Today’s training: Kedging

Today offered perfect weather conditions for a training and practice session on Kedging – a way of getting inshore safely in rough waters or rough weather, and particularly when you don’t know what’s under the surf. This is especially important when you consider the shorelines around here, with plenty of submerged hazards such as rocks, other cliff-fall wreckage and wooden structures.

Kedging also involves the practice of switching off the engine and paddling the boat closer to the shore. This has the double benefit of getting the boat closer and the paddle action also offering a way to check for hazards beneath the boat.

The process is perfect for rescuing people or animals stranded on the shore line or cliff bases, or on sand bank locations – something which often happens across the local area. So it’s essential that we practice and give new volunteers, our trainee crew members, the chance to get to grips with kedging.

Dropping anchor in the right place to effect the rescue.

 

Paddling the boat closer to the shore, being aware of submerged hazards.

 

Throwing the line across to the shore.

Crew member pulls the boat closer to the shore.

It was great to be able to do this training with two different crews today – although it was bitterly cold out there today, the overall conditions were great for the practice, which is also part of our preparations for our major exercise with the local coastguards in May.

Robin Hood Bonfire Society Presentation Night

We recently spent a great evening at the Robin Hood, Icklesham, where the Robin Hood Bonfire Society presented us with much appreciated donations.

The donations came from funds raised across their bonfire events, and meant that we received £500, presented to David Martin by Kevin Wall, Chairman of the Robin Hood Bonfire Society.

There was also an additional presentation of £100 in memory of Rose Hayward, friend of both the Robin Hood Bonfire Society and PLIRB, which Kevin presented to PLIRB’s Jo Barry.

PLIRB would like to say thank you so much to the Robin Hood Bonfire Society for their generous donations and hospitality to us on the night.