At 3:15pm on Monday April 20 the volunteer crew at St Bees RNLI were requested by HM Coastguard to go to the aid of dog struggling to get back ashore at Whitehaven Harbour.
St Bees RNLI volunteers were paged at 3:15pm after a distressed dog walker had reported their pet was unable too get ashore from the outer harbour at Whitehaven.
With the difficulties faced in launching an inshore lifeboat during the Pandemic and to comply with social distancing guidelines, the crew assembled in the car park before preparing themselves and the lifeboat for launching. They arrived on scene less than half an hour from being paged. On arriving at the harbour a member of the Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team indicated the dog’s location. The RNLI lifeboat came alongside the cold and shivering but friendly dog and brought it onboard. There was insufficient water in the outer harbour to enable the lifeboat to reach the shore so a crew member waded ashore carrying the dog and handed it over to a member of the Coastguard Team.
If you are enjoying a stroll along the beach or cliffs or walking your dog around the harbour please remember to keep your pet on a lead. Remember to check the weather and tides and help keep yourself, RNLI volunteers and all the emergency services safe.
