornwall,
0:49:29 > 0:49:32and the Newquay lifeboat station has been paged again.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Someone's been cut off by the tide.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42The crew have only just returned from another shout.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45Got home, went to Sainsbury's, bought myself a four-pack of beer,
0:49:45 > 0:49:47it's the Heineken Cup final, isn't it?
0:49:47 > 0:49:50I thought, I'll watch the rugby, have a couple of beers.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53It can be frustrating sometimes if you've just rushed down
0:49:53 > 0:49:56through the middle of doing something you're enjoying doing.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00When you get tasked, it's something that's easily avoidable,
0:50:00 > 0:50:02but that's the nature of the beast.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06A woman and her dog are trapped by the incoming tide
0:50:06 > 0:50:11at Bedruthan Steps beach, over five miles from Newquay by sea.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13That area is notorious, really.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16Over a matter of only a few days, maybe a week,
0:50:16 > 0:50:19we had been called to the same place, Bedruthan Steps,
0:50:19 > 0:50:21three times in a row.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25To increase their chances of finding the casualty,
0:50:25 > 0:50:28both of the station's boats are launched.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30The larger, faster Atlantic Class
0:50:30 > 0:50:35and the smaller D Class, better suited to beach landings.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38It's a woman and her boxer dog. She sounds like she's rang it in.
0:50:38 > 0:50:42I think they said on the southern side, so I think, like,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44they're this side of the cave. Yeah, turn left.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46Bedruthan Steps, there's lots of rocks,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49some that you can go behind, some you can't.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51Very flat beach.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53One minute they're walking along with 10, 20 metres
0:50:53 > 0:50:59of golden sands in front of them, and then 20 minutes later,
0:50:59 > 0:51:00they're stood on the rocks,
0:51:00 > 0:51:02wondering how they're going to get back.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07First thoughts when we're going up there is finding her.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10They're going to be frightened and afraid if they've had to make
0:51:10 > 0:51:13an emergency call. As soon as she's got eyes on us, she's going to feel
0:51:13 > 0:51:15a whole lot better about the situation.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22Unfortunately, at Bedruthan Steps,
0:51:22 > 0:51:25the tide actually cuts you off only a couple of hours
0:51:25 > 0:51:28after low tide, so there would have been nowhere for her to escape.
0:51:32 > 0:51:33She's probably in here somewhere.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37The Atlantic arrives on the scene first
0:51:37 > 0:51:40and the crew set about trying to locate the casualty.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47There's something blue there.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51What's that there? Is that a person with a blue jacket?
0:51:51 > 0:51:52- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Oh, yeah, and the brown dog. Right.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59When you spot the person and you can see that they're on sort of
0:51:59 > 0:52:03dry land and at that time look to be unharmed, it's a relief straightaway
0:52:03 > 0:52:09because you know that then you've got time to be able to sit back
0:52:09 > 0:52:11and assess the situation.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15The two crews decide to send the smaller D Class in through the surf
0:52:15 > 0:52:18to the beach to pick up the casualty and her dog.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22Engines on tilt, just going straight for clean beach, straight in,
0:52:22 > 0:52:24we'll get in and beach it.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26If you go up and grab her...
0:52:26 > 0:52:28With a flood tide, the sooner we've got them in
0:52:28 > 0:52:30and the more beach we have to aim for,
0:52:30 > 0:52:33the easier it is for us as crew.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36If we get in and it's tight up against the cliffs,
0:52:36 > 0:52:39trying to hold the boat in place can be very difficult.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46You're all good behind.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Dog's loving it!
0:52:51 > 0:52:54The woman has been stranded for over half an hour with the tide still
0:52:54 > 0:52:56coming in fast all around her.
0:52:58 > 0:52:59Hi there.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04When I saw the boat arrived, there was a tremendous sense of relief.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08You do feel lonely when you're in trouble near the sea.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12When you're faced with a rising tide,
0:53:12 > 0:53:16it was something that I couldn't see my way out of.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20- Are you OK?- Yeah.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22- I'm just a bit upset that I did it wrong.- Are you sure?
0:53:22 > 0:53:25No, it's fine. It's a really notorious place to get cut off,
0:53:25 > 0:53:27so it happens a lot, so don't worry at all.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29- VOICEOVER:- She was distressed, understandably.
0:53:29 > 0:53:30You know, it's a lonely experience.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34You're generally cut off, isolated, you know, you look around you,
0:53:34 > 0:53:37there's high cliffs, you think nobody's ever going to see you.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40It's quite mentally stressful.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42- What's the dog's name?- Cooper.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Cooper? So, is he quite friendly to be picked up and that, yeah?
0:53:46 > 0:53:49I was upset because I was having to ask for help,
0:53:49 > 0:53:52because I'm a fiercely independent person and I really didn't like
0:53:52 > 0:53:56to ask for help, and I kept wanting to find my own way back,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58but I realised I couldn't.
0:53:58 > 0:54:03I couldn't believe that it was so high so soon,
0:54:03 > 0:54:08because high tide was at least three hours away, and I started to panic.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12I then tried to climb over some of the rocks,
0:54:12 > 0:54:15calling Cooper to come with me,
0:54:15 > 0:54:20but they were already wet and my feet were slipping
0:54:20 > 0:54:26and I bashed my shins, and I realised that if I didn't stop,
0:54:26 > 0:54:29I could be in far greater danger,
0:54:29 > 0:54:31I could hurt myself.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34What we'll do is take you out through the small, little waves
0:54:34 > 0:54:37on the small one and we'll get you on the nice big one.
0:54:37 > 0:54:38It's really solid.
0:54:38 > 0:54:45I panicked because I was worried for my safety and I was worried
0:54:45 > 0:54:47for Cooper as well.
0:54:47 > 0:54:49He puts his absolute trust in me.
0:54:51 > 0:54:52I felt totally powerless.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54So if you put this one on you.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59Let's pop that up because it's going to get splashed a little bit.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01I was still quite upset,
0:55:01 > 0:55:05because I still felt I should have done something
0:55:05 > 0:55:07to not get myself in that situation.
0:55:07 > 0:55:12But I felt that I'd done everything right.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15I didn't realise I would be in that situation.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20OK. I'll just help you hold Cooper there.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24The tides and the conditions change daily,
0:55:24 > 0:55:25obviously, the size of the tides,
0:55:25 > 0:55:28but actually, the sand shifts a lot as well on a daily basis.
0:55:28 > 0:55:33So, the particular cove she was in is the first one that gets cut off.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37So, you know, really, everything was sort of against her,
0:55:37 > 0:55:39even though she'd tried her best.
0:55:39 > 0:55:40You know, she had made the effort.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45It's not like she's naively gone down there and taking risks, so,
0:55:45 > 0:55:47you know, things just went against her.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49But she did everything right.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52Just little splashes over the top.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54Nothing coming into the boat.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57Just hold on. Cooper, it's all right.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59- VOICEOVER:- On these sort of shouts, a little bit of continuity
0:55:59 > 0:56:02with dealing with someone is really beneficial for the casualty.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06So, obviously I was the first one to speak to Linda, so I remained
0:56:06 > 0:56:08sort of close to her, reassuring her
0:56:08 > 0:56:10while we were in the D Class, smaller lifeboat.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14Good boy. Good boy. Nearly there, mate.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16And then I actually transferred with her
0:56:16 > 0:56:19and Cooper the dog onto the Atlantic,
0:56:19 > 0:56:23just for that continuity of, you know, a familiar face.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29OK? I'm going to stand you up, Linda.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32I'm going to pass you on to these hunky gentlemen on the other side.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34Turn around, put one foot on.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38Good. Come on.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40Come on, boy. Good boy.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Good boy. Good boy. That's it. Good boy.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49The 10 or 15 minute journey back to the harbour,
0:56:49 > 0:56:56it seemed like a lifetime because it was so cold, windy and wet.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58Are you all right there? Comfy?
0:57:02 > 0:57:06All the while we were on the boat, he was crouched down,
0:57:06 > 0:57:08his arms round Cooper,
0:57:08 > 0:57:14reassuring him and telling me that he was fine.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20Cooper the dog, he was fantastic, behaved very well.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23He's a very good dog. I'm sure he had a few treats when he got home.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27Hey, there's Mummy. Are you OK there, Linda?
0:57:27 > 0:57:30- Yeah.- Bit windy when you're going along, isn't it?
0:57:30 > 0:57:33But it's nice and quiet now.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38If I could see the guys that rescued me now, I would say,
0:57:38 > 0:57:42thank you for being so understanding and non-judgmental,
0:57:42 > 0:57:45and thank you for looking after Cooper.
0:57:45 > 0:57:47Whoa! Big shake.
0:57:47 > 0:57:52I would say there's absolutely no reason for you to be embarrassed.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54Mistakes happen. Accidents happen.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58It's not a big issue for us. It's what we're here for.
0:57:58 > 0:57:59- No problem. Take it easy.- OK.
0:57:59 > 0:58:03Keep enjoying the beach, keep walking your dog on the beach.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06You learned the hard way, but don't be embarrassed about it.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08It's one of those things.