THE rescuing of a father and son who had come into difficulty while kayaking in Llandudno was shown as part of a BBC documentary last night (October 26).
“Saving Lives at Sea”, on BBC Two, yesterday showed how Llandudno’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew brought the two stranded casualties to safety.
Now in its eight series, the programme documents the lives of the men and women of the RNLI.
Last night’s episode focused partly on Llandudno, its RNLI station which was established in 1861, and its D-class inshore lifeboat.
On a sunny Monday night in mid-July, the alarm was sounded as dad Dave and son Sam were reported to be in the water off the Little Orme.
Sea temperatures in Llandudno average about 15°C, even in July.
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Dave and Sam were found by crew members sticking their paddles up in the air trying to get their attention, before a cluster of kayaks are found.
The RNLI crew first pulled Dave out of the water and onto the lifeboat, but found Sam lying face-down across kayaks, looking “quiet” and “very cold”.
“There was no easy way of bringing the younger casualty (Sam) on board,” said Chris, one of the volunteer crew members who works as a builder.
“They both seemed pretty shaken up, and really cold.”
IT manager Gareth added: “It’s really important that we keep talking to casualties, because that’s one way that we make sure that they remain conscious.”
Dave and Sam, it transpired, were on their first kayaking trip out together, and had enjoyed a “perfect” outing before “suddenly being in the water”.
There was a “real relief” when the lifeboat arrived, Dave said.
Sam recalled finding the kayak “getting heavier and harder to paddle”, adding: “Before we knew it, we were in the water, and the kayak was upside down.
“I’m really grateful for what they’ve done… they’ve saved our lives.”
Both Dave and Sam were dropped off at the beach, by the lifeboat station, 10 minutes later, before being taken up to the station, where they used the hot crew showers to warm back up.
“It hasn’t deterred us from going out (kayaking) at all,” Dave said later.
“We replaced the kayak and got a new one, so we feel a bit more confident on that one. When it’s the right time, we’ll be out on it.”
The episode also showed Llandudno RNLI crew members try and help educate youngsters, showing them the kit that they wear and what it’s used for.
“If you can just get through to just one child, that’s enough to make a difference,” Gareth, said.
Last week’s Saving Lives at Sea episode also included a focus on Llandudno, when Conwy’s RNLI team rescued a man and boy after being swept away by the tide at West Shore Beach.
You can watch Saving Lives at Sea on Thursday evenings at 8pm on BBC Two, or on iPlayer.
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