Sent in by John Kinsman, operations manager Coastwatch St Monans, east Fife. Featured image shows the Coastwatch station in the old St Monans windmill.
Search for person
A search for a person in the water around Kinghorn coast in Fife was stood down after items of clothes were claimed. A rescue helicopter and lifeboats began searching the Kinghorn coast after items of clothing were found near the water at Pettycur bay.
Kinghorn lifeboat station posted images of the items on the Facebook page, in the hope someone would recognise them. After searching for four hours the operation was stood down with owner of the clothing coming forward.
A spokesman for HM coastguards, “We had been investigating a possible person in the water at Pettycur bay after clothing was found in the area. Then we got a call from one of our coastguard teams that a member of the public had identified themselves as it was their items of clothing.” This call was a good outcome.
Lifeboat nets £22k
The fisherman’s beer festival in Broughty Ferry held in August has managed to raise more than £22,000 for the Broughty Ferry lifeboat station which is part of the RNLI. The event which took place from August 26 to 28 raised a total of £22,056.34 for the station which is run by a crew of volunteers. The money is the biggest total raised for the station, with the cheque being handed over at the lifeboat station.
Established in 1830, Broughty Ferry was the first inshore lifeboat station in Scotland. Throughout the station’s history of lifesaving, the crews have been awarded seven medals for gallantry. Speaking at the presentation spokesperson Peter Bay said, “Our beer festival total was announced and presented to us by Phil Milton, the chief executive officer of Well Safe Solutions who are our main event sponsors.”
Trying to save dog
A person was swept into the River Don near Monymusk, during the recent heavy rain that battered the east coast of Scotland. It was believed they were attempting to rescue a dog near Monymusk.
Police Scotland confirmed emergency services including coastguards, fire service, ambulance crews and police were sent to the scene after reports of concern for a person in the water. The search which lasted for several hours was later called off, no person or dog was located.
Coastwatch
Coastwatch St Monans have had a very busy time in November. The team underwent their annual assessment at their lookout station. The assessment was carried out by an officer from the sea safety group. The Coastwatch St Monans full team of 8 volunteers assembled at the lookout station and underwent various tests including radio training, rescue training and first aid. After the end of assessment, the sea safety group officer awarded the station their renewed Declared Facility Status (first awarded in October 2018) which means the Fife station is qualified to work alongside HM coastguards and other emergency services.
Also the team members were out on watch of a small boat being battered by rough seas at Elie harbour, and carried out patrols during the bad weather and floods to hit the area in November.
Paddle Boarder
Coastwatch St Monans were alerted by HM coastguards to a paddle boarder in difficulty off Shell bay near Elie in rough seas. The team assembled in St Monans and headed for the scene and on arrival spotted the paddle boarder close to shore but having trouble with the off shore wind.
Coastwatch st Monans team of volunteers kept watch until the paddle boarder made it safely ashore where the team gave assistance to get him to shore and checked the paddle boarder over for any injuries. After a check by the team and an ambulance crew, the paddle boarder was allowed to make their way home.
Coastwatch St Monans team were operations manager John Kinsman, deputy manager Anne Kinsman, team members Bob MacDonald, Karen Dobson, John McLean, Cameron McDonald and Beth McLean. Well done all.
Finally
John Kinsman, your marine news correspondent would like to wish all readers and staff a Happy Christmas and all the best for 2023. And also thank you the readers for reading my monthly marine items. See you next year.
