Although last weekend saw thousands flock to St Helens and Bembridge for the annual Fort Walk, numbers did appear to be down on previous years.
Bembridge RNLI reported “a relatively quiet and uneventful ‘Fort Walk'” on Saturday, whilst Sunday saw only three rescues of note.
Mother and child in difficulty
The first was at the request of the Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team, who raised concerns for a mother and child who’d got into difficulty during their attempt to walk to the Fort.
Before Bembridge RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat (RNLB Norman Harvey) had arrived on scene, the mother and child had managed to make their way to safety.
Missing child
RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar All-Weather Lifeboat 16-17) was launched at around 7.15pm to search for a 12 year old child who had become separated from the rest of her family whilst walking to the Fort.
Bembridge RNLI reported that the child was “soon located and re-united with the family safe and well”.
Some walkers up to their shoulders
Both of their boats remained in the area keeping an eye on the last few ‘walkers’, some of whom were up to their shoulders in the water.
After a final check, and after the Norman Harvey had taken another couple of walkers back to Bembridge beach, both boats then returned to their respective boathouses and were recovered by 8.40pm.
Attempts to deter walkers
Last week Bembridge RNLI had urged Islanders and visitors to not attempt the Fort Walk on safety grounds. This was reiterated by the Isle of Wight council later in the week.
Source: Bembridge RNLI
Image: 2019 Fort Walk
