It was approaching the last hour of duty for lifeguards at Pendine, Carmarthenshire, but they wouldn't be hanging up their wetsuits for the year just yet.

On 5 September 2010 John O’Boyle, James Shuttleworth and Matt Davie (pictured L–R) were patrolling at the Morfa Bychan end of the famously flat beach, the scene of many a record-breaking landspeed attempt. As vigilant as ever, they were looking out over the beach and sea with their binoculars, scanning for trouble. It wasn’t to be a quiet end to the day or season as conditions were rough, with near gale force winds, and someone out there was unprepared.

The lifeguards had spotted a lone kayaker some minutes earlier and now he was struggling. It was 4.45pm and, as the trio monitored his progress, the kayak suddenly capsized and he looked to be in serious difficulty.

Grabbing their rescue boards and tubes, James and John plunged in and paddled as fast as they could against the waves, a cross offshore wind of force 5–7 and a 1–1.5m swell. Such conditions would certainly be enough to deter most kayakers and swimmers. Matt stayed on the beach to assist from there, while keeping watch.

After hundreds of metres of paddling on their stomachs, James and John found the kayaker stuck at the bottom of cliffs, trying unsuccessfully to get out of the water and onto a rock. Waves were crashing all around him. So, fearing that the man was going to suffer serious injuries, John bravely got off his board and swam into the rocky area himself.

‘At first he was reluctant to accept help,' remembers John, 'but after further washings over the rock he took my assistance – on condition we also saved his kayak! I managed to secure him in the rescue tube and move both him and his kayak out past the rock to where James was waiting and I collected my board.'

But the casualty proved difficult to handle, preferring to reboard his kayak than be carried on a rescue board. John continues: ‘Because of his tiredness, the worsening conditions and paddling against wind, tide and rip current, he kept falling out. He reluctantly accepted assistance with a board after making attempts to swim – which were not advised!’

It was now that the lifeguards realised the currents and tide had carried them all the way past the point at Pendine. Thinking they would be unable to get the kayaker back to the beach, they called on Tenby's all-weather lifeboat for back-up.

Team effort

After some minutes in the waves, John and James saw an opportunity and grabbed it. Despite having to paddle with the extra weight of the casualty, they at last reached Morfa Bychan Bay and landed.

Although exhausted themselves, the lifeguards' thoughts were first for their casualty. They conducted a first-aid check but found only numerous scrapes and bruises. John had suffered the same but neither needed hospital treatment.

The Haydn Miller arrived on scene just as the lifeguards reached the shore with their casualty, and kept watch until local coastguards arrived.

On their return passage, Coxswain Graham Waring and crew diverted to Caldey Island to a yacht taking shelter in the near gale. They made sure the boat was secure and the crew happy to remain onboard for the night.

Home in Tenby, because of the conditions, no attempt was made to recover the lifeboat up the slipway. Instead she was moored afloat and the volunteers brought ashore by the inshore lifeboat.

Area Lifeguard Supervisor Adam Pitman comments on the incident: ‘It seems that the kayaker was unaware he was in any danger, despite the signs at Pendine warning of strong currents. By the time the lifeguards reached him, they were all almost 600m from shore. That is a long way to be out on such a day.'

Adam concludes: ‘James, John and Matt are a credit to the service. They maintained their professionalism to the very last moments of the season, carrying out a courageous rescue in difficult conditions.’