Buckie lifeboat comes to the aid of kayaker in distress
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RNLI Buckie Lifeboat rescued and provided casualty care to a kayaker in distress at the Craigenroan Rocks, one mile east of the town on Friday afternoon.
The alarm was raised at 3.50pm and the lifeboat put to sea ten minutes later, with a volunteer crew of seven led by coxswain Davie Grant.
Arriving on scene, it transpired the casualty and his colleague had self-rescued onto the rocks but were now stranded there.
The lifeboat’s small inflatable daughter craft, the ‘Y-boat’, was launched and her two crew went ashore onto the rocks.
The casualty had been enjoying a kayak outing in company but had experienced chest pains and was now also assessed as hypothermic.
He was transferred by the Y-boat to the Severn-class lifeboat William Blannin to receive casualty care and to be transported back to Buckie.
Two casualty-care specialists from the lifeboat crew treated the gentleman while the lifeboat radioed for an ambulance and made best speed back to port.
Casualty care continued on board and in the lifeboat station while the gentleman was stabilised in preparation for transport by road; during this period, Scottish Ambulance paramedics arrived and took over care of the casualty before transferring him to hospital for further treatment.
Coxswain Davie Grant paid tribute to his crew’s excellent work, singling out the two casualty care crewmembers for special praise.
“The entire crew performed superbly, assembling, launching, and bringing the casualty aboard in the fastest possible time.
Two of our casualty carers, Louise and Carl, gave outstanding service, treating and supporting the gentleman for over an hour to stabilise him for transfer to the ambulance.”
Ironically, coxswain Grant had texted the whole crew just twenty minutes before the alarm was raised, sending the prescient message ‘It’s a scorching weekend; watch your pagers – our chances of a shout must be high’.
How right he was.
The crew washed down and refuelled both lifeboats and, after de-brief, dispersed around 6pm.
RNLI Buckie’s operations manager, Anne Scott, says: “As temperatures rise and holidaymakers arrive to enjoy our beautiful coastal waters, we hope everyone can do so in safety.
"If going afloat, do what these two gentlemen did - in case unexpected problems arise.
"Check the weather and tides, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return, wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, and carry a means of calling for assistance if you need it – a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, for example.”
