31/10/2009. 2036
The ILB was launched, and the ALB put on immediate readiness, following a 999 call to Holyhead coastguard, reporting a person in the water off Pensarn beach, Abergele. The ILB; Rhyl coastguard team; and police units including the force helicopter; were on scene and searching for a short while; until the police reported they had located the first informant and she admitted making a malicious hoax call. She was arrested and all search and rescue units were stood down. The ILB crew returned to station at 2132.

30/10/2009. 1300
The ILB crew were paged after Holyhead coastguard received a report of 2 persons an 2 dogs, missing off Talacre beach. As the ILB was near the scene, local coastguards reported the 2 persons were safe, but the dogs were still missing, and the persons wanted to go back to look for them. The ILB crew therefore kept going to the area, and stayed in the general location until Rhyl coastguard team reported they had found the dogs in the sand dunes and all was well. The ILB crew returned to station at 1445.

25/10/2009. 1401
Whilst the ILB was on exercise, the crew were tasked to assist the speedboat from the service on the 24th October. The owner of the boat had boarded his craft after leaving it in the mud the previous evening, and was having difficulty getting back to the harbour from 1/2 mile upstream. The ILB crew pulled the boat off the sandbank and then towed it back to the yacht club slipway in Rhyl harbour, and then returned to station at 1504.

24/10/2009. 1700
ILB launched in rough seas to a speedboat in Rhyl harbour with 2 adults and 4 children on board. They had gone for a trip up river under the road and railway bridges from the harbour, but had grounded in the mud about 100 metres upstream from the railway bridge. 1 of the adults had tried to wade ashore and got stranded in the mud in the river, but a passer-by had seen their plight and dialled 999. The children were also starting to get out of the boat when the ILB arrived. The man was extricated from the mud by the crew, and all 6 were taken into the ILB. It was not possible to recover their boat, and so the crew put an anchor out with the intention of retrieving the boat the next morning. All 6 were brought back to the yacht club slipway to ambulance and coastguard personnel. Due to the sea conditions on an ebb tide, the ILB was returned to station by road at 1750.

18/10/2009. 1130
The ILB crew were on exercise near the harbour entrance at Rhyl when their attention was drawn to a PWC (personal water craft – Jetski) stationary just outside the harbour. They went alongside the craft, and the owner stated the engine on the craft would not run, and he requested a tow back into the harbour. Holyhead Coastguard were informed and the owner and craft towed back to the Ski club slipway. the ILB returned to station at 1158.

ILB crew paged by Holyhead Coastguard to go to a 14-foot speedboat with engine failure and 2 people on board. The initial position given was off the stone loading jetty at Llanddulas, but as the boat was off Towyn, the position was corrected to off the Victoria pier, Colwyn Bay, some 2 miles west of the original position. When the ILB arrived on scene, the boat was about 1 mile north of the pier, being towed by a PWC (Jetski). The tow was taken over by the ILB, and the boat was taken back to the slipway at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, and the ILB then returned to the boathouse by 1458.

17/10/2009. 0702
ILB crew paged to search for young male who had said he was going to commit suicide off the boathouse. As the first crew arrived, they could see the ambulance and police personnel in front of the boathouse with the youth, who was soaking wet. (It was low water – the tide was over a mile out). Just at this time, the pagers went off again to cancel launch, so classed as standby at 0707.

Holyhead Coastguard received numerous 999 calls regarding a microlight aircraft which had lost height and crashed on to the beach off the Suncentre at Rhyl. Rhyl coastguards were also paged, and fire, police and ambulance personnel were also called as a precaution. The aircraft was damaged beyond flying capabilities, and so the ILB crew who had heard the incident going on, proceeded with the Landrover and recovery trailer and assisted the pilot to recover the aircraft to the coastguard station. The crew returned to the boathouse at 1815. Classed as shore-based service.

14/10/2009. 0025
ILB crew paged to assist police with a male trying to commit suicide by entering the water off Prestatyn. As the ILB was coming out of the boathouse, the police told Holyhead Coastguard that the male was in their custody, so the boat was stood down. Classed as standby.

13/10/2009. 1720
The crew were arriving for an AWB exercise when they noticed a small yacht in the entrance to Rhyl harbour, dragging it’s anchor and being pushed towards the beach at Kinmel Bay. The owner had tried to get into the harbour on the previous tide, but had run aground and was stuck. The ILB launched and asked the single occupant if he was OK, and he said he was unable to get away from the lee shore, and would like a tow into Rhyl harbour. The tow was set up, and the yacht was successfully pulled clear of the beach, and put on a mooring in Rhyl harbour. The ILB returned to station at 1805.

12/10/2009. 2102
Police requested Lifeboat and Coastguard assistance after a woman had entered the sea off Rhyl Promenade. The police helicopter NW1 had located the woman about 50m out with their heat-seeking night vision. The ILB came alongside the woman, and 1 crew member entered the water to assist the woman into the ILB. She was taken back to the boathouse to a waiting ambulance. The ILB was ready for service at 2150.

7/10/2009. 1038
The Windfarm support vessel “Sancho Panza” out of Mostyn, came across an unmanned inflatable 5m boat, just in the shipping channel off the Prestatyn buoy,1.5 miles north of Rhyl. The boat was a danger to shipping, being in a partially deflated state. It had probably come from the River Dee where cocklers were using these boats to carry their catch. The ILB was launched to check if there was no-one in the boat and on confirming this, the boat was towed back to Rhyl. No-one had reported the boat missing, so it was laid up alongside the boathouse, and the ILB was ready for service by 1131.

28/9/2009. 2135
ILB launched and AWB put on standby after Holyhead Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public saying he had seen a man enter the water off the Sky Tower at Rhyl. The local coastguard team were already on scene when the ILB arrived in quite a heavy shore surf. The first informant was called by Holyhead coastguard, but he had left the area. The ILB searched with the coastguards for about 20 minutes, but nothing was seen. The ILB was told to return to station and the AWB stood down, asno further reports had been received by Holyhead Coastguard at 2215.

20/9/2009. 1436
ILB crew paged to assist 2 men in a 3m long inflatable boat, with a 4hp outboard engine, struggling against the tide at the harbour entrance. Just after the ILB had launched, Rhyl local coastguards reported the men had managed to safely get to the bank of the river, where they were given some safety advice. The ILB was recalled and returned to station at 1445.

19/9/2009. 1356
ILB crew paged to launch for a child in difficulty within Rhyl harbour, but as th crew were assembling, Holyhead coastguard reported the child was now safe, and the launch was cancelled. Classed as standby.

13/9/2009. 1422
The crew were requested by Holyhead Coastguard to launch to a small inflatable with 2 children on board, in difficulty off Presthaven Sands camp, Prestatyn. As the crew were assembling, the coastguard reported all were safe, and the crew were stood down.

The crew noticed 2 separate families of 4 cut off by the tide just off the boathouse; the ILB proceeded and recovered all 8 to the safety of the main beach.

As the ILB returned to the station, Holyhead coastguard requested, the boat relaunch to an overturned personal watercraft (Jet Ski) off Golden sands camp, Towyn. They reached the area 5 minutes later, the Jet Ski occupants were just getting back to the beach, and the 2 were escorted ashore. The craft had overturned and flooded, so this was towed back to the beach from 250metres out. One of the persons had ingested a lot of salt water as the Jet Ski overturned, and so an ambulance was called, and the person was helped to the ambulance by RNLI crew and local coastguards.

The ILB was again alerted to a possible problem with a kayak off Sunny Vale camp, Kinmel Bay, and also there were 3 swimmers reported in trouble in the same area. The crew launched and went to the people in the water first. They had got out of their depth, but were now OK and the crew escorted them ashore, and then went to the kayak, who was happily fishing, the action of his fishing rod was interpreted as waving on shore, so the crew returned to station at 1630.

Both boats launched to 15-feet long speedboat “Oasis 118) with 3 adults and 3 children on board, drifting with engine failure towards rocks at Golden sands Holiday camp, Towyn, after they put out a “Mayday” call saying their engine had failed, and their auxiliary engine had also failed. Both boats were on scene within 12 minutes. The ILB established a tow to get the vessel away from the rocks, then the AWB took over the tow. The 3 adults and 3 children were transferred to the AWB and the vessel towed back to Rhyl, where it was beached by the boathouse, and the trailer brought from Rhyl fishermans slipway to recover it. All 6 were wearing lifejackets, and they had a radio but no flares. All were recovered to the boathouse and no medical attention was required

11/9/2009. 2112
ILB crew launched after North Wales Police reported to Holyhead Coastguard there was a woman struggling in the water off Ffrith beach, Prestatyn. The crew proceeded together with local coastguards, and the AWB was prepared to launch to back up the ILB. The ILB arrived on scene and could not see anything immediately. After searching for about 5 minutes, the police contacted Holyhead coastguard to say the woman was actually in the boating lake at the Festival Gardens, about 200m back from the shore, and she was now in police custody. The ILB and AWB were stood down and the ILB returned to station at 2158.

8/9/2009. 2318
ILB crew paged together with Rhyl coastguard team to a report of a person face-down in the surf off Splash Point, Rhyl. As the ILB was approaching, the coastguard reported the person was brought out of the surf by an angler, apparently unconscious, but when the coastguards arrived, the man regained consciousness. The ILB stood by until paramedics took the man away in the ambulance, returning to station at 0000.

30/8/2009. 1312
Both boats brought to immediate readiness after Holyhead Coastguard received numerous reports of orange flares off Prestatyn. The police helicopter NW1 and local coastguards went to the area but could find nothing. Reports came in of a small craft with engine failure off Barkby beach, Prestatyn, but this was dealt with by other craft in the area. with nothing being found, both lifeboats were stood down at 1318 to return to the Open day events. Classed as standby for both boats.

As the crew were getting ready for their Open day BBQ, the pagers were activated after Holyhead Coastguard received reports of 3 children in difficulty around the training wall at the entrance to Rhyl harbour. The crew were already at the boathouse, and the ILB launched within 3 minutes and went to the area. Children were sighted playing in the shallows on the beach-side of the river entrance, but they were OK. Further searches of the area found nothing, and it was assumed that the children seen were the ones reported, but they were now OK, so the ILB crew returned to station at 1838.

29/8/2009. 2235
Both boats requested to launch to search for a woman off Prestatyn beach committing suicide. The police helicopter and local coastguards were also tasked. The helicopter did a sweep of the beach from Rhyl to Prestatyn, but found nothing. It was then reported the woman was safe ashore and both boats were stood down. Classed as standby for both boats.

22/8/2009. 1544
ILB requested to search for a 5-year old boy off Presthaven Sands camp, Prestatyn, who was last seen at the waters’ edge and had been missing for 20 minutes. As the crew were assembling, Holyhead Coastguard reported the boy had been found on the beach and the crew were stood down. Classed as standby.

19/8/2009. 1352
ILB launched to a report of two youths having difficulty getting back to shore in an inflatable dinghy off Golden sands camp, Towyn. The youths had abandoned the dinghy and were swimming ashore. The ILB arrived on scene just as the two were able to touch the bottom, and the crew escorted them to the beach. One of the two were suffering from hypothermia, and oxygen was administered and they were kept warm until ambulance personnel arrived. the crew then returned to station, recovering the boat at 1450.
As a footnote to this, the dinghy was swept ashore 2 days later at Southport on the Lancashire coast, some 50 miles away.

15/8/2009. 1429
Rhyl coastguard mobile patrol, Rhyl beach Lifeguards, and the ILB were all tasked to a 17-year old male attempting suicide at Barkby beach, Prestatyn. The lifeguards entered the water and were assisting the male ashore when the ILB arrived, and the male was transferred to local police officers on shore. The ILB returned to station at 1520.

14/8/2009. 1451
Rhyl Beach lifeguards were approached by a member of the public expressing concern over a youth in an inflatable dinghy quite far off shore at Splash Point, the eastern end of Rhyl promenade. The lifeguards went to the point just as Holyhead Coastguard received a 999 call and paged both the ILB and coastguard team. When the lifeguard arrived at the shore, the youth had come out of the dinghy and was trying to swim to shore, but was struggling to keep afloat. The lifeguard entered the water and swam the 100m to the youth, who was going under as he arrived. He kept the boy afloat until the ILB arrived a few minutes later, and the ILB picked them both up, and returned to the boathouse, transferring the youth to an ambulance. The boy had admitted to the lifeguard he couldn’t swim. ALWAYS STAY WITH THE DINGHY IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE THIS, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM TO SHORE. The ILB was back on station at 1518. The incident was captured by local CCTV cameras and we hope to have some footage available soon.

Rhyl beach guards were again alerted to a dinghy drifting out off Kinmel Bay. It was too far for the lifeguards to see properly, and the ILB was launched. On arriving on scene, the dinghy was found to be empty, and a quick search of the area found no-one in the water, so the ILB returned to station at 1558.

12/8/2009. 1827
ILB requested to launch after Holyhead Coastguard received a report of a man entering the water off a holiday camp in Towyn after a domestic argument. The ILB was on scene within 10 minutes, and the local coastguard team also proceeded. On scene, nothing could be found, and the man’s wife phoned 999 again to say the man had returned to the caravan, soaking wet. The coastguards got to the caravan,and confirmed the man was safe and well, so the ILB was stood down, returning to station at 1922.

10/8/2009. 2112
Both the ILB and AWB were launched to the 21-foot yacht “Storm Dancer”, on passage from Conwy to Liverpool, which had experienced large surf off Prestatyn, and attempted to come inshore to get away from the heavy seas. Their predicament was observed on shore, and the Rhyl Coastguard team were alerted, and both boats launched. The ILB located the boat first and succeeded in towing the vessel away from the surf line. the tow was taken over by the AWB off Rhyl, as the ILB was escorting the yacht under it’s own power towards Rhyl. The 2 crew on the yacht were transferred to the lifeboat, which then anchored off Rhyl harbour to await the tide. This occurred just after midnight, and the crew then re-boarded the yacht, and they followed the lifeboats into Rhyl harbour, where the ILB crew assisted the yacht to find a secure mooring. The lifeboats returned to station at 0128.

5/8/2009. 1425
Rhyl beach lifeguards reported a large object about 1 mile out from Rhyl beach, and asked for the ILB to be launched as they could not identify it properly. The ILB was launched and found the object to be a large Christmas-type tree about 3 metres long. The tree was towed back to Rhyl as it posed a danger to shipping around Rhyl harbour. The ILB was recovered at 1455.

27/7/2009. 1729
ILB originally paged to assist Prestatyn beach lifeguards with a child on the rock groynes off the Nova Centre. This was resolved before the boat came out of the boathouse, but Holyhead coastguard requested the ILB to launch to 4 swimmers in the water in the same area. Rhyl coastguard mobile was also tasked. When the ILB was on scene, there was nothing to be seen, and it was assumed that the 2 incidents were one and the same, and all was well. The ILB was therefore released and returned to station at 1802.

15/7/2009. 2052
Both ILB and AWB requested to launch to assist Coastguards and police helicopter NW1 in searching for a male who had threatened suicide off Barkby beach, Prestatyn. A search area of 4 miles of coastline, sand dunes, and the sea up to 2 miles out, were searched thoroughly for the man with no result. As reports of the man’s intentions were not 100% clear, all units were stood down at 2325, the boats returned to Rhyl at 0002 .

10/7/2009. 1204
ILB launched to assist beach lifeguards at the Nova centre Prestatyn, where a small group of children and adults had entered the water and were in difficulty. 1 child was recovered by the lifeguards and treated for hypothermia until an ambulance arrived. Some of the others in the party had scrambled on to a rock groyne and were assisted by the lifeguards and the ILB crew back to the shore. ILB returned to station at 1248.

5/7/2009. 1357
The crew were already at the boathouse, for Veteran’s Day at the Events Arena, when Rhyl beach lifeguards reported a fairly large inflatable drifting out about 1 mile from Golden Sands camp, Towyn. The ILB was requested by Holyhead coastguard to launch and investigate, and came up on the empty inflatable. It was returned to the beach at Towyn, and collected by the owners, who had lost an oar and swum ashore safely. As all was well, the ILB returned to station at 1448.

4/7/2009. 2150
Holyhead Coastguard received four 999 calls from the public regarding a small 4.5m dayboat off the promenade at Rhyl, with what looked like the occupants standing up. the boat was about 1/2 mile out. The ILB launched just as it was getting dusk, and got to the boat within a few minutes. The occupants were happy fishing, and the ILB crew asked if they were prepared for being out at night. They had no lights, and so decided to head back to Rhyl harbour. The ILB escorted them until they were safe within the harbour, and returned to station at 2240.

3/7/2009. 1843
A member of the public stopped Rhyl coastguard officers, concerned about 5 youths on an inflatable dinghy, about 100m out from the boathouse, because of the strong offshore breeze. the crew were paged, but as they assembled, the youths had managed to come back to shore, and so the launch was cancelled at1850. Classed as standby.

2/7/2009. 0512
ILB launched to a woman in the sea off the entrance to Rhyl harbour. They were on scene 2 minutes after launching, recovered the woman, who was semi- conscious, and brought her back to the boathouse to an ambulance. She was treated at the boathouse for hypothermia and taken to hospital. The ILB was ready for service at 0528.

29/6/2009. 1758
Rhyl Beach Lifeguards reported an inflatable drifting out off the promenade at Rhyl, with what appeared to be 2 children on board. The ILB crew were paged, and one of the lifeguards went down the beach to a group of people at the water’s edge, who confirmed it was their inflatable shark, and the fins looked like there was a child on board, but they confirmed no-one was on it. As no lives were in danger, the crew were stood down at 1802. Classed as standby.

28//6/2009. 0512
Holyhead coastguards received numerous 999 calls regarding 4 youths in a child’s inflatable dinghy, drifting off Splash Point, Rhyl. The ILB got on scene just as they were getting to shore, and apparently they had been fishing, and all was well. the local coastguard gave them some safety advice and the ILB returned to station at 0530.

Holyhead coastguard received a 999 call regarding 3 swimmers in difficulty off the Nova Centre, Prestatyn. The local coastguard team and Beach lifeguards with their boat were initially mobilised, and the ILB was also asked to launch. on scene, the beachguards had got the 3 ashore, and the ILB crew assisted with first aid until the ambulance arrived. One casualty was taken to hospital in the ambulance, and a second was ferried in the coastguard vehicle as the next ambulance was 15 minutes away. The ILB crew returned to station at 1659.

24/6/2009. 1225
The crew were cleaning down the AWB after an early morning shout, when the crew noticed a male swimming about 50 metres out, and climbing the groyne marker post and jumping off. Suddenly he started shouting for help. At first, it was assumed he was playing, but he went under the surface, and the crew quickly launched the ILB and were with him, as well as the beach lifeguards, within 1 minute. he was taken on board semi- conscious, and was taken to the boathouse where the station’s doctor treated him until the ambulance arrived. he regained consciousness and was taken to hospital for a check over as he was complaining of chest pains. The ILB was ready for service by 1248..

16/6/2009. 1401
Rhyl beach Lifeguards were alerted to 21 adults and children cut off by the tide opposite the Seaquarium. The ILB was also requested as some of the children were very small. As the ILB crew approached the water’s edge, the lifeguards had shepherded everyone back to shore. the ILB returned to station at 1409. Classed as standby.

10/6/2009. 1901
Holyhead coastguard received numerous 999 calls regarding a drifting RIB (rigid inflatable boat) with 2 persons on board, off Llanddulas. On scene, it was discovered they were happily fishing and all was well. As the crew were recovering the ILB, the coastguard reported the 2 were having difficulty re-starting the engine, and so the ILB returned to assist. Again , on scene, the 2 had managed to start the engine and refused an escort to their launching place. The ILB crew returned to station at 2042.

7/6/2009. 1555
ILB requested to launch to a kite surfer in difficulty in the water off Towyn. Once on scene, the surfer had managed to get to shore, but his kite and board were still a good way off the beach. The gear was recovered by the ILB crew and returned to the shore. The surfer was OK and was reunited with his equipment. The ILB returned to station at 1650.

Rhyl Beach Lifeguards requested backup from the ILB, to a family cut off by the incoming tide off the end perch marker at the harbour entrance, where 2 lifeguards were going into the water to help the family get through the gutters. The ILB crew were just launching the boat when the beach guards reported they had managed to get the family back to shore. The ILB was back on station at 1555.

ILB crew requested again by the beach guards to help 2 inebriated youths who were going out along the training wall from Rhyl harbour to the end perch marker post. This wall is covered by the incoming tide, so it was thought prudent to launch the ILB as one of the youths had entered the river Clwyd about half way along the wall. The youths started to return to the shore and the ILB crew shadowed them from the river until they were safe ashore, where they were met by the lifeguards. The ILB was back on station at 1635.

Another beautiful hot day, but offshore breezes and an ebb tide in the afternoon.

ILB requested to attend an inflatable dinghy going pout to sea about 1 mile out from Kinmel Bay, to check if anyone on board. An inspection found the dinghy to be empty, and the inflatable was returned to the boathouse by 1329.

ILB asked to assist with shore search for 2 young girls missing from home from 0830 that morning. After searching for about 10 minutes, it was reported the girls had made it safe home and the ILB was recalled at 1512.

ILB asked to assist Rhyl Beach Lifeguards who were swimming out to a young man in a dinghy about 300m out from the shore. The ILB was launched and recovered the man and the 2 lifeguards and returned them to the beach.

Rhyl Coastguard team requested the ILB to launch to investigate an inflatable dinghy being blown out to sea off the entrance to the harbour. On scene , the crew found the dinghy empty, and conducted a short shoreline search for any occupants, but with no contact. They were returning to station at =

when the crew were re-directed to assist the coastguards search for a woman threatening suicide at Splash Point, Rhyl. The woman was located at the waters’ edge and the coastguards and a crew member assisted the police to help the woman to the promenade. The ILB returned to station at 1933.

The start of a very busy day, ebbing tide after dinner time, offshore breeze, and compounded by a sea mist in the late morning.

The sea mist rolled in from the west and covered Rhyl beach, catching holiday makers unaware of the incoming tide and which way to walk. The Beach Lifeguards and local coastguards were joined by some of the ILB crew, who went on to the beach in the station LandRover to patrol the sandbanks to inform people of the danger of the mist and the incoming tide. People were warned, but 2 people were transported in the LandRover back to the promenade as they were disorientated.

Rhyl Beach Lifeguards called an immediate assistance to a young male who had become separated from his inflatable dinghy, and was having severe cramp. The man was shouting for help, and some people on the beach were attempting to go to his aid. He was about 100m from the shore but was being taken out by the tide. 2 beach Lifeguards swam out to the man and supported him until the ILB arrived about 3 minutes later, as a crew was already at the boathouse due to the conditions. The guards and the man were taken into the ILB and swiftly taken back to the boathouse, as the man was drifting in and out of consciousness. Luckily a passing doctor on the shore assisted the Lifeguards and the crew in administering oxygen, and the man was conscious when the ambulance crew arrived. The man was taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd suffering from hypothermia. The crew finished at 1445. This was a textbook piece of co-operation between the local Beach Lifeguards, local coastguards, and the ILB crew, together with ambulance staff.

The ILB was launched after Coastguards received four separate calls from the public, about a small inflatable boat with 2 people on board, apparently drifting out to sea about 1 mile out from Ffrith beach, Prestatyn. When the crew arrived on scene , the occupants were OK, well equipped, and were fishing happily, even though they were drifting. The crew returned to station at 1601.

Rhyl coastguard teams reported a small inflatable dinghy having difficulty returning to shore off Rhyl harbour. As the crew were coming out of the boathouse, the coastguards reported the occupants were now safe ashore, and the ILB was stood down. Classed as Standby.

28/5/2009. 1305
Rhyl beach guards reported a missing child on the beach, and the ILB was requested to assist with the search. The ILB had been launched for about 5 minutes when it was reported the child was safe and well, so all units were stood down, the crew returning to station at 1312.

23/5/2009. 2143
Both boats were launched to assist police and coastguards search for a 65-year old vulnerable man who was last seen near Abergele beach. The boats searched from Towyn to Rhyl, and also in Rhyl harbour after a further sighting, but were stood down when the man was found safe and well near the harbour. The boats returned to station at 2355.

23/5/2009. 1328
A member of the public approached Rhyl beach lifeguards at the harbour and drew their attention to a large slick of diesel on the water’s surface, coming out of the harbour. The local coastguard team and the ILB crew were paged in case a boat was in difficulty. The ILB was taken by road to the harbour, but no slick could be seen, so the boat was not launched and after 15 minutes returned to station as all appeared to be in order. The ILB returned to station at 1400. Classed as standby.

3/5/2009. 1606
Rhyl Coastguard team requested ILB assistance to recover 5 adults and 4 children, cut off by the incoming tide directly off the boathouse. They had attempted to wade back to shore, but the channel was too deep for the children, and so they returned to the sandbank which was disappearing fast. The ILB went across the channel and returned all 9 to the shore. They were taken to the boathouse to be checked over by ambulance personnel as the children were showing signs of hypothermia. The ILB was ready for service at 1650 after all were found OK after being warmed up at the boathouse.

26/4/2009. 1536
Holyhead Coastguard received numerous reports of an object in the water between Pensarn and Llanddulas. The ILB was launched, and the AWB put on immediate readiness. The ILB arrived on scene , guided by crew at the boathouse, and found numerous large helium balloons tied together, drifting in the water. They were taken on board and the AWB was stood down, the ILB returning to station at 1615.

21/04/2009. 1241
The crew at the station observed a small rigid inflatable boat with 5 people on board, coming towards Rhyl harbour on an ebbing tide. They noticed the boat strike a sandbank and come to a stop. The ILB was launched and proceeded to the boat. By now, 4 people had come off the boat and had waded ashore, leaving the skipper on board. 1 ILB crew member assisted the skipper get the boat into deeper water, as he had managed to pull the boat off the sandbank. It was agreed for the boat to return to the shore by Rhyl boathouse, and the crew would assist the skipper getting the boat onto it’s trailer at the boathouse. This was completed at 1358.

The ILB was launched to assist the AWB at Towyn after it was reported to Holyhead Coastguard that there were shoes and socks found on the beach, and a black dinghy could be seen offshore. Both boats searched the area, but the only object in the water at that location was the sewer outfall buoy, which was lying on it’s side. After a short search of the locality, both boats were released tp return to station, the ILB returning at 2035.

19/4/2009. 1622
Rhyl coastguard mobile patrol reported 4 people cut off by the tide opposite the boathouse, the gulley behind them was about 3 feet deep, and 1 woman had gone back on to the sandbank rather than come across like the others. Holyhead coastguard paged the DLA and some of the crew arrived, but the 4 had managed to finally come back after the coastguards supervised them and gave advice. They were completely unaware that the tide would come round behind them. Classed as ILB standby as launch not needed.

14/3/2009. 0145
Both boats were launched after Police were called to a dispute and the man had said he was going to self-harm. He was from the Rhyl area and waves could be heard in the background. The boats searched together with coastguards and the police with the helicopter NW1, between ASDA Kinmel Bay shore and Splash Point, Rhyl. Nothing further was received, and due to some great degree of confusion regarding the man’s whereabouts, the search was called off, the boats returning to the beach at 0319.

20/2/2009. 1603
The ILB crew were just washing the boat down after an exercise when Holyhead Coastguard tasked the coastguard mobile team to assist police to look for a woman threatening self-harm on Prestatyn beach. The ILB was also launched to assist. As the boat approached Prestatyn, the police helicopter NW1 landed on the beach at the end of the rock groynes and a woman as seen on the rocks there. As the woman was taken into police custody, the ILB was stood down and returned to station at 1631.

10/2/2009 Our station IB1 “Godfrey and Desmond Nall” D632 returned to Rhyl after repairs and the relief IB1 was returned to Poole.

1/2/2009. 1902
ILB requested by North Wales police to standby at Blue Bridge in Rhyl harbour for person threatening suicide. As crew were assembling, it was reported the person was in police custody and the ILB was stood down at 1908. Classed as standby.

31/1/2009. 1953
ILB launched after request from North Wales police to retrieve a woman who had phoned the police on her mobile, and was threatening self-harm. She was standing up to her chest in water about 50 metres out to sea, and the tide was nearly at low water. The ILB crew launched and were alongside her in about 2 minutes. She was taken into the ILB and returned to the boathouse where she was transferred to an ambulance. The ILB was ready for service by 2031.

27/1/2009. 2110
Crew brought to immediate readiness for male attempting suicide between Rhyl harbour and the Sky Tower. rhyl coastguard team found him soaking wet on the promenade near the paddling pool. He was quite agitated and police and ambulance also attended. As he was in the care of the police ashore, the ILB was stood down. Classed as standby. Stood down at 2125.

16/1/2009. 1534
ILB and coastguards alerted to object seen floating out with the tide off Prestatyn, towards the Mostyn shipping channel. When the crew arrived on scene, it was found to be about 20 metres of heavy-duty fishing net. This was loaded on to the ILB and the crew returned to station at 1610.

4/1/2009. 1843
Both boats launched to assist coastguards and police searching for a lady who had gone on to Prestatyn Beach from Presthaven sands Holiday camp, with the possible intention of self-harming. The police helicopter was also tasked. The ILB had been on scene for about 10 minutes, and the AWB for 5 minutes, searching between Rhyl and Talacre when Holyhead Coastguard called the search off, saying the woman had been found. All units were back on station by 1950. Details of the casualty and what the final outcome was are very sketchy.