For staff at HM Coastguard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Falmouth, summer truly begins when the school holidays kick in. From late July to early September, almost four million holidaymakers flood into towns and villages across Cornwall.
But inevitably amid the buckets and spades, sunscreen and sunglasses, there are coastal dangers for those in the wrong place at the wrong time, as Senior Coastal Operations Officer Rob Farr explains.
“Everyone’s got an adventurous spirit and a thrill for seeking out new things. For many, it’s why they visit the Cornish coast, and we’d never want that to stop.
"But you’ve often got two kinds of explorer; one who’s informed about the sea, tides, and dangers on rocks and cliffs, and the other who’s far less equipped and far more willing to take risks.
“That’s usually a person that sees or hears of activities, opportunities or sights that just seem ‘too good to miss’, even when they come with significant dangers.”
Of course, even those with great insight can still come into danger at the coast, as the variety of incidents across one busy Cornish weekend in August proves.
“We’d heard from a colleague at the MRCC that this was potentially one of the busiest weekends that they’d seen in more than 20 years, and the influx and variety of incidents certainly demonstrates that,” says Rob.
“Whipsiderry beach in Newquay is surrounded by cliffs on all sides. It’s accessible from other nearby beaches when the tide is low, but as the tide pushes in, it gets cut off. With unstable cliffs and difficult boat access, it can be a particular problem for coastguards.
"These ‘hidden’ locations get loads of social media coverage, which convinces people to visit, but neglects to mention the dangers. On the Sunday, we saw more than 100 people visit Whipsiderry, many of them being young people enjoying the weather and sharing their experiences on social media.
"When we see the tide starting to push in on the beach it’s potentially a major incident, with dozens of people at risk of being caught out by the tide. Our officers headed down to move people to safer areas.”
Meanwhile, fellow Senior Coastal Operations Officer Matt Rogers was on duty for mid and west Cornwall, overseeing 17 coastguard teams and responding to incidents.
Matt says: “Among other things, we responded to a cliff incident involving a 15-year-old, a protracted medical job at Porthcurno, a young person missing in the sea at the River Camel, and two young people stuck in a cave at Fistral beach.”
Together with a raft of tide-related incidents, coastguard teams responded to reports of an incapacitated casualty lying on a beach amid incoming tides, a casualty with a spike impaled in their foot, and two unconscious women at Porth.
Speaking about the crucial work of his fellow coastguards, Rob adds: “The role of Coastguard isn’t for everyone – some people walk away from danger, and some people walk towards it to help someone when they’re having a dire time. Coastguards are the latter.”
“Our teams are very much part of their local community. Working closely alongside emergency services colleagues in Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, RNLI and Police, they gain immense satisfaction by keeping people safe at the coast.”
Rob and Matt’s top coastal tips
- Be adventurous (in the right way). Don’t take unnecessary risks while exploring and carry a charged mobile phone. If you’re visiting the coast or going in the water, tell people where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
- Learn about local tides. Read tide tables and times for the area you’re in, understand that tides change and differ according to beach and season.
- Don’t sit underneath cliffs. Aside from the danger of falling rocks and debris, objects can detach from the cliff face and fall onto the beach. You could sit or stand on something sharp or dangerous.
- Enjoy lifeguarded beaches. Lifeguards keep people safe. They alert beachgoers to potential dangers, and they’ll be on the lookout for changing conditions.
- Don’t take someone else’s word for it. Social media posts might not share hidden dangers. Check that you can leave beaches safely and read up on dangers that might occur in areas that might otherwise look inviting or safe.
- If a coastal path is closed, don’t ignore it. Don’t take risks with shortcuts or use coastal paths access points that have been closed – it’ll be for a good reason.