Saving Lives At Sea

[toohotforthistwinmummy]

Honestly this programme terrifies me. AIBU to never ever do anything but paddle in the sea?? Anyone had a awful experience which out them off going into water ever again?

I live by the sea and every year tourists drown in our sea because they see it as a big fun thing without realising the dangers. I am used to the sea but I’ve even been caught out before by a strong rip tide that came out of nowhere - I literally had to go under water and dig my nails into the floor to crawl back. The sea is dangerous and it drives me mad seeing young kids in the sea unsupervised whilst their parents are miles away on the sand!

Yes, I think far too many grossly underestimate how dangerous the sea can be. We live on the Jurassic Coast and sea safety is drilled in to mine but its still terrifying

The one I’ve just watched was 2 kids in St Agnes cliff diving into the sea 😳😳 WTF!! One of them banged his head on the way down and nearly drowned.

it’s so so dangerous, I just don’t get it

I live near the sea, about three years ago a young teenage girl had gone to the beach with her mates, and was swept off the pier by a wave.
It was in the winter so obviously freezing, dark and very rough. Poor girl drowned.
I've struggled in water once, and the panic is horrific.

@toohotforthistwinmummy where I live there is a certain rock people like to jump off… air ambulances are guaranteed to be called out every year to them because they’ve either injured themselves or can’t get back to shore - such selfish bastards - like our most important resources don’t have better things to go to!

I find saving lives at sea super interesting but it definitely doesn't make me want to take up paddle boarding or sea kayaking.

This clip always makes me cry:

I LOVE Saving Lives at Sea. Such a wonderful programme, and those lifeboat crews are astonishing, so brave and skilled. Most times I watch it, I marvel at how stupid some people are for being so cavalier about the sea.
OP, don't be scared of the sea! Just be sensible about it and don't do stupid things. The RNLI have loads of really good advice about how to behave and where to swim etc, and what to do if things go wrong.

A woman near me got into trouble with her two sons on body boards and was saved by local lifeguards.
I also get very worried about the water.
Especially teenagers drinking and going in the sea round here. Its very cold even on a hot day.

Having lived by the sea and participated in water sports from a very young age I have all the safety advice drilled into me. It used to be you couldn't really access watersports without going through an activity centre etc. Now you can buy a paddleboard in Tesco and that is a very frightening thought.

Agreed on all points. The RNLI seems like a fantastic organisation. Not a penny in government subsidy, I believe.

Also love the programme. I'm always amazed and so thankful these people volunteer to do this!

I cry my eyes out watching this programme. The admiration I have for the lifeboat staff has no bounds.

I live by the coast and people get into trouble every year.

Just last week, a family were out on the sands and they didn't realise that the fire came in at a weird angle and they almost got stranded and died.

Awful just awful 😢 so glad they had a happy outcome, I can’t imagine feeling so helpless

yep kayaking is definitely banned in this house 😂

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g I believe that's right, the RNLI is funded entirely by charitable donations and almost all the crew are volunteers. It's absolutely mad, and at the same time inspiring, that an emergency service runs that way. I've been a regular donor for over 20 years.

My husband is lifeboat crew, unfortunately there are no rules about taking a boat to sea. People put themselves in dangerous situations because they do not have enough respect for the sea.

I sometimes wish I lived closer to the sea so I could be brave enough to join the lifeboats. I don't know if I would be.

I definitely admire them so much.

It always seems like there are some basic things we can do to reduce risk: check the tide times and a map, take a phone in a waterproof pouch as the most basic. And never underestimating the power of the sea, because it is always, always, more powerful than you are.

I've had one real real scary experience at sea which resulted from not checking the map, I trusted someone else to instead. I really thought I was going to drown, and it would have been the panicking that would have killed me (I'm a very strong swimmer).

My husband and I record this and watch it most nights when we are eating our tea. It's fascinating and scary too. Some people who have got into difficulties because they are daft make me roll my eyes i.e. inflatable dingy three miles out to sea and the person in the dinghy had to have it explained what the problem was.

Some are only to glad of the help i.e. pleasure craft with a failed engine or broken rudder.

We did the May Mile and raised £300 for the RNLI.

They do fantastic work. Show real courage. I couldn't do it.

It's a brilliant show but I wish they would just show the rescues and stop showing the cheesy interviews with the crews.

Love saving lives at sea, the work they do is incredible.

I’m fairly risk averse and watching programs such as this and the tragedies that have occurred have firmly put me off paddle boarding and kayaking.

I do go in the sea and plan to do it regularly but I don’t like to be out of my depth and I am very cautious with tides and weather conditions.

Not the RNLI but on a similar theme I watch Bondi rescue about the lifeguards there and it's shocking how many people go out to sea that can't actually swim!

I just think, if I couldn't swim and a mate asked me if I wanted to go swimming for a few lengths at the local leisure centre I'd obviously say "no thanks, I can't swim" but someone in these circumstances also thinks they can go a hundred yards out to see where there are large waves and rip tides...!

*sea!!

I don't go in the sea. I'm not a strong enough swimmer and it isn't worth the risk to me.

Good programme. They do great work.

We live by the coast, saving lives at sea is my 3.5 year old's favourite show. Even the really terrifying ones! Luckily it seems to have given him respect for the dangers of the sea and he idolises our local RNLI team. When they had their open day and he got to meet them and go on the boats and watch them demo a rescue in the sea, he was beside himself. It does mean I watch more of it than I would otherwise, but better that than paw patrol!!