Burnham-On-Sea RNLI crewmembers had a busy weekend with two emergency shouts come involving three launches of the lifeboats.
Just before 9.30pm on Friday (15th November), the crew was called out by Coastguards amid concern for someone in the River Parrett at Bridgwater, with Burnham’s D-class lifeboat Burnham Reach being quickly launched on service.
Helmsman Marc Smith says: “Once on the water we confirmed the tasking and proceeded to the location. As we approached the mouth of the Brue at Burnham Sailing Club we were hit with a thick wall of fog, therefore commenced preparing a navigation plan up the Parrett. Whilst we were planning our route, Coastguards informed us the police had recovered the person and stood us down.”
“We returned to the the slipway for recovery to the Lifeboat Station and a quick wash down. It should be noted that thick fog and temperatures had just hit zero as we launched.”
In a separate, second incident the crew was called out just after 7.30pm on Saturday evening to reports of a yacht aground at the mouth of the River Brue on a falling tide.
“Our Atlantic 85 was on the water within fifteen minutes and on scene with the casualty vessel thereafter,” says a spokesman. “With the yacht’s skipper well prepared and plenty of provisions onboard, the decision was made to bring the other sailors ashore for the night while we assembled a crew for the early morning recovery plan.”
“By first light on Sunday morning, the recovery plan was well underway with the casualty vessel towed safely back to Burnham Sailing club pontoons. It should be noted that it was Helmsman Martin’s first shout as a helm, and Crewmember Julie’s first launch on a shout.”
“Both were good outcomes and we were glad to be of assistance. Sailing here on our estuary is often not without challenges – be it mud, tide or the weather conditions as elsewhere, but in this instance with the darker nights low visibility also played its part and the skipper did exactly the right thing by calling it in with the Coastguard.”
BARB’s crew was also called out over the weekend after a person briefly became stuck in mud near Burnham jetty before managing to walk to safety. Burnham Coastguards were also called out to the incident in Bridgwater on Friday night.
