Stranded Woman Rescued After Tide Cuts Her Off at Blakeney Point
Distress Call Sparks Coastguard Rescue
On Tuesday, October 26, a woman found herself trapped by the tide on Blakeney Point, Norfolk. Using Channel 16, she alerted HM Coastguard at around 4:15pm, but couldn’t give her exact location.
A fixed-wing coastguard aircraft on nearby safety patrol quickly joined the search. They were backed up by an RNLI lifeboat from Wells and the Wells Coastguard Rescue Team in their all-terrain vehicle.
Waves, Tides and a Narrow Escape
The woman was finally spotted waving from the deck of a small boat stranded in a channel with very shallow water. An RNLI crew member was sent on foot to reach her, guided from above by the aircraft crew nearly 1,200 feet in the air, plus a coastguard from a nearby vantage point.
Wells Station Officer John Crosthwaite said: “We understand that this lady was walking the coastline of Britain and was attempting to take a shortcut through the harbour, but without a map she was disorientated. We all worked together to find her and it was a great result.”
Safe and Sound Back on Land
The RNLI crew member helped the woman off the boat and guided her safely across the salt marsh to the Old Lifeboat Station. There, coastguards were waiting to bring her back to the mainland.
John added: “It was lucky she was able to contact the coastguard. Her mobile phone was waterlogged, and she had no other way of reaching us.”
Remember: Always carry a map and a reliable way to contact help when exploring the coast. Stay safe and #RespectTheWater.
