Marine News, sent in by John Kinsman, station manager at Coastwatch St Monans, east Fife. Featured image shows the harbour at St Monans.
Woman rescued in fall from chain walk
A rescue operation was launched on the Fife coast when a woman fell and injured herself after falling at popular walking spot. The incident happened at the famous chain walk at Elie on the Fife coastal path. The woman who suffered broken bones had been with someone else when she slipped and fell with alarm then quickly raised. The Coastguard team from St Andrews and Leven along with lifeboats from Kinghorn and Anstruther were sent to the scene.
A spokesman from Aberdeen coastguards said they were alerted that a woman had slipped and fallen while crossing the chain walk. He said “We sent two coastguard teams and two lifeboats and alerted Coastwatch St Monans volunteer team to be on stand by if further assistance was required as the a woman had fallen on to rocks near the shore but was not in the water.”
She was taken to the beach at nearby Earlsferry where she was then transported by the waiting coastguard teams who transferred her to awaiting ambulance. The coastguard spokesman said “It seems the woman broke bones when she fell and was rushed to hospital for treatment.”
Last year there were renewed calls for the closure of part of the coastal path after another walkers sparking a major rescue operation. Safety concerns were also raised about the chain walk two years ago after a weekend when four people were rescued.
The chain walk is described by tourist books as one of Scotland’s best kept coastal secrets, but is repeatedly stressed that the route is not so much a walk but more of a scramble with a head for heights required. Solidly planted steel chains, rocks, and foot holds help those who decide to traverse the route, but walkers are advised to allow themselves between an hour and two hours to complete it. Visitors are also urged to check TIDE times, wear appropriate footwear and consider wearing a helmet,
Coastwatch St Monans team that day were operations manager John Kinsman, station manager Anne Kinsman, station officer John McLean, crew members Bob McDonald, Karen Dobson, Beth McLean, and new recruits Cameron Copeland and May Copeland.
Well done to all teams in a difficult rescue.
UK trade deal
The UK’s post Brexit trade deal with Norway, Iceland and Leichtenstein could reduce costs for the fish processing industry and ultimately for consumers, a report by the House of Lords European Affairs Committee claims. The government signed the free deal at end of July this year.
According to the trade ministry the deal would help sectors including financial and business services and cut tariffs for British exports, boosting a trading relationship worth £21.6 billion last year. The UK is Norway’s top trading partner outside the EU and in terms of their overall trade volumes, this agreement is more significant for Norway and Iceland than it is for London.
Coastwatch St Monans
Coastwatch St Monans team had a fairly busy October, with the crew carrying daily duties in the look-out stations, plus foot patrols around the harbour and coastal paths areas of St Monans and Elie. At St Monans harbour the crew provided safety cover during the annual boat lift. A huge crane attended at the village harbour to help local boats owners lift their boats out of the water at the end of the summer sailing season and place their boats in winter storage on the middle and west harbour piers.
The team also kept watch over wild swimmers in the outdoor pool just yards from their lookout station. The team has also taken on two new recruits in the form of husband and wife Cameron and May. The team now have 9 members who are on 24/7 call for any emergency and carry out duty every day in the lookout station with two volunteers on a rota system doing duty daily from 10am to 3pm.
Coastwatch St Monans operations manager John Kinsman, station manager Anne Kinsman and station officer John McLean have all qualified to administer Naxolone to anyone who suffers an overdose of drugs such as heroin, or other types of dangerous drugs. Well done to all three members.