Rip tides cause difficulties for bodyboarders in Caithness
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A Far North lifeboat was called out twice yesterday after two paddle boarders got into difficulty in high seas off the Caithness coast.
However, the Scrabster harbour based lifeboat, the Taylors, was stood down after both individuals made it safely to shore with the help of others.
The RNLI lifeboat launched first at 2pm on January 9 in response to a report of a woman on a paddle board being dragged out to sea near Castlehill harbour in Dunnet Bay.
A spokesman for the crew said: "The lifeboat was stood down en route as the paddle boarder managed to make it safely to the shore."
The Taylors returned to Scrabster and was about to tie up when another call came in from the coastguard to say that a surfer – who later turned out to be on a paddle board – was in difficulty in the sea near Thurso Castle.
"The lifeboat immediately went to the area and was about to launch the inflatable Y boat when they were informed that surfers had seen someone was in difficulty and had managed to take him safely to the shore," said the spokesman.
"After getting confirmation from the coastguard that all was under control, the Taylors returned to Scrabster."
He added: "Members of the public should not hesitate to dial 999 if they think someone is in difficulty. The crew don't mind going to a non-event – we would rather that."
The woman paddle boarder involved in the first incident was Claire Macleod (46), who said she had been caught in a rip tide and dragged out to sea.
Despite being a strong swimmer, she quickly became tired and drifted further away from surfers in the area at the time.
"I started to wave for help," she said. "My husband was watching and recognised I was no longer with the group – he called the coastguard."
"One of the surfers, Billy Brock, came back to me and guided me out of the water in a different direction. He gave me his surf board and I was able to paddle in using it – he got me into the slack water so I could get out over on the rocks at the side. I was tired when I got out, I felt exhausted."
Claire, who was wearing her wetsuit, pointed out: "I am quite safety aware – I have been an outdoor swimmer a long time and would never swim in those conditions. I got a huge fright – it shows you the power of the sea."
A local nurse was involved in the rescue of the second person who got into difficulties at sea that day.
Tracey Macleod, who works at the Princes Street Surgery in Thurso. was out for a walk at Thurso East when she stopped at the pier and spotted what she thought was a surfer who was waving as if he needed help.
"I ran to get the buoy," Tracey said. Another two men were taking photos at the end of the pier and one threw the lifebuoy in and they helped me pull him in."
She explained that at this point they were on the beach side of the pier where a lot of big waves were coming in.
"I did not want to get too close," she added. "It was not until we got him in I realised he was on a paddle board and not a surfboard. I thought it was a bit weird someone paddling in a rip part. He was paddling like mad but not getting anywhere."
Once safely on dry land the boarder thanked everyone.
