Skerries RNLI assists three stranded people

SKERRIES RNLI assisted one woman and two children after they were stranded on an island having been cut off by the rising tide.

Shortly after 3pm last Wednesday (July 10), Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI to investigate reports of a person waving for help on Shenick Island in Skerries.

The volunteer crew launched their Atlantic 85 Inshore Lifeboat ‘Louis Simson’ and rounded the headland at Red Island before proceeding to Shenick Island. 

When the lifeboat arrived on scene they discovered that the lifeguards from the south beach had reached the island in their dinghy and were checking on the wellbeing of the stranded persons. 

A woman and two children had walked to the island and had been cut off by the rising tide. They mentioned that they were beginning to feel cold so the crew transferred them to the lifeboat and returned to the station. They were brought into the station house to warm up before a volunteer crewmember drove them home.

Conditions at the time were calm with a force 1 to 2 northerly wind.

Speaking about the call out, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning, said: “It can be tempting to walk out to Shenick Island when the tide is low enough. 

“However, the window for the tide is quite short and the island is bigger than it looks. We’d remind anyone walking along the coast to check the tide times and be aware of the risk of getting cut off. Always tell someone where you are going and ensure you have a means of contacting the shore.”