A Broughty Ferry lifeguard has told of the moment he managed to pull a group of three paddleboarders to safety as they were dragged out to sea in strong currents.
Josh Muir, 20, raised the alarm after seeing the trio huddled together on the same board near Broughty Ferry Castle – with just one paddle and no buoyancy aid.
He and fellow lifeguard Parrish Whitlaw called for a lifeboat before grabbing their rescue boards and jumping into the water.
Due to the spring tides at the time, the currents around the castle were even stronger than usual.
‘It was a pretty close call’
Josh, who studies computer science at St Andrews University, has recalled last August’s incident as the RNLI drives for new recruits ahead of the summer.
He told The Courier: “Broughty Ferry beach – because of the nature of the Tay – has a very strong current.
“The paddleboarders were starting to be pulled towards the middle of the Tay, so myself and another lifeguard went out after them.
“As we started making our way towards them they started to wave.
“They were quite far away from the beach – it was where the currents were getting stronger and stronger – so it was a pretty close call.”
Once the lifeguards reached the group, Josh used a rope to tow two of the casualties back on their paddleboard, while Parrish assisted the third person on his rescue board.
The lifeboat was stood down when they reached the shore.
Josh said: “We took them back into the harbour and onto the beach.
“They were a bit cold and a bit hypothermic but on the whole OK.
“It was their first time out on a paddleboard and not a great result for them.”
Paddleboards ‘biggest threat’ at the beach
It is one of many paddleboarding incidents that Josh has dealt with in his four years as a lifeguard.
He said: “The biggest threat we see is paddleboards and inflatables, it is the thing we deal with the most often.
“Quite often when you sit in one of these inflatables it will just catch the wind and start getting blown away from the beach, and it can be really hard to get back in.
“Often we’ll need to go out just to give them a bit of help and pull them back.”
He says there has been a marked increase in such incidents since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The RNLI has saved the lives of 59 paddleboarders in the last 10 years with 75% (44) of those happening since 2020.
The charity urges anyone paddleboarding to wear a life jacket and carry a means of communication with them, such as a mobile phone in a waterproof case.
They say it is also important to check the local forecast for wind, tide and swell before heading out.
RNLI advice says if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, resist the urge to enter the water to help. Instead, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. On a lifeguard-patrolled beach, alert the lifeguards.
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