UK Coastguard paged our crew after a Stand Up Paddleboarder (SUP) contacted them to report he was in thick fog somewhere in proximity to Sker Point. He had set out earlier that day from Langland Bay on a charity paddle and weather had appeared good. He had no indication a thick fog may develop. He was well prepared with GPS, VHF Radio etc. but UK Coastguard were concerned for his safety and launched both our lifeboats to search for him. With visibility down to a few metres the lifeboats made their way towards Sker Point with the intention being to use the Atlantic 85’s VHF direction finding equipment to locate the SUPer once closer to the scene.

Whilst the lifeboats were passing Rest Bay we received an update that the SUPer made it ashore at Kenfig Sands (Sker Beach). The lifeboats were tasked to proceed to Kenfig Sands with the D Class crew going ashore to help locate the SUPer. The SUPer was initially located by an RNLI lifeguard from a neighbouring beach and shortly after the D Class crew located them. He told us his initial concern when he reached the beach was it may have been one of the large sand banks off Porthcawl.

Porthcawl Coastguard and Port Talbot Coastguard were also tasked to the incident. The Coastguard Teams transported some of his equipment back to Rest Bay whilst we transported Dan and his SUP board on our lifeboats.

Dan originally set out from St. David’s, West Wales on his charity paddle. For further info: SUP Challenge Wales 2018. We wish Dan well on the rest of his charity paddle.