Paddleboarder rescued by Harwich Lifeboat crews
They'd got swept up in challenging sea conditions
Volunteer crews of the Harwich RNLI Lifeboat station helped a paddleboarder on Sunday (September 24) after a distress call was reported to them.
It came in at 5:27pm, where the paddleboarder had got into difficulty off Felixstowe Pier.
There were strong winds which created rough sea conditions for the paddleboarder to contend with, leading to the Harwich team being dispatched to help them.
Working alongside the Coastguard Rescue Team they searched the area where the paddleboarder was last seen before the daylight disappeared and sea conditions got worse.
The paddleboarder was then located ashore and found to be safe.
The team refuelled and returned to the station ready for service again at 7:10pm.
The RNLI said:
"Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of the fastest growing water sports. Whether it’s on an inflatable SUP or a solid one, SUPing is a great way to have fun on the water and to get fit. Do it often enough and people can improve their overall fitness, in particular core body strength, which is where the most of the paddle power will come from.
"Whether a complete beginner, new to SUPing or more experienced, it’s always useful to know a few tips and tricks to help improve the SUP experience.
"The best way to learn and enhance time on the water is to have a lesson and learn the right techniques including tips to help get back on the board and develop skills and knowledge of how to understand the environment such as wind and tidal information."
You can find information on water safety at https://rnli.org/safety