"I've never been so pleased to see a big orange boat coming towards me..."
These were the words of one grateful man whose life was saved by the Shoreham lifeboat crew.
He had been on the water for more than six hours in an inflatable kayak after he went for a paddle off Hove on Tuesday afternoon (13 June) and was then blown out to sea in the offshore wind.
The Shoreham all weather lifeboat was launched at 7.50pm after his friends, who were concerned for his safety, phoned the coastguard.
The lifeboat crew located him three miles south of Shoreham, lost, cold, wet and exhausted. He was not wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid.
He was rescued into the lifeboat along with his kayak, checked over by the crew and then taken back to the lifeboat station where he was warmed up and reunited with his friends.
He said:
"It looked like a picture perfect afternoon for going out on the water. I can't believe how the conditions changed, it was so windy and the waves were much bigger than I imagined. I am so grateful to the lifeboat crew for saving me."
The message from the RNLI:
Please Respect the Water.
The weather and sea conditions may look fine but they can quickly change.
Be prepared and if in doubt, don't go out.
If you see someone in trouble on the water dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.
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