PROUD OF OUR CREW PROUD OF OUR CREW

It was the women of Dun Laoghaire who came to the rescue last summer, when four teenagers were dragged from the shore by a tidal surge

July 2022 saw hot weather and capricious seas in Dublin Bay. On one particularly choppy afternoon, with the wind blowing a moderate breeze, Dollymount was busy with people enjoying the sunshine. Among them, four teenage girls in the shallows with a paddleboard.

Suddenly, the girls were swept out by a strong tidal surge into deeper waters. It was like a river, taking them towards the single-lane Wooden Bridge that crosses to Bull Island. Two girls stayed on their board and two tried to swim, but were soon out of their depth. All four of them grabbed onto the structure beneath the bridge.

Watching from the shore, one alarmed parent enlisted the help of a kind stranger to call the Coast Guard. Meanwhile, Dollymount lifeguards were mounting a rescue attempt –running across the bridge to the point above where the girls were holding on.

The lifeguards tried repeatedly to throw lifebelts, but in the rush of the water it proved impossible for the girls to secure a safe hold on them. All the girls could do was cling to the structure and hope someone would reach them.

The first approach

At 5.08pm, the volunteer crew from Dun Laoghaire launched their D class inshore lifeboat Réalt na Mara

For over 180 years, a lifeboat has launched from Dun Laoghaire. And on this day – for just the second time in the station’s history – they were an all-female crew on the lifeboat.

Helm Laura Jackson, with Crew Members Moselle Hogan and Hazel Rea onboard, arrived on scene at 5.25pm to find two of the girls in the water, with the other two 10m further along the bridge, on the paddleboard.

The surging tide threatened to pull the two girls in the water away from the bridge. One of these girls was distressed and clutching onto her friend.

Laura shouted over to her crew with a plan, as she carefully manoeuvred the lifeboat closer, keeping it in gear to resist the run of the water. Hazel watched for hazards beneath the surface, instructing the teenagers to stay calm and still so they could bring them aboard.

Laura recalls: 'Moselle and Hazel made good contact with the first girl and lifted her into the lifeboat, before repeating the manoeuvre with the second. Now onboard, we wrapped them in ambulance pouches to keep them warm, and assessed them. Then we brought them safely ashore into the care of the Dollymount lifeguards, while keeping sight of the others.'

The return

Returning to the bridge, where the remaining two paddleboarders were holding on, Laura briefed the crew and girls. Nearby kayakers and onlookers above watched the rescue unfold.

'We manoeuvred the lifeboat so Moselle and Hazel could hold the board steady. Now further beneath the bridge and towards the shore, I was conscious of depth and hazards. The area dries out at low tide so we remained watchful for sandbanks as we pulled them aboard.

'We wrapped them in ambulance pouches and carried out a casualty care assessment. We reassured and comforted them, chatting to gauge their level of responsiveness and risk of hypothermia. Once we reached the steps of the pier wall, we were welcomed by a very relieved mum.'

It takes a team

News of anyone in trouble in the water, let alone young people, is alarming to volunteers. If the Dun Laoghaire crew hadn’t been there that day, there could have been a tragic outcome. Helm Laura says: 'It’s hard to convey how much danger they were in. If the girls in the water hadn't grabbed the pillar of the bridge, they would have been swept away and could have drowned.

'This was one of the best rescues I've been involved in. I'm so happy that we could be there for those girls when they needed us the most. I feel proud of our all-female crew.

'I never ever thought I’d be good enough to be on the lifeboat. I spent many hours training to become a helm so I can lead rescues like that. So I hope it inspires other women to push hard –we can achieve anything.

'And knowing you have a network of amazing volunteers behind you when you launch the boat is very comforting. There are a lot of people giving their full support behind the scenes during a rescue like that, making sure we all come home safe and well.' ■

Words: Anna Burn Photos: David Branigan/Oceansport, Nicholas Leach, RNLI/Nathan Williams

Paddleboarding Tips

Helm Laura Jackson advises: 'We’d like to remind anyone using a paddleboard in any depth of water to always wear a suitable flotation device, and to carry a means of calling for help with them in a waterproof pouch.

'It’s also important to be wary of tides – even if you’re familiar with where you’re paddling – as sea movements are unpredictable, particularly when close to bridges and other structures.'

To find out more about safe paddleboarding, head to RNLI.org/sup.