Oops!

Axmouth Harbour has one of the most difficult entrances to negotiate anywhere on the south coast, perhaps even the whole country and this was made embarrassingly evident this afternoon when the Sidmouth inshore lifeboat became grounded on the bar! What a day to pick too, with the Easter Sunday crowds looking on. The crew proved to be very resourceful and in no time at all (with the help of a Beer fishing boat) were back afloat with no harm done to anything, well, except perhaps a few egos.

High and Dry

Lines from each boat are attached by a man in the water.

E515 to the rescue.

Once the lines were attached the man swam a safe distance from the boats before the tow could commence.

All (!!) of the remaining crew of three got out to push...

One jumped back in, in time....

...Two didn't.

The guy who swam out with the line is picked up. 

Because it was too risky to get very close to the shore again the two stranded guys ....

.....had to swim back. 

I've been out and about on patch most of today and have very little to show for it really. The best bird being the long staying Whooper Swan and the only migrants a few singing Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a single Swallow and a single Wheatear. Traditionally one should always 'leave the best 'til last' so here's today's moths, only two caught last night but they were both new ones for the garden.

Early Grey

Twin-spotted Quaker