Call Reports
Littlehampton's lifeboats have launched on service 6 times so far in 2010. In 2009, our lifeboats launched 109 times on service, including, for the second year in a row, on Christmas Day. In 2008, Littlehampton's lifeboats attended 84 incidents. Our crews were called out 80 times during 2007 after a quiet 2006 with only 49 calls. These reports summarise a few of the calls attended during the last year or so.
3 jobs, 4 dogs!
The crew of the Littlehampton lifeboat station has had a very hairy week, but not so much saving lives at sea, more saving pets in river.
First on 8 February crew Andy Harris, Gavin Simmons and Lee Harrison launched the D-class lifeboat at 10:19am to rescue Fletcher who was stranded on the shingle bank. He was back safely on shore with his owner by 10:25am.
On 12 February Ivan Greer and Tom White, again on the D-class, came to the rescue of Amber and Searling. They launched at 4:37pm, found the dogs struggling in the river and swiftly reunited them with their owner. They were back, refuelled and ready for service by 5:05pm.
Finally on 13 February at 3:43pm Rob Devo, Josh Gruber and Tom White launched the D to rescue the lovable Moffy who was stranded on the shingle bank. Crewman Tom said ‘Moffy was very excitable and very pleased to see us covering us all in kisses, licks and fur’.
Littlehampton Lifeboat two in a row - 04 January 2010
The crew of Littlehampton lifeboat station were called out at 4:30pm on this very frosty evening to a fishing boat in difficulty four and a half miles south of the harbour. The 10m vessel was suffering with a faulty turbo and was unable to make it back to its moorings in Ford. With only three hours till low water the priority was to get the boat over the bar while there was sufficient water.
Littlehampton's Atlantic 75 ’Blue Peter 1’ was launched, but due to the size of the casualty vessel, Selsey lifeboat station was also asked to launch their Tyne class lifeboat to assist. By 5pm the boat and her three crew had been located and were under tow.
Back on shore, crew members from Littlehampton lifeboat station, working with the harbour board, were making space for the arriving casualty, when they became aware of the smell of smoke. They located a nearby fishing boat with an apparent engine fire and promptly called the Fire Brigade. With the first casualty safely moored up, crewmen Gavin Simmons, Ivan Greer and Andy Hicks were then able to help the fire brigade to pump out the vessel.
Littlehampton lifeboat was back, refuelled and ready for service by 6:45, although washing down ‘Blue Peter 1' was a challenge as the water kept freezing in drips on the hull.
Christmas at Littlehampton Lifeboat Station - 25 December 2009
It's 1:30pm on Christmas day, the roasties are roasting the turkey is browning beautifully and off go those pagers.
Littlehampton's D-class inshore lifeboat launched shortly afterwards in response to a 999 call reporting a dog in the river. As always the main concern is that the owner might attempt a rescue, putting themselves in danger.
Crewmen Ollie Clark, Robbie Devo and Tom White rushed to Hattie’s rescue locating her quickly near the shingle bank at the mouth of the river. Hauling her aboard they then dropped her to a grateful owner waiting at the sailing club moorings, both were a little shaken but otherwise unharmed.
The lifeboat was recovered, refuelled and ready for service by 2:15. Christmas lunch was perfect.
Electrical Problems - 17 October 09
The crew were called out at around 11 am to assist a vessel on passage to Shoreham.
The 6.4 metre cruiser had broken down and was having some electrical problems so crewmen Ollie Clark, Andy Harris and Lee Cullen located them swiftly off the coast of Goring and towed them back to the harbour.
Friday Night Shout - 04 October 09
Littlehampton Lifeboat launched to assist a vessel in distress a mile and a half south west of the harbour. The 21ft angling boat contacted Solent Coastguard for assistance just before 11pm, using their on-board VHF radio after their engine failed following an evening of fishing.
With favourable weather conditions RNLI crewmen (Andy Harris, Robbie Devo and Andy Hicks), were able to locate the vessel with three men aboard swiftly. The Atlantic 75 ’Blue Peter 1’ then proceeded to tow the casualty in to the River Arun and safely place it on the moorings at the Littlehampton Marina. The Atlantic crew and the shore crew had the lifeboat re-fuelled and ready for service by midnight and left to continue what remained of their Friday Night!
Snagged Prop - 21 September 2009
Littlehampton Lifeboat launched to assist a yacht in difficulty after losing engine power on route to the River Arun. The skipper of a Beneteau First 21 yacht called Solent Coastguard after he had snagged lobster pot lines off Bognor, as he sailed towards his home port from the Solent. Littlehampton’s Atlantic 75 lifeboat ‘Blue Peter 1’ launched within six minutes of the crew page at 13:18 on Saturday 19 September, manned by Rob Devo at the helm, and crewmen Tom White and Andy Hicks.
The skipper had made it clear when he asked for assistance that he was able to continue his passage under sail, but that he would have difficulty negotiating the entrance to Littlehampton Harbour without the use of his engine. As the lifeboat progressed towards the casualty’s position, it was reported that he had been able to free his propeller of the obstruction and so a tow was no longer needed. After consultation with the coastguard, the lifeboat continued to head for the yacht, and then to escort him to Littlehampton and into the harbour just in case more long lasting damage had been done.
Saturday Night Mayday - 8 September 09
Littlehampton Lifeboats was launched at 8:30pm to meet up with Selsey lifeboat to assist with a tow into the harbour.
The 12m river boat was on passage from Cornwall to Eastbourne, having left Weymouth that day she had travelled quite some distance before problems occurred. With steering difficulties and taking on water the crew of the casualty vessel radioed for help. Selsey launched, located and began to pump out the boat. Littlehampton’s Atlantic 75 ‘Blue Peter 1 ‘ rendezvoused shortly after to take over the tow.
Helmsman Ivan Greer and crewmen Josh Gruber and Andy Hicks escorted the river boat, with its two occupants and pet cat safely to the visitor’s moorings. The lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service at 10:20
Beached - 11 August 09
Littlehampton’s Atlantic 75 lifeboat ‘Blue Peter 1’ was launched at 3:15pm, in response to a report from the crew of a 26ft yacht off the coast, near Angmering on Sea. In strong force 6 southwesterly winds, the yacht’s motor failed, and the crew couldn’t control her under sail because of the wind and tide strength. As the lifeboat made her way to the reported position, the casualty vessel was sighted capsized, aground, and lying across a groyne. The two-man crew had swum safely ashore.
Littlehampton’s D-Class inshore lifeboat ‘Spirit of Juniper’ also launched to assist with the task of avoiding further damage to the casualty vessel. She was successfully righted, but with the rapidly ebbing tide, it wasn’t possible to refloat her, and she remained on the beach.
The high water tidal height was declining, and the crew knew that unless an attempt was made to refloat her, she could remain on the beach for more than a week where she would be buffeted and damaged by strong seas. A decision was made by the crew to muster at 1am on Tuesday morning to attempt a refloat her at high water.
At 1am the crew returned to the boathouse, the conditions by now were much calmer with the wind dropping and the tide rising. In preparation for the boat floating at high water the crew deployed a kedge anchor to maintain the yacht’s stability as the tide came in to lift it off the beach. They then rigged their towing lines and took the strain.
It was touch and go due Insufficient water as to whether the Lifeboats could move her, but with hard work and perseverance she was towed back into the sea and put safely on her moorings at the Arun Yacht Club. The lifeboats were refuelled and ready for service by 4:30am.
Surfer loses it! - 7 July 2009
Littlehampton lifeboats were launched for the second time that day after a 999 call reporting a wind surfer in difficulty one-mile south of Ferring.
The Atlantic 75 left the harbour at 8:32pm in choppy seas and force six winds. They located the casualty swiftly, who having lost his own board in the failing light and overcast conditions, was being attended to by a fellow surfer.
Having dropped the gentleman safely ashore and ascertained he needed no medical assistance, the three volunteer crewmen Andy Harris, Keith Booth and Lee Cullen went in search of the lost sailboard.
Close call for swimmers - 6 July 2009
Littlehampton lifeboats were launched after a 999 call reporting two swimmers in danger on the wooden pier known as the West Works on the western side of the harbour entrance.
Both the Atlantic 75 and the D class lifeboats were on scene just before 3pm. The 84 year old man and the teenage friend's granddaughter found themselves in to difficulty in rough weather and force 7 winds, and were swept away from the beach towards the structure. The crew found the female casualty had clambered on to the pier clear above the water and in deep distress while the male was found on the shingle lacerated from the barnacles and rocks around the base of the pier.
With insufficient water for the lifeboat to get alongside the casualty, crewmen Rob Rollins, Gavin Simmons and Lee Cullen climbed through the West Works from the east side to rescue him and then carried him out of the surf up to the beach. Meanwhile the Coastguard rescue helicopter arrived to winch the young girl from the pier; the helicopter then landed on the beach to pick up the man and whisk them both of to Worthing hospital.
Launching authority Jim Petty commented that ‘Even though the shout was over and done with quickly and successfully, with the awful weather conditions, my goodness it could have ended differently’.
Summer Rescues - 29 June 2009
It was busy for Littlehampton Lifeboats who attended 3 shouts in one day.
After a 999 call to the coastguard the crew launched their Atlantic 75 ‘Blue Peter 1’ at approximately 10.20 to search for a wind surfer reported to be in difficulty west of Bognor Pier. The casualty was returned to shore safely and the lifeboat returned to the harbour as soon as the tide allowed.
Littlehampton lifeboat crew were then paged again just before 18.00 to three inflatables south of Bognor in trouble due to offshore winds, the Atlantic 75 recovered three teenagers and took them ashore.
Meanwhile the D class ‘Spirit of Juniper’ was launched to search for a possible swimmer in difficulty and look for any more inflatable dinghies adrift. They were requested to stand down at 18.45 and were back, refuelled and ready for service by 19.20.
Geoff Warminger duty launching authority commented ‘Even on hot sunny days the wind can still catch people unaware’.
Capsized - 15 June 2009
Two canoeists suffering from hypothermia were pulled from the sea a mile south of Bognor Butlins after an hour and a half in the water.
The two men both in their seventies were spotted by a local fishing boat in the water separated from their craft. The fisherman was able to recover one of the casualties but in the choppy conditions was unable to locate the second; he then contacted the coastguard.
The crew of the Atlantic 75 ‘Blue Peter 1’ quickly located the missing man and administered the medical attention he urgently needed before handing him over to the care of the paramedics who were standing by on Bognor beach.
Meanwhile the D-Class lifeboat ‘Spirit of Juniper’r rendezvoused with the fishing vessel relieving it of the second casualty who appeared to be in a slightly better condition than his companion but still in need of attention from the lifeboat crew and the paramedics.
Grounded - 27 April 2009
Coastguards requested that Littlehampton Lifeboat should launch to assist a yacht in difficulty in gale force winds east of the harbour entrance.
The 7.5m yacht on passage to Brighton, crewed by two men and a dog, ran aground as it attempted to take shelter in Littlehampton Harbour during the night. The following morning a passer-by noticing they were in difficulty raised the alarm.
Both the Atlantic 75 and the D-Class lifeboats were launched at 09:00 and were on scene a few minutes later. The conditions were harsh with torrential rain, a force 7 gale and rough seas pounding the casualty vessel. Lifeboat crew Jenny Cradock and Jon Maidment entered the water to deploy anchors and rig a towline to stabilise the yacht and hold its bow into the weather. As the tide came in and the depth increased the lifeboats were able to carefully tow the yacht into deeper water where they were able to assess the condition of the occupants and their vessel.
With the wind and the sea pushing them from behind the tow into the harbour was very difficult especially as the yacht had jammed steering. A drogue was rigged and the D-Class took a line from the stern of the casualty to assist its directional stability through the turbulent currents of the harbour entrance. Paramedics were waiting at the boathouse to attend to the hypothermic yachtsmen. The dog was fine.
A Flurry of Calls - 15 April 09
A clear sign that the boating season is under way, Littlehampton’s lifeboats responded to a further two calls over the Easter break.
Whilst some crewmembers were carrying out maintenance work at the boathouse on Tuesday 14 April, a report from the foreshore office at around 16:25 warned that a swimmer may be in difficulty and require assistance. Littlehampton’s Atlantic 75 lifeboat ‘Blue Peter 1’ launched immediately and was alongside the casualty within a few minutes. Although he was able to swim and not in immediate danger, he was only wearing trunks and was quickly becoming cold. He was taken back to the beach and into the care of the foreshore team.
On Tuesday evening, ‘Blue Peter 1’ launched at 22:00 to assist a 40’ fishing boat reported to be aground on the bar across the harbour entrance, a hazard for all boats around low water. The boat had drifted along to the east of the harbour where the lifeboat passed a line so that the bow could be pulled head to sea and afloat, and then into deeper water so that it could get under way under its own power. The casualty vessel with two adults and two children aboard was escorted to moorings in the harbour. The lifeboat was recovered, refuelled and cleaned, and was ready for service just before midnight.
Stuck in the mud - 29 January 2009
Littlehampton’s Atlantic 75 launched in response to reports of a man waist deep in the mud.
He had been walking his dog near the rivermouth on Wednesday morning when he got in to difficulty. A local fishing boat and a foreshore officer were able to retrieve him safely and unharmed. They were then escorted back to the harbour by the lifeboat.
Doggy Paddle! - 29 January 2009
Littlehampton’s D-Class lifeboat ‘Spirit of Juniper’ launched in response to reports of a pooch up to his neck in the river.
A man walking his dog reported said canine had jumped in to the river near the harbour entrance on Thursday afternoon. He was recovered in a joint effort with the harbour master and swiftly reunited with his owner a little damp but otherwise unharmed. There have been a number of instances when owners have entered the water to try and save their pets and have put themselves in danger. This is why lifeboats are asked to launch in these circumstances.
For more up-to-date information on launches and rescue stories why not follow the RNLI on Twitter
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