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.
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