COASTGUARDS were called yesterday after an intoxicated man said he was planning to swim from Weymouth’s Stone Pier to the Isle of Wight.

Coastguard rescue officers from Wyke attended the incident just after 3pm when the man repeatedly ignored RNLI lifeguards’ appeals to him to come ashore.

The man eventually returned to the beach unaided and ‘disappeared into the crowds on the beach’.

On the same day Portland Coastguard coordinated a rescue by Exmouth Coastguard, who assisted South West Ambulance crews with a 68 year old male who had fallen on rocks at Sandy Bay, Devon. 

The man was carried to the ambulance using a spinal board as a precaution. Exmouth RNLI lifeguards were also present.

At lunchtime yesterday a 999 call was received reporting a small Laser dinghy drifting through Poole Harbour Entrance with no-one on board. 

Poole Lifeguard Control was contacted and they sent their Lifeguard jetksi which located the dinghy and waited for Poole Harbour control Rib, which towed the dinghy back to its owners at Brownsea Island.

Yesterday morning the yacht White Whisper, with two persons on board, reported they had suffered engine failure off Portland Bill and were returning to Weymouth under sail.

Portland Coastguard kept radio communications with the yacht, which made the harbour entrance unaided and was assisted to a berth by Weymouth Harbourmaster.

Later that day Portland Coastguard received a 999 call expressing concern for windsurfer off Budleigh Salterton.

Sidmouth inshore rescue boat and Exmouth coastguard rescue officers were called to attend but the Windsurfer made shore unaided.

Portland coastguard also helped Poole RNLI Lifeguards investigate a 999 call yesterday, which reported a male possibly in trouble swimming through Poole Harbour Entrance.

The lifeguards investigated along with Swanage coastguard, who found a man who confirmed he entered the water in the same location and was happily enjoying the sea.

Also on Tuesday, Portland Coastguard coordinated assistance for a yacht which had lost engine power close to the lifting bridge and lifeboat station.

Poole RNLI Inshore Lifeboat self-launched and helped the boat to a mooring.

The coastguard then helped Poole RNLI lifeboat assist the Cornish Shrimper Black Swan, which ran aground in Poole Harbour. 

The lifeboat supervised the refloating and escorted the vessel back to its mooring at Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole Harbour.