Tender MOB in the harbour

The deputy launch authority for Rhyl RNLI lifeboat crew, Peter Robinson, was walking his dog when he heard a shout and saw a man had fallen from his dinghy while crossing Rhyl Harbour

- Peter Robinson

On Saturday 6 November, there was set to be a big tide and plenty of wind so I decided to go for a walk around Rhyl harbour with the dog.

I was on duty as the Rhyl Lifeboat Launching Authority that week.

Crossing the car park, I noticed two men inflating a small tender and thought ‘small boat, choppy crossing?’.

After having a look around the charter boats moored alongside the pontoons and a stroll along the beach, I returned to the inner harbour area.

As I approached the slip, I saw the two men I’d noticed earlier had just set off from the slipway to cross to a group of boats moored across the harbour. Neither were wearing lifejackets, and in those conditions and in that size of boat I was concerned for their safety.

Before leaving I decided to keep an eye on them until they reached whichever boat it was they were bound for.

As I walked down to the lower quay level I heard a woman who’d waved them off, shouting that they were in trouble.

Looking through my binoculars, I could see one man in the tender, the other was in the water hanging on to the mooring buoy. I immediately phoned Holyhead Coastguard and informed them there was a man in the water in Rhyl Harbour and the immediate launch of Rhyl’s inshore lifeboat was required.