Exhausted paddle boarder drifts off Exmouth

Inshore lifeboat called to help

An exhausted paddle boarder who had drifted off the coast of Exmouth has managed to get himself to shore, but not until a lifeboat had launched to rescue him.

The unnamed man was said to be exhausted when he was located by the town's RNLI inshore lifeboat around 2.30 p.m. on Friday. 

The coastguard asked the lifeboat team to search in an area off Orcombe Point, to the east of the town following a report of someone on a paddle board drifting out to sea. The RNLI was supported by an Exmouth coastguard rescue team.

By the time lifeboat helm Charles Swales, along with crew Geoff Mills and Nick Wright locate the casualty, he was approximately 50 yards off Sandy Bay.

Further information was received from the paddleboarder, who had his mobile phone with him, that he had made his own way ashore on Sandy Bay and didn't need further help.

Other Exmouth RNLI volunteers involved in the tasking were Rick Newcombe, Karl Halford, Ed Thomas and Steve Woodbridge.  

On completion of the assignment the lifeboat returned to Exmouth Lifeboat Station and was back on service by 3pm. 

RNLI Safety advice to paddle boarders is :

1.    Always go with a friend
2.    Tell someone where you are going and expected to return
3.    Take your phone in a waterproof pouch
4.    Check the weather forecast and avoid offshore winds