Portreath Coastguard call-out for kayakers below Sally’s Bottom

Seen from the cliff path late on a Sunday afternoon, two kayakers sitting below Sally’s Bottom looked like they might need help. The walkers who spotted them decided not to take the chance.

What followed was a Portreath call-out with a happier ending than anyone on the clifftop might have expected.

Walkers raise the alarm

At around 16:30 on Sunday 8 November, HM Coastguard Portreath Rescue Team was tasked after walkers on the cliff path reported concerns for the welfare of two kayakers seen below Sally’s Bottom.

The team assembled and made their way to the scene, getting access to the area through RAF Portreath. When they arrived, they were joined by crews from St Agnes RNLI and St Ives RNLI.

Safe, well and fishing

Crew members from St Agnes RNLI made contact with the pair and found them safe and well.

It turned out they were well prepared and simply enjoying an evening’s fishing from their kayaks.

With both confirmed safe, all the responding teams were stood down and headed back to their stations to pack away and get ready for the next call.

“Better to report something”

The Coastguard team described it as a false alarm with good intent and thanked the members of the public who raised their concerns.

“It’s always better to report something that doesn’t turn out to be an emergency than to ignore a situation where someone may need help,” the team said.

Heading out on the water?

The team shared a few reminders for anyone planning to launch:

• Always check the weather, tides and sea conditions before launching.
• Wear a properly fitted buoyancy aid at all times.
• Carry a means of calling for help, ideally a waterproof VHF radio, and keep it within reach.
• If you’re heading out late in the day, carry suitable lights and make sure other water users can see you.
• Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.
• If you see someone around the coast who you think may be in difficulty, don’t hesitate to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

The team logged the call-out as incident number 67.

📷Credit: HM Coastguard Portreath Rescue Team