At 12:29 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following reports of a Kayak drifting ashore at Pendennis Point. The Falmouth Coastguard Mobile was also tasked to assist, along with a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose, which had been on exercise in the local area.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 12:35 and located the Kayak on the west side of Pendennis Point at 12:42. The Kayak was close to the rocks and was accompanied by two paddles. A lifeboatman was placed on the rocks to recover the Kayak and to try and confirm if it had been occupied. No additional information could be obtained, so having deposited the Kayak in a position from where it could be recovered by the auxiliary coastguards, the crewman then returned to the Inshore Lifeboat.

The Inshore Lifeboat and Helicopter then carried out a search of the bay and beaches, up wind from where the Kayak was first spotted. Once the area had been thoroughly checked and people on the beaches at Swanpool and Maenporth had confirmed that no one appeared to be missing the search was called off at 13:34 and the Inshore Lifeboat was released to return to station.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 13:46 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 14:03.

It later transpired that the two man Kayak had been seen by a number of people drifting across the bay from the direction of Maenporth, and it can only be assumed that it had drifted off the beach while its owner had been either launching or recovering it.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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