Erin's dogged determination! Whitstable's Atlantic had been involved in a very different service a few months earlier. Erin, a two-andhalf- year old Labrador-Doberman cross had grown bored of watching his dog-walkers Nick Warne and Jo Brand enjoying their windsurfing and decided to swim out to join in. Although a powerful swimmer he was no match for the sailboards and soon grew so tired he had no option but to climb aboard Jo's board.

Sailboard'sare not the easiest of things to control in the first place, and the presence of a large black dog doesn't help! Jo soon found herself having trouble keeping control, and with wind and tide taking them further from the shore it was fortunate that Whitstable lifeboat was out on exercise and was able to lend a hand..