Sunday July 24th 20:59
Broken down motor boat
At the request of Brixham Coastguard, the Teignmouth lifeboat was launched with a volunteer crew of four to assist a 15ft motor boat with two persons on board and disabled, about 1/2 mile offshore but in the port navigation channel. The vessel was taken in tow to Teignmouth. More information...
Saturday June 12th 2010 19:33
Broken down fishing boat
The Teignmouth lifeboat 'The Two Annes' was tasked to assist an 18ft fishing vessel out of Brixham with a flat battery and adrift between Babbacombe and Hopes Nose. The lifeboat took the fishing vessel in tow to the Visitor's pontoon Teignmouth. The three persons on the fishing boat who were suffering from cold and mild exposure, were given warm drinks and blankets. After a short time they were able to continue their journey to Brixham by rail. More information...
Saturday June 12th 09:12
Fishing Boat with engine failure drifting in the river mouth
HM Coastguard Brixham tasked the Teignmouth lifeboat 'The Two Annes' to assist a 14ft fishing boat with two persons on board adrift in the mouth of the River Teign.
The fishing boat's engine had earlier failed near Fish Quay, but with the fast running river on the ebb tide, they were soon carried towards the sea. Although it was a well equipped fishing boat with an auxiliary engine, this engine was not powerful enough for the ebb tide, and to add to the problems some water had been taken on board, making the boat unstable. The lifeboat took the boat in tow and returned it to Polly Steps.
More information...
Sunday June 6th 11:21
Dive Boat Engine Failure
Whilst on exercise in the River Teign, HM Coastguard Brixham tasked the Teignmouth lifeboat 'The Two Annes' to go to the aid of a Charter Dive Boat from Torquay, whose engine had failed with its divers in the water, close to the Orestone.
Helmsman Adam Truhol with two trainees on board and an experienced crewman opted to go directly to the scene due to the possible danger to the divers. The Torbay patrol boat Oscar IV had arrived to help a few minutes before and managed to get all the divers back to the dive boat. Having established that all were safe, the lifeboat took the dive boat in tow back to Torquay Harbour. More information...
Sunday May 30th 20:35
Broken down motor cruiser apparently on fire
HM Coastguard Brixham tasked the Teignmouth lifeboat and its volunteer crew to a report of a motor cruiser with smoke and steam coming from the engine compartment.
The broken down 27ft motor cruiser with two people on board, was located off Odicombe beach, but most of the smoke and steam had stopped when the lifeboat arrived. The lifeboat station mechanic who was helming the lifeboat assessed the damage to the motor boat and found a problem with their bilge pump and the water re-circulatory system. The motor boat was beyond simple repair, so she was towed by the lifeboat into Torquay harbour. The lifeboat returned to station at 22:10. More information...
Saturday May 29th 10:08
Yacht with engine problems
HM Coastguard Brixham requested the assistance of the Teignmouth lifeboat to help the 24ft yacht 'Navicula' that was suffering from engine problems about one mile north of Spray Point. The yacht was also unable to make headway using their sails as in that position there was no wind, and the three crew were becoming affected by the cold and the sea swell.
The yacht was taken in tow by the lifeboat and put aside the visitors pontoon in Teignmouth. The yacht crew were taken to the lifeboat station and made a full recovery. More information...
Monday May 24th 17:19
Inflatable Dinghy's reported drifting near the 'Parson & Clerk'
The Teignmouth Lifeboat 'The Two Annes' was launched to assist two children in inflatable dinghy's seen near to the Parson & Clerk. When the volunteer lifeboat crew arrived one dinghy was ashore and the other dinghy was then helped to the beach where HM Coastguard and Police Community Officers were waiting to offer advice on sea safety.
More information...
Sunday May 23rd 2010 13:15
Broken-down Jet-Ski, and Search for Missing Person
At the request of HM Coastguard Brixham, the Teignmouth RNLI lifeboat 'The Two Annes' was launched to go to the help of a Jet-Ski with two persons on board close to Babbacombe; and to join in a search for a vulnerable missing holidaymaker.
The Jet-Ski was located off Babbacombe and with the two jet-ski riders on board the lifeboat, the jet-ski was taken under tow towards Torquay. After a short while (14:14) the tow and the two riders were transferred to 'Oscar Four' an HM Coastguard RIB for the journey to Torquay.
The lifeboat was then re-tasked to help in the search for a missing holidaymaker. Coastguard teams were already searching ashore when the lifeboat began a coastline search between Anstey's Cove and Petit Tors Beach. Nothing untoward was found, and lifeboat was stood down at 14:55. More information...
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Letters from the Chairman and the Chief Executive of the RNLI for four Teignmouth crew
L-R Richard Boss (crew), Dave Matthews (crew), Marcus Paz (the teenager rescued) Will Burton (duty helm), Kevin Clifton (helm)
Superb seamanship and RNLI crew training saves the life of a teenager
The pagers to alert the volunteer crew of the Teignmouth lifeboat sounded at 4.13pm on December 28th 2009, in response to a 999 emergency call to HM Coastguard Brixham. A walker on the sea wall between Sprey Point and Smugglers Cove had previously seen two teenagers wave-dodging on the lower sea wall, with near disastrous consequences.
Suddenly a large wave knocked the two boys over and dragged them into the sea. They became separated in the water, with one being swept out to sea, whilst the other was caught on another wave and crashed back into the sea wall where, by pure chance, he managed to struggle ashore.
The Teignmouth Auxiliary Coastguard team had also been alerted, and took their emergency vehicle along the narrow sea wall to Spray Point, where they were able to attend to the injured teenager who by now was ashore. They also had visual communication with the teenager in the water.
Conditions were perilous - the state of the water where the other teenager was floating was in a confused state. The sea was hitting the wall and the backwash was returning to meet the incoming waves. This led to an unpredictable sequence of incoming waves, returning waves and momentary calm water followed by clashing waves. The seas were reaching 2-3 metres in height and were breaking freely well before the sea wall as well as on the wall itself.
The young man in the water had been carried about 30 yards offshore where the water depth was between 2 and 3 metres – luckily for him he had been swept away with his kit bag which he was now clutching to his chest to provide vital buoyancy – this was undoubtedly the only thing that kept him afloat long enough for the lifeboat to arrive and save his life.
The RNLI lifeboat ‘Peterborough Beer Festival III with volunteer helm Will Burton, and crewmen Kevin Clifton, Dave Matthews and Richard Boss were launched at 4.17pm into a rough sea, ebb tide, and a Force 6 Easterly wind with a swell of 2-3m.
Because of the sea state, Will Burton was unable to drive the lifeboat the short distance to the casualty area at high speed, as the safety of his crew was paramount. Arriving on scene some 5 minutes later, and with the help of the Coastguard the casualty was quickly located – however recovering the young man from the water was not straightforward.
The youngster was about 20yards off the sea wall in an area of confused water. Because of the incoming waves sometimes reaching heights of 3+metres, Will turned the lifeboat to face the incoming waves, and approached the casualty stern first. With helm Will Burton watching ahead for dumping waves, crewman Kevin Clifton gave a running commentary on the casualty’s location from the lifeboat bow just ahead of the helm’s driving position, Will managed to get the port side of the lifeboat almost alongside the casualty at the second attempt while still concentrating on the incoming sea.
Just then another enormous breaking wave appeared forcing Will to square up to the dumping wave which resulted in the two becoming separated again by the wash.
On the third attempt, the lifeboat managed to get alongside the casualty, and crew volunteers Richard Boss and Dave Matthews recovered him, by now apparently unconscious, into a lying position on the lifeboat deck alongside the helm’s position where crewman Kevin Clifton tended him.
Almost immediately another dumping wave hit the lifeboat filling her with water, and washing Kevin Clifton and the casualty past the helm’s driving seat to the stern of the lifeboat. Once the water had cleared, the crew managed to lift the young man, now much more alert, onto a crew seat. The recovered teenager was wrapped in blankets, and treated for hypothermia and shock.
The lifeboat crew volunteers made their way back to the boathouse as quickly as was possible in the conditions, where paramedics were waiting to treat both boys, the second boy having been delivered by the Coastguard vehicle.
Both boys were taken to hospital, but sent home later, a bit shaken from the ordeal and hopefully wiser about the dangers of wave dodging on sea walls.
Service Details
December 28th 2009 – Teignmouth RNLI lifeboat station
Atlantic 85 Relief lifeboat – Peterborough Beer Festival III
Launch 16:17
Casualty at Sprey Point – approx 0.8nm north east of Teignmouth
Lifeboat arrived back at station 16:29
Weather – Fading light, Rough Sea,
Wind – E/SE Force 5 to 6
Crew – Will Burton (Duty Helm)
Richard Boss (Crew)
Kevin Clifton (Crew and Helmsman)
Dave Matthews (Crew)
Teignmouth RNLI Spring Newsletter
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