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 > 0:00:09For many, it's a playground.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12For others, it's where we earn our living.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16But the sea's unpredictable.
0:00:16 > 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 > 0:00:35There to save our lives is a volunteer army of nearly 5,000 ordinary people,
0:00:35 > 0:00:40ready to leave their jobs, their families to 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, sister, a wife.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55Oh, my gosh.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58To see someone disappear under the water right in front of you
0:00:58 > 0:01:01is brutal. It's absolutely horrendous.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Equipped with their own cameras...
0:01:05 > 0:01:06- Is my light flashing?- Yeah. Is mine?
0:01:06 > 0:01:12..the crews give us a unique insight into every call out as only they see it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Right, there's another little wave.
0:01:16 > 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 > 0:01:25Can you still hear me?
0:01:25 > 0:01:29For those who risk their lives, it has become a way of life.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33When those pagers go off, it's life and death.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47The Gower Peninsula on the south coast of Wales.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52In 1956 it was designated the UK's first area of outstanding beauty.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Today, it's a magnet for those seeking fun and adventure.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58I love the sea,
0:01:58 > 0:01:59I love living around it,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01I love walking on the beaches around here.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04It is a great place to sail, surf,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06it is, it's a great place to be on the water.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08But it's not all plain sailing.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Lifeboat crews here at The Mumbles have been saving lives at sea
0:02:12 > 0:02:14for over 180 years.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Like every lifeboat station,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20it relies on the close bond formed between its crew.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Yep, go for it.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Two members of this particular team are practically inseparable.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Josh and Morwenna have been a couple for nine years,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and worked together on lifeboats for the last eight.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36I think we work really well together as a couple.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39We look after each other, we help train each other,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41we talk through our experiences.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Definitely help to improve each other.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Our work-life sort of pattern means that we spend a lot of time at home
0:02:47 > 0:02:50together and if we are at home together and the pagers go off
0:02:50 > 0:02:52we're both down at the station at the same time.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Basically it's a dash for the bikes, who gets the bikes first,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57the other person has to sort the house out, like, if we're cooking,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01someone needs to turn the oven off, make sure the dog's not run out the house after us,
0:03:01 > 0:03:02all those sort of things.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I guess it has strengthened our relationship
0:03:05 > 0:03:08in the sense that we've gone through things together,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10we know how each other work,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13it brings us closer and helps us work better together.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19For the Mumbles lifeboat crew, the coast here presents year-round challenges,
0:03:19 > 0:03:20with dramatic tides,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23jagged rocks jutting into the sea and sheer cliffs
0:03:23 > 0:03:26rising hundreds of feet out of the water.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32A cold afternoon in April,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and the Mumbles crew are out on a training exercise
0:03:35 > 0:03:38when they're interrupted by a call for help from the coastguard.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41INDISTINCT RADIO
0:03:41 > 0:03:45A 44-year-old man has fallen while out climbing with friends.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49He sustained serious injuries and, to make matters worse,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51he's somewhere on the remote Gower cliffs
0:03:51 > 0:03:54which are inaccessible by ambulance.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59The initial information was that he had fallen five to ten meters
0:03:59 > 0:04:00and hit the ground.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We had no idea what condition, whether he was conscious,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06was he breathing, he could have easily died from that height.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11The full extent of the casualty's injuries isn't yet known.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13First, the crew need to find him,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and the only information they've got to go on
0:04:16 > 0:04:20is that he's fallen in one of the area's many limestone caves.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32We had a general area that it was within the Southgate cliffs but that
0:04:32 > 0:04:34just narrows it down to maybe a mile.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38As a climber myself I did have some ideas where they might be.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51The Tamar lifeboat's hull
0:04:51 > 0:04:54is too deep for the shallow waters near the cliffs
0:04:54 > 0:04:57so the crew scan the coastline from a safe distance.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Eventually, figures are spotted by the rocks.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10You got it?
0:05:10 > 0:05:11Here.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Got it?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16As the crews' designated first aiders,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Josh and Morwenna take the smaller, shallower inshore boat.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24You want to be able to trust the person next to you.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I think that's vital, really.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Josh is definitely someone who I'd have around in a crisis.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I know him, he knows me and I know that he's calm under pressure.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39The Gower cliff's shoreline is reinforced with sharp rocks just below the water's surface.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41See that gully?
0:05:47 > 0:05:52Josh and Morwenna need to find a safe channel through to get as close to the cave entrance as possible.
0:05:59 > 0:06:04As we approached the shoreline there was another climber, who was waving.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09He waved us in so we navigated ourselves through there and scrambled up the rocks to him.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13How're we doing?
0:06:13 > 0:06:14OK, good.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Right, OK. How long ago did it happen?
0:06:21 > 0:06:22OK.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28The casualty has fallen into a narrow gully,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32but between him and his rescuers, a steep climb over jagged rocks.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Climbing to the casualty was tricky with the equipment that we're carrying -
0:06:40 > 0:06:41we've got a big first aid kit,
0:06:41 > 0:06:46we have our oxygen bag and also we're climbing around in a dry suit with big wellies on,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48so it's not ideal for climbing on rocks.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52So how high was the fall, then?
0:06:52 > 0:06:58He was still situated sort of four or five meters up on a sort of rock ramp, obviously in a lot of pain.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Can I pass this down to you? 'My main concern was head injury.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'Seeing the height he'd fallen, it was a long way,'
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I was worrying about concussion, did he have a bleed on the brain,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17anything that can make his injuries so much worse.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21Sure. Yeah, OK.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24The main thing when we've heard is the head injury,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26that's our main concern that you've fallen.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31I mean, you guys have all seen it, so would you say the leg is the big issue?
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Yeah, OK.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So your leg is your main worry, is it?
0:07:35 > 0:07:36OK, all right.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38'What we needed to do was stabilise him,'
0:07:38 > 0:07:41make sure he's not going to get any worse so treat his wound on his leg,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45give him oxygen and then start thinking about evacuating him.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52The only pain relief the crew can give is oxygen.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Anything stronger could mask a change in his condition.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03If he sustained a head injury, he could deteriorate rapidly at any time.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06But with the casualty perched on a ledge, unable to move,
0:08:06 > 0:08:12in a gully just a few meters wide, the only option is an evacuation by coastguard helicopter.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17So they're all trained paramedics, they'll winch when they come down so he'll look after you, OK?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21But getting him up to that helicopter is going to be a complex manoeuvre.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30The helicopter is looking for a safe place to winch down a paramedic.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35All right, buddy, you're doing well.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39It takes a long time, these things, so they've got to suss it out, think where they're going to put him.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49Eventually, a safe spot is found just inside the entrance to the cave.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02He's hit his head as well.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05As you can see, there's a dent in his helmet.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07No.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14So it's a considerable fall.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17The paramedic can finally give the casualty stronger pain relief.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24But getting him out of the gully will be heavy going.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Yep.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Hauling the stretcher over the rocks is hard enough when it's empty.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41They'll need to bring it back down again with the casualty on board.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43It's too big a job for the two of them.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50We require more people and we will be winching from further out towards you guys, over.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52While they wait for the second crew,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55they've got to get the casualty into position.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59So, it's going to be a pass down, using the rope as the weight.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01- Yep.- You help yourself...
0:10:01 > 0:10:06There's obviously dangers moving someone, especially after an injury.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07OK, lower away.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10But we needed to get him into the stretcher and get him out of
0:10:10 > 0:10:12that situation because we can't treat him where he is.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- Lower away.- Ow!
0:10:14 > 0:10:15Steady. Keep going.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- Keep going.- Is that OK? - Yeah, that's fine.- Keep going.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Keep going. All the way now.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- That's it - well done. - There we go, mate.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29It was tense. You know you had to do it but you know you're also going to cause him pain
0:10:29 > 0:10:33in that motion of moving him, but he knows it was going to be for his benefit,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35but it's just one of those things, you do feel for him.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38With the casualty now lying down,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42the paramedic can start to assess and treat his injuries.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Argh!- Where is the worst pain?
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Is it around the cut area?
0:10:48 > 0:10:49- In the knee, yeah.- Knee?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Are you able to just let it relax so I can splint it for you?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56HE CRIES OUT
0:10:56 > 0:10:57I'm sorry, mate.
0:10:58 > 0:11:0190 minutes after the alarm was raised,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04the casualty's finally ready to be evacuated.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06But offshore there's a snag.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09The tide's rising and it's delaying the backup team.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Keep going, keep going.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Keep going.
0:11:13 > 0:11:14Bit more.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Getting ashore and getting to the casualty proved a lot trickier
0:11:20 > 0:11:24than it first appeared when we arrived.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31We navigated our way over a number of gullies that were flooded with water
0:11:31 > 0:11:34cos the tide was now coming in at this point.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35You all right?
0:11:35 > 0:11:38'So we developed a sort of floating approach on our backsides.'
0:11:40 > 0:11:44You know if they're asking for you that they're needing a bit of help,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47so, of course, you want to do it, get down there as quick as we could.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Telling me, myself, I'm having a heart attack!
0:11:57 > 0:12:00With a team of five now in place,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02there's just a final haul over the rocks.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- Everyone ready?- Yeah.- Ready?
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Brace. Lift.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Steady, steady, steady.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- OK, continue. - Somebody get the front.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19We're good there, yeah, we're all right there.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- This way a bit.- To you.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24OK. Lower.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26OK?
0:12:26 > 0:12:27- Yeah.- Everyone happy?
0:12:27 > 0:12:28- Yeah.- Ready?
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It certainly feels tense, when you're sat in that situation.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42You've got a helicopter hovering 60-70 feet above your head,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44you've got a winchman shouting at that point,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47because the downdraught of the helicopter is so loud.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52You know, it's those situations, whilst they're tense,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54they're also some of the situations that you can sometimes thrive,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58that's what you joined, then you know you're making a difference that day.
0:13:05 > 0:13:06I was quite excited, actually.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08If you've got to come out of a hole,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11what better way to do it than on a winch and a helicopter?
0:13:11 > 0:13:14So yeah, it was quite exciting, actually,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18although probably not fully appreciative of it on the day.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Paul was climbing the cliff with friends,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23he was just about to secure his rope
0:13:23 > 0:13:26when the bolt he was holding gave way
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and he fell around ten metres into the cave.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33I can remember just that instant of falling back,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37and just knowing that I'd lost it, and then just the next...
0:13:37 > 0:13:40it must've been a second or two,
0:13:40 > 0:13:45just falling and hitting things and being conscious of hitting things on the way down. It was quite surreal.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Get the bag so it doesn't get caught.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50I guess when you take a fall as a climber,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52the last people you expect to see is the RNLI,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and they were there so quickly.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59Just to have the professionals around, just very reassuring,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01just to get that immediate first aid,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04and just to be able to see that things were moving.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09The overriding emotion once he was in the helicopter was relief,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13that we'd managed to get him out and he was safe.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16You know that he was going to go to the best care possible.
0:14:17 > 0:14:23I think I was very happy that that situation was not as bad as I think it could have been.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I'm quite happy with how we managed it
0:14:25 > 0:14:29and how effectively I think we worked together to get him out.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36I guess we learn more about each other with each situation you're placed in, I suppose, yeah.
0:14:39 > 0:14:45Being part of the crew has been a life-changing experience for Josh and Morwenna, in many ways.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We had a helicopter exercise planned at the RAF
0:14:49 > 0:14:52and Mo was the last person to get winched up into the helicopter.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54So, sat at the back of the helicopter,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58with all the noise and the winchmen looking at us, I had the ring
0:14:58 > 0:15:01tucked away in my pocket, so I proposed to Mo in the helicopter.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06I was last to go up, very clueless, got pulled into the helicopter,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and, yeah, he asked me to marry him in the helicopter.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Yeah, it was ace, amazing, yeah, very unexpected,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18didn't expect that one at all,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and very, very original!
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Around the coast of Britain,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35the sea is woven into the fabric of everyday life.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38On the Isle of Wight you're never far from water,
0:15:38 > 0:15:43and locals and tourists alike make the most of the island's beaches and leisure activities.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48The port town of Yarmouth, on the west coast,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51is home to one of the island's three lifeboat stations.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57Maritime artist Robert has been a key member of the team for over two decades.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01The RNLI station in Yarmouth is very near to my studio,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04and seeing the lads run past the window was just too much,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06I had to go and join in.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08So 23 years ago I signed up,
0:16:08 > 0:16:13started the training and I've been a member of Yarmouth Lifeboat ever since.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Like the rest of the 22-strong crew,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Robert has to be prepared to drop everything at a moment's notice.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The big difficulty is if you're doing a watercolour, oh, dear,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27if that stops halfway through you can spoil a wash.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35On average, Yarmouth Lifeboat crew respond to around 50 call-outs each year.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38These waters are highly unpredictable, even for the locals.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42It's very, very strong tides around here.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44You've got a very narrow point on the Solent.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48And there's a lot of rocks poking out, ledges,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50and you've got the notorious Needles.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53There's also a big shingle bank near the Needles as well,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57so there's a lot of places for boats to hit rocks and run aground.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01With so many potential hazards and with strong winds coming off
0:17:01 > 0:17:05the English Channel, any day can turn deadly serious.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09SIREN
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I'm sat quietly in my gallery and the pager goes off.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17Down with the paintbrush, out with my notice, "Sorry, out with the lifeboat", and we're away.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26The crew have been told to head towards the Needles rocks on the island's west coast.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32All we know at this stage is that there's a vessel in trouble in the
0:17:32 > 0:17:35region of the Needles and immediate assistance is required.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39A Dutch yacht's rudder has broken,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42leaving the crew powerless to control her steering.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45She's now drifting in some of the island's most dangerous waters,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47near the notorious shingles bank.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Any boat that's broken down or in difficulty in that area,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54it's always a big consideration that you want to get there quite quickly,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56cos if they're not going to get swept on a shingle bank,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59they could potentially get swept onto the Needles,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01which would be even worse.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The shifting bank of shingle lies unseen under the water.
0:18:06 > 0:18:12It has caused dozens of accidents in the last ten years - the majority, boats which have run aground.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24If a vessel hits the shingle bank under these conditions,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26they can turn on their side,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29fill up with water and be sunk in a matter of minutes.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38On a good day the area can be reached in 15 minutes,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41but today the crew are battling the weather.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46There's a fair bit of water coming over the top of the lifeboat.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49We're now starting to feel the weight of the weather.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53The cox is not messing about and if this situation is going
0:18:53 > 0:18:56to deteriorate, we need to be there as soon as possible.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03After 20 minutes at 20 knots, the crew arrive at the scene.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15The rudderless Dutch yacht is being tossed around.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21Beneath the water, the shallows of the shingles bank are just a stone's throw away.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Obviously the risks are quite high for this vessel,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29because the waves get steeper and steeper
0:19:29 > 0:19:31as the water gets shallower and shallower.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The boat was sideways on to the swell,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37so they were really rocking
0:19:37 > 0:19:39and going back and forth quite heavily -
0:19:39 > 0:19:41you could see the underside of their boat.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It wouldn't have been very pleasant being on the yacht.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Unable to control his boat,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52the yacht's skipper has dropped anchor to keep him out of the shallows.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56In these conditions, there's a real danger it could break or come loose.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59There's a lot of weight going on that anchor line.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03This could go quite quickly to a dangerous situation
0:20:03 > 0:20:07if that anchor line parted or if the anchor suddenly started dragging.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11We are really well focused at this point.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14In these conditions, there's no margin for error.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18The crew must carefully assess the situation before acting decisively.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41On any lifeboat, the final decision rests with the coxswain.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47Howard decides the best plan is to attempt to hold his position so they can land a tow rope on the yacht.
0:20:48 > 0:20:55It did rely upon the skill of the coxswain to manoeuvre the lifeboat close enough for this to work.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57He's got to control a 48-tonne boat.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01He's reversing against the weather, against the tide, against the wind,
0:21:01 > 0:21:07and holding it close enough to get the line by hand across to a casualty vessel.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16That takes a particular amount of skill and nerve to get that done successfully.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21With the lifeboat in position,
0:21:21 > 0:21:26the pressure's now on Kevin to throw the rope accurately to the Dutch skipper.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30The crew stand outside the safety rail to give him an unobstructed aim.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33If you mess it up,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36and the rope you throw gets tangled or you miss,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40it's going to take a little while to recover the line, coil it back up again.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46So you're talking time you don't really have to mess about,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49so you need to make sure that you get it there first time and it works.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Luckily, I did it first time,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02got it on the right spot,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and the man on board the yacht managed to pull the tow line across.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08With the two boats now joined together,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11the lifeboat needs to get them both clear of danger.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14We established a bow-to-bow tow because that was the safest way
0:22:14 > 0:22:18to get them clear of the shallow areas of the shingle back.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19Bow-to-bow tow comprises, obviously,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22putting the tow line from our bow to the casualty vessel's bow.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Towing from the front of the lifeboat keeps the propeller and rudders
0:22:26 > 0:22:31at the back clear of the hidden dangers in the shallow water below.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Effectively, the lifeboat then backs away from the shallow water and then
0:22:34 > 0:22:39we revert back to a standard stern tow once we're in clear water.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43With the situation under control,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47the crew tow the yacht back to the safety of Yarmouth Harbour.
0:22:51 > 0:22:57These were experienced sailors which just had an accident but they dealt with it very well.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59They prevented themselves getting further into trouble
0:22:59 > 0:23:01by getting that anchor over promptly,
0:23:01 > 0:23:06so it did give everybody breathing time to get in there and help them.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Fortunately, their English was very good. It's a lot better than my Dutch.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19Last year, around half of all RNLI launches were in response to pleasure seekers
0:23:19 > 0:23:22finding themselves out of their depth.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- Right, guys.- Whatever the nature of the call-out,
0:23:25 > 0:23:30crews have to treat each job on its merits and with the same level of professionalism.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Yeah, we do occasionally roll our eyes when we see a situation
0:23:35 > 0:23:37that could have been avoided
0:23:37 > 0:23:40by somebody but, really, ours isn't to judge.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44We're there to go out when we're tasked to, to help people at sea,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46and help them the best we can.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52If we were to tow the same fishing boat back four times in one week,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55then we would probably give them a bit of food for thought
0:23:55 > 0:23:56to go away with.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01But the chances are it's nothing we haven't done before and it's certainly nothing we won't do again.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05People think they can just go and buy a jet ski, a kayak,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and just go off and do what they want to do,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and ultimately you have to treat the sea with respect.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I think that's a big factor that people often don't realise,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16that the sea is very, very powerful and will always win.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20You've got no idea why they're in the position that they're in.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Oh, I'm sorry about that.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24That's all right, don't worry.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26So we offer our support to absolutely everyone
0:24:26 > 0:24:27in any circumstance.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28Stay there.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Accidents are called accidents for a reason.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33You know, it happens, it happens to the best of us.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35I hope I never have to call the orange boat out to get me.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38That would just be the worst day for me.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Not sure I could afford the round afterwards.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49When it comes to leisure activities,
0:24:49 > 0:24:54Southend-on-Sea is Essex's number one tourist destination.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The town is renowned for its amusement parks and arcades,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02the world's longest pleasure pier and its wide range of watersports.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06The beaches in the summer are full of thousands of people.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08There's sailing clubs dotted up and down,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10people in dinghies,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12there's jet skis launching at Thorpe Bay.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Kite surfing's very popular in Southend.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15On a nice day you can see
0:25:15 > 0:25:18up to 60 or 70 kites out in one go.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23You've got a real mix of people, craft and water users.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28But there's a serious side to this seaside town, too.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Sitting at the end of the Thames Estuary,
0:25:31 > 0:25:36Southend's coastline and tidal conditions present a range of challenges.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38The river's always changing. The gutterways are always moving.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41The mud, you get soft mud, you get hard mud.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42The tide moves fast.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44It comes across the mud really quickly.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It's very interchangeable.
0:25:48 > 0:25:54The estuary's ever-changing tide means that Southend has a lifeboat station at either end of the pier,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57with different boats to cope with any eventuality.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00To cover the distance between the two stations,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03the crew have come up with their own ingenious solution.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10We've got two, sort of, purpose-built lifeboat buggies.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16They're basically golf buggies converted into what the RNLI wanted,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and because the pier's obviously a public pier, there's always mums,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21pushchairs, people everywhere,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23so we've got headlights for when it's dark.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26We've got indicators, which is a nice feature.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27Not... It is a straight pier, so...
0:26:27 > 0:26:31We've got blue lights on it so people can see it's an emergency vehicle.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33It's not overly quick but it's quick enough.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35It's quicker than walking.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41The summer months are the busiest in Southend, but die-hard thrill seekers
0:26:41 > 0:26:46will head out on the water, whatever the weather, at any time of the year.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49SIRENS
0:26:51 > 0:26:56Mid-December, a mile offshore, a kite surfer has got into difficulty.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01The tide is rapidly going out and there's a danger of him being swept out to sea.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Ground zero...
0:27:09 > 0:27:14INDISTINCT TALK ON RADIO
0:27:18 > 0:27:21It was actually quite a nice day, the sun was out.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22It was almost a bit deceptive,
0:27:22 > 0:27:27because actually it was mid-December. I knew the water was going to be cold
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and it looked more pleasant than perhaps it actually was.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Anyone in the water in December is generally not good.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49At that time of year, you don't get a long time in the water.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Hypothermia can soon set in and the job goes downhill rapidly from then.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Every second counts, really.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59We didn't know how long this guy had been out for.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01The tide was ebbing.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02It was going out.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06So, you know, if he'd launched at the start of the tide he could have been out for two or three hours.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Essentially, if he's in the water he would just be basically drifting to France.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34The casualty's friends have given the coastguard a location where he was last seen.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36But the information isn't precise,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38and in the ten minutes since they called,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41the casualty could have drifted further out.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Over, coastguard, Southend ILB2, we're now on the scene at Barge Pier,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48do you have a rough distance from shore, over?
0:28:48 > 0:28:50There wasn't a great visibility for a lot of miles,
0:28:50 > 0:28:55so if it was going to turn into anything more serious we would have been thinking about who else to call
0:28:55 > 0:28:57and another way of locating the man.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03But just as the search area widens, the crew make a breakthrough.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09'Southend ILB2, this is Dover coastguard,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11'we just had a call...'
0:29:11 > 0:29:13INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER
0:29:15 > 0:29:17One of the crewmen in the front of the boat,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20he saw the casualty first and he pointed out to where he was.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23The guy's kite was still inflated,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26so I think that was the obvious marker as to where he was.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The casualty's kite can be seen floating in the water.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33The crew need to find out if he's still attached to it.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43He'd travelled about another mile from where he was first positioned,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45so he'd gone quite a long way in a short space of time.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52When we got to him he was holding on to a post or a pole in the water,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55and it was just his head above the water.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Dover coastguard, Dover coastguard...
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Well, I was quite surprised. The pole is the size of a telegraph pole,
0:30:01 > 0:30:05and it's in the middle of the Thames Estuary.
0:30:05 > 0:30:06The way the tide runs,
0:30:06 > 0:30:11the wind and tide just would have kept dragging him down, down the river, basically,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and it's just how he managed to get hold of this pole...
0:30:14 > 0:30:17He must have just been lucky to drift past it, in my eyes.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Dover coastguard, Dover coastguard, Southend ILB2.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Now on scene with casualty, over.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26The pole has potentially saved the man's life but with the kite still
0:30:26 > 0:30:32attached to him, getting him out of the water isn't a straightforward operation.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35When you approach a kite surfer you have to take into consideration where his kite is,
0:30:35 > 0:30:37where his lines might be in the water,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39what other stuff he's got in the water around him.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42And there's also, you know, why he's in the water in the first place.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56The kite strings are wrapped tightly around the man's legs,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00restricting his mobility and leaving him powerless in the water.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04All right?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10All right?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16When we got him in the boat, I was shocked as to how many turns he had round
0:31:16 > 0:31:20his leg. I still, to this day, can't understand how he did it.
0:31:20 > 0:31:21Because he was really caught up.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Sit there.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36The kite surfer is 58-year-old businessman Terry.
0:31:36 > 0:31:37The thing came off...
0:31:37 > 0:31:39I saw this post in the water,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41I'm not sure why it's there.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43I thought, "I have to get to this post."
0:31:44 > 0:31:51If I didn't I would have been in the middle of Channel, going out to...
0:31:51 > 0:31:53I could have been in Holland.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Terry has been kite surfing for over ten years,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01but on this occasion he was caught out by the weather.
0:32:02 > 0:32:08Everything was perfect, until I had malfunction on my kite.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10My kite dropped in the water.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14At same time, suddenly, the wind dropped.
0:32:14 > 0:32:21So, if you haven't got wind, you cannot get the kite up in the air again.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24Thanks to the wooden post, and a large slice of luck,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Terry was soon heading back to dry land.
0:32:28 > 0:32:34Dover coastguard, Southend ILB2, we have the casualty aboard and we're taking him to Uncle Tom's, over.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36I was hoping that they was going to drop me
0:32:36 > 0:32:39somewhere where there was no people,
0:32:39 > 0:32:46but unfortunately they had to take you where hundreds of people watching you, being rescued.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50I was grateful but it was embarrassing.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59From the dramatic tides of the Thames Estuary,
0:32:59 > 0:33:04to the breathtaking scenery of North Cornwall's wild Atlantic coast.
0:33:06 > 0:33:13The landscape here is carved by the ocean and feels its full force all year round.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Like many of the picturesque towns and villages along this coast,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Portreath attracts thousands of visitors each summer.
0:33:20 > 0:33:27The beach is a favourite for families and surfers, but it has its dangers, too.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30The sea can change very quickly.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33You could arrive on the morning to
0:33:33 > 0:33:34very small, flat surf.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39Within a few hours the surf can double, treble in size.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40For the last nine years,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Andy Thomas has supervised the beach's lifeguard station.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49He runs a team of eight lifeguards, which is bolstered by young recruits in the busy summer months.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Recruits are getting younger and I'm definitely the father figure.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58I like to think they can come to me and, you know, ask me anything.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Yeah, I look after them.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05August, perfect weather for a day on the beach,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07but out at sea, a storm is brewing.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Devon and Cornwall
0:34:11 > 0:34:15with some coastal areas possibly facing gusts of up to 60mph.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19The heavy winds are not forecast to arrive until the evening.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23A national life-saving competition is going ahead on the beach as planned.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26It was a surf life-saving event.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Competitors from around the country were racing.
0:34:29 > 0:34:35The beach was fairly busy and averagely small day of surf but there was
0:34:35 > 0:34:37a large swell predicted to build throughout the day.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42Amongst the competitors is one of Portreath's very own young lifeguards,
0:34:42 > 0:34:4316-year-old Nick.
0:34:44 > 0:34:49Life-saving is a sport which simulates lifeguarding.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52There's different races which involve tube rescue, board rescue,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55mass rescue, single rescue, speed.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59There's sand races, beach sprints.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00There's a really good atmosphere.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Everyone's kind of buzzing and they're all up for racing.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05You know, there's a lot of competitors on the beach.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10But with the competition still in full swing,
0:35:10 > 0:35:15the predicted storm arrives earlier, and with greater force than expected.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21We was watching the competition and the heats,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25and roughly around 4:30 in the afternoon,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28a large set of waves began to break.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34The sea conditions changed really, really quick,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36going from two foot to ten foot.
0:35:37 > 0:35:38It doesn't usually build that quick,
0:35:38 > 0:35:42and the conditions turned quite dangerous quite quickly.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44The waves got so big,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46to the extent that we had to call off
0:35:46 > 0:35:49the surf life-saving competition.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52We made the decision right there and then, we're going to close the beach.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Red flags are put out.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57The sea is now out of bounds for swimmers.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Red flagging the beach is the very last resort,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06something we don't enjoy doing, but it's all down to safety,
0:36:06 > 0:36:11public safety. Some people know the dangers, know the consequences,
0:36:11 > 0:36:18but some... There's the small minority that think it's still OK to go in the water.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Despite the clear warnings,
0:36:22 > 0:36:27the lifeguards are amazed to see two teenage boys venture towards the breaking waves.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30I was down on the water's edge, really.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34I was just about to go home and I saw them approaching the water
0:36:34 > 0:36:37and I just thought, maybe I'll watch them for the next couple of minutes,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41and then a big surge came up and took both of them out.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45One of them managed to get out of the sea,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47yet one of them went out really, really quick.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51He just got dragged out backwards in a big rip current.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54This person is in a lot of trouble, he's in danger.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Nick was on the beach, he was the nearest to the water,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00he turned and looked up the top, he looked for approval,
0:37:00 > 0:37:03saying, "Shall I go?" And I gave him the thumbs up.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09The unfolding events are caught on camera by two bystanders.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Nick, followed by his colleague Harry,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15grab their boards and run into the waves.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19The boy is caught in a rip current - a powerful, narrow channel of water,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21which is pulling rapidly out to sea.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24It was difficult to be able to get out there.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26It was like being in a washing machine,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28there was waves coming in from different angles.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32It was a very angry sea, very unpredictable.
0:37:33 > 0:37:39It was quite obvious to the eye that that area of water was probably the most dangerous place to be.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42There was a very real chance that we could get hurt.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47When we got out there he was saying, "I'm fine, I'm fine".
0:37:47 > 0:37:51He was actually facing out to sea and I just said, "Look, turn around,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54"you're 100 metres out, you've only been in for 30 seconds".
0:37:56 > 0:37:58As soon as that happened,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02he started to panic and he scrambled on my board as quickly as he could, really.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13When he was on my board, I turned around and just saw this ten foot wave coming towards me.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30We lost the board and with the impact of the wave, that pushed us under.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36There's so much turbulence, so much moving water,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39that's when you start to panic a little bit.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42It felt like a couple of minutes but actually it was only seconds.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Nick tries to cling on to the casualty,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47but the power of the waves prises them apart.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Luckily, Harry was there to back me up and Harry still had his board.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08The casualty was panicking, but I knew I had to control the situation,
0:39:08 > 0:39:13so I very firmly told him to get on my board and everything's going to be OK.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23I knew that if I lost the board,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27they would have to send the lifeboat over, because there was no way that
0:39:27 > 0:39:29we were going to get in otherwise.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36Without his board, Nick faces his own battle to make it back to shore.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42When you don't have a board, you have to duck underneath the waves,
0:39:42 > 0:39:46so you could be swimming in for five minutes and then you see
0:39:46 > 0:39:48a wave coming and you've got to go, turn around,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50duck under and then start swimming in again.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56That was probably the most difficult swim back to shore I've ever done,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59just because there were so many currents, so many big waves.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Nick finally makes it out of the water.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Behind him, Harry and the boy are tantalisingly close,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09but the rip current keeps dragging them back out to sea.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17The boy is close to exhaustion.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20As the next big wave hits them, Harry grabs him...
0:40:23 > 0:40:24..and hauls him out.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33When we got back to shore the boy was quite, like, scared, I think.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36He didn't really say much, he sort of just walked off.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38He seemed quite shocked.
0:40:39 > 0:40:47I don't think at the time he quite realised how dangerous of an action that he'd taken.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51The storm that hit Portreath was part of a bigger storm
0:40:51 > 0:40:54that claimed the lives of six people in the seas around Britain.
0:40:56 > 0:41:01That night when we got back home and we looked on the news and it was only ten miles up the coast
0:41:01 > 0:41:05up at Newquay that people had lost their lives in the sea,
0:41:05 > 0:41:06in the same storm,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09which really makes you aware that these conditions
0:41:09 > 0:41:12and this rescue could have been a lot more different.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17I'm very proud of the lifeguards, proud of their effort,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20their confidence in those conditions,
0:41:20 > 0:41:24and proud of the complete lack of hesitation.
0:41:24 > 0:41:25They were just thinking,
0:41:25 > 0:41:29"I'm going to help this person, I'm going to save this person",
0:41:29 > 0:41:32and they went in and they achieved that.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Lifeguards and lifeboat crews put their lives on the line to rescue
0:41:42 > 0:41:47daredevils and adrenaline junkies who find themselves in a spot of bother.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52But when it comes to thrill-seekers, perhaps it takes one to know one.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Anyone can go and play golf, anyone go and can kick a football,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59not everyone has the opportunity to
0:41:59 > 0:42:04roll out of bed in the middle of the night and jump on a £2.8 million lifeboat.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07It's certainly high-octane,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10driving a jet boat through the centre of London can certainly be
0:42:10 > 0:42:14challenging and exciting, there's no two ways about it.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17It's certainly an enjoyable thing to do.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Once you've joined and it becomes part of you,
0:42:23 > 0:42:24it's always that adrenaline buzz
0:42:24 > 0:42:29and it's just the experience that you'll never get again.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34I definitely feel without call-outs and without the adrenaline
0:42:34 > 0:42:37and without the danger that comes with it all,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40something would be missing, definitely.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Yeah, of course I understand why people do dangerous sports,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46because of the thrill. People say why do you do the RNLI?
0:42:46 > 0:42:48It's because of the thrill, isn't it?!
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Three, two, one...
0:42:55 > 0:43:00For the lifeboat crews on the Isle of Wight and for thousands of sailors,
0:43:00 > 0:43:05the most thrilling event in the island's calendar is the annual Round The Island Race.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08You can get anything up to 1,800 boats in it,
0:43:08 > 0:43:12it's probably the biggest race in the UK for yachts.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16From high-speed modern trimarans to classic yachts,
0:43:16 > 0:43:22sailors of all abilities come from all over the world to take on the 50 nautical mile course.
0:43:23 > 0:43:29If you imagine that there could be anything from four to ten people
0:43:29 > 0:43:33on each boat, that's a huge number of people at sea,
0:43:33 > 0:43:36all trying to get round the island in the shortest possible time.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41There are different challenges at every turn -
0:43:41 > 0:43:44strong cross tides and underwater obstacles around the Needles,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47shallow waters around Ryde Sands
0:43:47 > 0:43:50and the rough open sea of the English Channel.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53With the amount of people involved in this race,
0:43:53 > 0:43:54it's not IF there's going to be a problem,
0:43:54 > 0:43:56it is WHEN there's going to be a problem.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04It's all hands on deck for the Yarmouth crew.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08They're out on the water from the start of the race at 5:30am,
0:44:08 > 0:44:10and an all action day is guaranteed.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16It is certainly the busiest day of the year.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21For us, it's a whole day's work.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23You don't see them all as shouts because they kind of roll on,
0:44:23 > 0:44:26one to another to another to another, so dismastings, lost rudders.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28We've had people who've had sunstroke.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31We've had quite a few boats that have sunk.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Head injuries, more dismastings.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37We never quite know what to expect until the day unfolds.
0:44:37 > 0:44:43Even in calm weather, the race is a test for the most experienced sailors.
0:44:43 > 0:44:48For the Yarmouth crew, conditions during the 2016 race were some of the most difficult they'd faced.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50The weather was horrendous.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53It was windy - it was very, very windy.
0:44:53 > 0:45:00I think we topped out 44-49 knots on the south of the island in wind, and it was just carnage.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03There was an awful lot of boats having an awful lot of problems.
0:45:03 > 0:45:081:00pm - the crew have already responded to a number of small incidents
0:45:08 > 0:45:11when they get the most serious alert possible.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13'This is Solent Coastguard.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15'Sea launch, Mayday.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19'A station with a man overboard calling Mayday.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21'This is the Solent Coastguard.'
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Mayday means a life-threatening situation.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28One of the yachtsman in the race has been thrown overboard.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31You don't know what kind of equipment they've got on,
0:45:31 > 0:45:34you might hope that they've got waterproofs on and a life jacket,
0:45:34 > 0:45:36but they might not. They haven't jumped in,
0:45:36 > 0:45:39if they've been knocked in, if they've got a bash on the head.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Anyone who's man overboard,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44it's an immediate mayday, and time is of the essence.
0:45:47 > 0:45:51It's not just the conditions of the sea that are putting the man's life in danger.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55The other boats in the race, they are all around,
0:45:55 > 0:45:59but may not be aware that the person is in the water near them.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04So, suddenly, it's like potentially being in the middle of a motorway.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06You've got so many boats coming down through.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10It's not a great place to be overboard, in the Round The Island Race.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14The man was last seen just past St Catherine's Point,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16the halfway mark in the race.
0:46:16 > 0:46:22He's already spent 15 minutes in a big swell with racing boats speeding past him.
0:46:22 > 0:46:23But he won't be easy to spot.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28Finding the person when it's that crowded, when, as I say,
0:46:28 > 0:46:32you've got 1,800 boats going around in one race...
0:46:32 > 0:46:33it is difficult.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50It was quite difficult establishing the exact location.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53We were getting different reports coming from different yachts.
0:46:53 > 0:46:58People were panicking and not necessarily giving the correct information on positions.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01'Can you give me your vessel's name again?'
0:47:01 > 0:47:05'Are you able to respond?'
0:47:05 > 0:47:09So, the coastguard was struggling to establish exactly what had happened and where it was.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Eventually, amongst the boats racing past,
0:47:15 > 0:47:17a flare is spotted out on the water.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:47:29 > 0:47:31As soon as you see him in the water,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34your eyes are fixed on him. You're not going to let him go.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38You know, if you're the guy that's recovering him or putting the strap on him,
0:47:38 > 0:47:39your eyes aren't anywhere else but on him.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43At that point, you're not looking at the flare, you're not looking at other boats.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46You're not looking at your fellow crew. You've got your eyes on him.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53He was floating quite low in the water because he only had a buoyancy aid on,
0:47:53 > 0:47:55so it was just literally a small,
0:47:55 > 0:47:57very worried-looking head bobbing around in the sea.
0:48:01 > 0:48:07As far as his actual life being in danger at that time, we assumed it was.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11We have no way of knowing how physically robust the person is
0:48:11 > 0:48:15until we actually get him on board and can carry out an assessment.
0:48:15 > 0:48:21The crew now have the challenge of lifting the casualty from heaving waves to the heaving deck above.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23The swell was very big,
0:48:23 > 0:48:25so when the lifeboat goes up,
0:48:25 > 0:48:28when we're on top of a 1.5m-2.5m wave,
0:48:28 > 0:48:30suddenly we're a lot higher than the guy is.
0:48:30 > 0:48:36The first step is to attach a harness to winch him out of the water.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39You've got to try and pass this strop around him.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42We can't rely on him having the strength to do it himself.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51If your hands have been in saltwater for five minutes they're slippery as anything,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54and I couldn't hold on to him. He was just too heavy,
0:48:54 > 0:48:55too water-soaked to hang on to.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06My initial worry then was the lifeboat could come down on him.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13So it was a case of grab him and grab him quickly.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17And when he came back up, luckily, I managed to grab him and clip him in.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21A lull in the waves gives the crew a chance to get the man onto the lifeboat.
0:49:21 > 0:49:26After almost half an hour in the water his ordeal is almost over.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34The rescued man is Nick,
0:49:34 > 0:49:39an experienced sailor with nearly 50 years at sea under his belt.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44It's pretty undignified being pulled up on a winch,
0:49:44 > 0:49:46like a bag of spuds.
0:49:46 > 0:49:51But you're very relieved to be pulled out of the water one way or another.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53I was desperate to get on my feet on the deck
0:49:53 > 0:49:55and feel like a human being.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58I was very pleased to see them, yeah.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01It was a relief to get out of the water.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09Our first assessment was that he was actually in pretty good shape,
0:50:09 > 0:50:11considering the ordeal he'd gone through.
0:50:13 > 0:50:18Nick's crew had been taking the tricky racing conditions in their stride,
0:50:18 > 0:50:21but everything changed in an instant.
0:50:21 > 0:50:26We were sailing downwind, almost on a dead run, and there was a big bang,
0:50:26 > 0:50:30and the boat is tipped over very violently.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33Four out of five of us were pitched into the water.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36The boat's rudder had broken,
0:50:36 > 0:50:40and even though the other crewmates managed to clamber back on board,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43they had no way of steering the boat back to him.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Nick was cut adrift.
0:50:45 > 0:50:47You feel very isolated.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49We were two miles offshore,
0:50:49 > 0:50:54so, you know, I was in the middle of the sea.
0:50:54 > 0:50:59You do feel pretty vulnerable because you are just a head sticking out.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01But there's very little you can do in that kind of situation
0:51:01 > 0:51:04but bob around.
0:51:04 > 0:51:11And I suddenly became aware that there was a large orange boat bearing down on me.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15And that was a very, very welcome sight, of course.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18With Nick safe and sound,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21the crew now have a rudderless boat to chase down.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25It's a great relief to see the boys, they were OK.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30It's no doubt that, on reflection,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34you know, it was a life-threatening situation.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36And we got away with it.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Back on the south coast of Wales,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49the Mumbles crew have their own challenging sea to deal with.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54The Mumbles is within the Bristol Channel and the Bristol Channel
0:51:54 > 0:51:58has the second biggest tidal range in the world.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01So, we can have tides up to ten metres high.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05We have big swells that come off the Atlantic, the big tidal flows,
0:52:05 > 0:52:08when it squeezes through the islands around the headlands,
0:52:08 > 0:52:11we get rough seas there. So it's a pretty treacherous part of water.
0:52:11 > 0:52:18Last year, the Mumbles was Wales' busiest lifeboat station, with 83 call-outs.
0:52:18 > 0:52:24There are a lot of people out there who do underestimate the sea, how fast the tide can come in.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27You may think it looks quite a benign day, and then,
0:52:27 > 0:52:30within no time, you can have fast currents
0:52:30 > 0:52:33or the waves can pick up and you can get caught out very easily.
0:52:35 > 0:52:36Mid April.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38SIREN
0:52:38 > 0:52:43A call comes through from the coastguard that a dog has bitten off more than it can chew.
0:52:43 > 0:52:49On my arrival to the station the information we got given was that there was a dog cut-off on a rock.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54His owners were on the shore but they couldn't reach him.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59The mischievous mutt has run off from his owners while out on a walk.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02He's now marooned on a rock in Langland Bay,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05about a mile and a half from the lifeboat station.
0:53:07 > 0:53:12My concerns, really, were for the position that the dog might be in,
0:53:12 > 0:53:15how precarious it was, what our access was like,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18were there rocks in the way, how the tide was working.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20The concern isn't just for the dog.
0:53:20 > 0:53:26In these situations there's always a danger that owners will take matters into their own hands.
0:53:40 > 0:53:45We launch for animals mainly because we all like animals to be safe,
0:53:45 > 0:53:47but also we're thinking about their owners.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50You could see how people in that situation
0:53:50 > 0:53:54really want to help their dog, but I think it's important that you don't take that risk.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57I think... Can you see some light on the point there?
0:53:57 > 0:53:58That might be the owners.
0:53:58 > 0:54:03When we got on scene, you could see the rock prominent out of the water
0:54:03 > 0:54:08with a little terrier on it, and I could see the owners.
0:54:08 > 0:54:14One of them was down on the water's edge at the base of that cliff, calling their dog.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16- What's your dog's name?- Charlie.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Charlie? He looks pretty keen to get on.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21He's quite adventurous,
0:54:21 > 0:54:25he's always the one to wander off and he absolutely loves the sea.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29After swimming a few hundred metres,
0:54:29 > 0:54:32Charlie has taken refuge on a rock close to the cliffs.
0:54:33 > 0:54:39The tide is turning and if he attempts to swim across the narrow channel to the shore,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42the fast flowing water could sweep him out to sea.
0:54:42 > 0:54:43You can probably put the bow on it.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46I was panicking, I was absolutely...
0:54:46 > 0:54:48beside myself with worry.
0:54:48 > 0:54:54I started taking my shoes and socks off because I wanted to go in and get him.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57By now he was shivering,
0:54:57 > 0:54:59he looked like he kept wandering to the edge of the cliff,
0:54:59 > 0:55:02about to dive back in the water,
0:55:02 > 0:55:05which I thought would be the absolute worst thing he could do.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07Aboard the lifeboat,
0:55:07 > 0:55:11they need to come up with a plan to navigate the rocky outcrop
0:55:11 > 0:55:13and evacuate the canine casualty.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16We discussed as a crew what was the best approach,
0:55:16 > 0:55:24how could we pick up the dog safely and then we chose myself to go ashore and pick up the dog.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26Josh has a dog of his own so I thought it would be
0:55:26 > 0:55:29best to put Josh on the rock and let him deal with it.
0:55:29 > 0:55:34You can put...sit the bow on it, slowly and then put the power on.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36If my dog was in trouble, I would want someone to come and help it.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Charlie. Come here.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47Basically, the boat was driven up to the rock so I could step off.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50Hello, Charlie. Come here, then.
0:55:50 > 0:55:51Hello.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53Charlie just went straight towards them.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57He was clearly really pleased to see them.
0:55:57 > 0:55:58Come on, then. Come here.
0:55:58 > 0:56:03'Said hello, picked him up and we jumped aboard again.'
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Hello, boy.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10Rescued from his private island,
0:56:10 > 0:56:14Charlie gets a special escort back to the beach for a family reunion.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19Oh, yes, it was such a great relief.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23It was that kind of half angry, half pleased, to be honest.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Good boy.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29But, yeah, as soon as we saw him, he got lots of hugs and kisses.
0:56:31 > 0:56:32That's all right, no worries.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41He just gave up ten foot too short!
0:56:41 > 0:56:43- Thanks.- No worries.- Thanks a lot.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45The owner definitely looked pleased,
0:56:45 > 0:56:47if not maybe a little bit embarrassed.
0:56:47 > 0:56:53For your information, the dog's safely ashore with its owner and we're returning to station, over.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I don't feel that frustrated with any sort of call out,
0:56:56 > 0:57:00especially animals. They don't know the dangers, they don't understand,
0:57:00 > 0:57:02and I'm just glad it was a happy ending.
0:57:08 > 0:57:13Climber Paul spent three weeks in hospital recovering from his broken leg.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17He's now up and about again and planning a climbing trip to Greece.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21I've booked a flight to Kalymnos in October.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23In fact, I'd already booked it before the accident,
0:57:23 > 0:57:25and I haven't cancelled it.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28My aim is to get fit again and, yeah, get some good climbs,
0:57:28 > 0:57:32and some good routes in Kalymnos, in October, so, that's my aim.
0:57:32 > 0:57:37Man overboard Nick had a unique gift to thank the Yarmouth crew for rescuing him.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40They give you a tankard for completing the Round The Island
0:57:40 > 0:57:42and you get it whether you complete it or not,
0:57:42 > 0:57:46so, we didn't complete it so I thought they probably deserved it more than me.
0:57:47 > 0:57:52He said he didn't go around the island, we did, so he sent it to us, which was a lovely gesture.
0:57:52 > 0:57:56Having done the Round The Island Race, so many times with the lifeboat,
0:57:56 > 0:57:58having followed that fleet all the way round,
0:57:58 > 0:58:03to actually have a tankard to say we've done it was quite nice.
0:58:04 > 0:58:06We're human beings.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08We're not superheroes.
0:58:08 > 0:58:12Just exposed to situations most people wouldn't be exposed to.
0:58:12 > 0:58:16All right, buddy? I was worried he was going to have a heart attack.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20He just looked, at that stage like he'd either had one or was going to have one.
0:58:22 > 0:58:26When you've got that person in the water, literally seconds count.
0:58:26 > 0:58:28One, two, three.
0:58:28 > 0:58:29Come on!