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Porthcawl Coastguard
Display the new overalls due to cut back`s its one between 2
SOME OF THE UNUSUAL CALLS
SOME OF THE UNUSUAL CALLS It is not all doom and gloom. From time to time we get the odd call which when you replay to your pager and phone for the info you tend to say "SAY THAT AGAIN". Like a few months ago we had a call to say there was a Dog ?
stuck in the rocks on the sea front. To this day I do not know how he got in the hole never mind how to get him out. In the end it took us, The lifeguards, The Police, The Fire service, and a Vet but he is now back to chasing cats. Or this Summer (or should I say the one sunny day we get on a Monday every year) When one of our new auxs spotted a head in the water well off shore. So we contacted the lifeguards who was at sea in Their inflatable, When they got to the CAS it turned out to be a TeleTubby ball in fairness the aux done well in spotting it but how do you put that in the log rescued one TeleTubby?3ed July 2000
Clothing Left on Beach Paged at 13:11 to a Report off Lifeguard that he had found a pile of clothing on the steps Port Talbot Lifeboat Launchecoastguardd coastguard TEAM Searching Heilo 169 also Deployed, Cardiff SM also on scene, Mumbles CG Searching West bank River Neath. Port Talbot Lifeboat Hon Sec Reported after a few hours Searching that a man had called at the boathouse to claim the clothing. All units stood down He were a Diabetic and had gone for chips after his swim, didn't know we were looking for him. So he sat and eat his chips watching what was going on These things happen but the cost was £250.000 for the call Press Report "Expensive Bag of Chips"
One time I was on duty with Andrew Rossi (who recently left us after 19 years) to go on patrol with him was the kiss of death every time I was with him all hell let loose. This day it was a real hot one when we got a call off the lifeguard Mark Lewis to say that there was Hundreds of people cut off on the old North Pier and he was trying to get them off before high water.
The problem being that the land end was lower than the rest of the pier and the sea was running fast across this so we rigged up a line so we could help people off .
I Slept that night but my Station officer was away for the day. So I went to see him the next day his face looking at the front of the local paper headline over 120 rescued by Coastguards, will stay with me for ever I went home leaving him muttering about me and Rossi out again...
A few years back we received a call of fishermen cut off by spring tide on the old South pier Aberavon so when we got there we set lines up and walked out to them the sea was well over the pier but no swell. When we got to the CAS there was my mate with a glowing red face saying he had Lost his tide book and did not know it was the highest tide of the year. But with him was the late Malcolm Dacey a great lad but the problem Malcolm was wheel chair bound and was sitting up to his arms in water Swearing at my mate. So after getting them safely ashore I had an idea and at that years fishing club presentation we presented him with a pair of water wings for his wheel chair which he proudly showed off all night.
Or The vessel which came ashore on Morfa beach which two of the lifeboat crew swam out to rescue the 70 year old skipper. Who was taken to the Steel Works medic centre to recover and have a hot meal.
We stood guard over the vessel when a call came from MRCC Swansea could we search the vessel for the mans teeth "say that again" They had given him a hot meal but as his teeth was somewhere on the vessel he could not eat it.
We set about looking as the vessel had been days in bad weather every thing was upside down with food every where (but the weather was to bad for him to cook) when I put my hand in something I did not wish to look but the other aux with me said "its ok its a pile of soggy biscuits " remember this man was sea sick boy was I relieved. But we found his teeth and reunited him with them again a row who fills the log in rescued teeth.
About 5 Years ago we were asked to help the Police search for a missing person. We were tasked to search the sand dunes area, which is a hard area to cover the police team we were with asked for a Police dog to help cover the area. The only problem was the dog was new and although young was very big with matching teeth.
Now how can I put this lets say it fell in love with Rogers Leg who was to frightened to move never mind push it away. What can you do the handler was a good way away and the dog was not interested in doing as it was told. This may of been because the handier was having trouble trying to call him due to the fact like the rest of us he was falling about laughing. He finally got control and we got on with the job and Roger and the dog had a cigarette
We get our mad days like the day were you get 8 call outs in one day. We get our sad days but every now and then one comes up and put a smile on our faces
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