Offshore wind keeps inflatable busy Southend-on-Sea South East Division Strong offshore winds kept Southend-on- Sea's D class inflatable busy on 4 April 1988 when it was called out twice in the late afternoon for windsurfers and a stranded speedboat with five people aboard - which had requested help on a portable cellular telephone! The first call came from the coastguard at 1540. Their mobile unit had been called to a previous incident involving a windsurfer, who had eventually made his own way ashore at Chalkwell. But the mobile unit stayed to observe, and some minutes later saw another windsurfer trying to paddle ashore and unable to make ground against the Force 6 wind from the NE.

The D class was called from her station at the pierhead, located the casualty within five minutes of the alert and delivered him safely to the coastguard mobile unit on the beach.

Hazards The coastguard discovered that the first windsurfer had already been rescued once before that day, by Southend council's launch, and so the Sector Officer 'explained the hazards of strong offshore winds' to both men.

The D class was back on station by 1730, and did not have to wait long for the next call. At 1845 the coastguard reported they had received a telephone call from a 17ft speedboat. The boat was aground 'on the Ray Sand' about 40ft from the channel, but the five people aboard did not know their exact position.

In view of the long wait before the boat would refloat and the deteriorating weather conditions it was decided to launch the D class again, and at 1904 she set out to search for the casualty.

Just under 10 minutes later the speedboat was discovered - hard aground near Bernbridge, which is some distance from the Ray Sand.

The five occupants had lifejackets and warm clothing, but no flares, and the NE wind had freshened to Force 7.

The lifeboat was with the casualty for nearly an hour before the speedboat was safely anchored, and all of the crew taken off. They were landed at the Coastguard's mobile unit at nearby Two Tree Island and the inflatable returned to her station at Southend pierhead at 2020..