Ferryside Lifeboat. St. John Cymru. (Marine Division) Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim Swimmers Information Pack

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1 Ferryside Lifeboat St. John Cymru (Marine Division) Charity No Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim 2013 Swimmers Information Pack

2 Ferryside Lifeboat Ferryside Inshore Rescue is one of more than fifty lifeboats stationed around the British Isles that operate independently of the RNLI. They provide the same role as the RNLI and are declared facilities within HM Coastguard s search and rescue organisation. As a declared facility Ferryside Lifeboat is launched by HM Coastguard in response to 999 calls and distress calls on VHF CH16. At Ferryside, like most lifeboats operating in the Bristol Channel, we have to cope with a large tidal range, one of the largest tidal rise and falls in the world. Coupled with the Carmarthen sand bar makes our waters some of the most hostile in the world. Ferryside lifeboat is available 24 hours a day throughout the year and is staffed entirely by local volunteers. A smaller second lifeboat is also available at any state of the tide for mud and sandbank rescues. Our future goal is operate and maintain a rescue hovercraft on the mud flats and for flood rescues. Inshore lifeboats often work with RAF Sea King helicopters, and statistically carry out more than 90% of sea rescues. Indeed the boat and crew were featured in the BBC s 999 series after the lives of a father and son were saved in the Gwendraith estuary. As with all lifeboat crews a large element of our work is aimed at preventing accidents by giving advice about safety equipment, local sea conditions, tides etc. and that work is of course ongoing. As an inshore lifeboat crew we are mindful not only of the responsibility we have for those needing our help at sea but that we also represent a custom that stretches back more than one hundred and seventy years to 1835 when the first lifeboat was stationed in the village, just 11 years after Sir William Henry founded the RNLI in Currently we operate from our newly constructed lifeboat station on the foreshore of Ferryside. This was opened by HRH The Duchess of Gloucester on the 30th March Our present lifeboat is a 6.4 meter Ribcraft semi-rigid inflatable craft with twin 90hp Suzuki four stroke engines, giving us a top speed of approximately 38 knots, and the ability to float in approximately 12 inches of water. Each year we receive on average around 28 call outs. We are expecting this number to rise due to the increase in pleasure craft use recently and in coming years.

3 Statement Of Understanding Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim 2013 Thank you for expressing an interest in the Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim 2013, formally know as the Ferryside lifeboat 'Big Swim'. This will be the fourth year that the swim has taken place from Ferryside to Llansteffan and back. The 2km swim commences at 3pm Saturday 31 st August 2013, final safety brief will be at 1.30pm (compulsory to all swimmers and support crews), and all swimmers will be sent a copy of the safety brief before the swim. The swim will begin at Ferryside and end when you arrive back onshore at Ferryside, you will have to swim via Llansteffan across the estuary first though! The Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim is a sponsored swim where all funds raised go towards Ferryside lifeboat. We therefore ask that each swimmer is to pay a non refundable security deposit of 25 with this application to secure your place on the swim. Any other monies you are able to raise will be greatly received; these monies can be made through personal sponsorship. You will be sent confirmation of your place along with the course details, official sponsorship forms, dates of open water swimming practice sessions and further safety information by post or . We suggest that in preparation and training for the swim you are able to swim at least 3km in distance regularly. Nearing the date of the swim there will be estuary training, you will be notified by when these trainings are set, these are not compulsory. Your training schedule is your own and it is your responsibility to ensure your own fitness to complete the swim. However, Ferryside lifeboat takes your safety very seriously and you will have the full support of our professional lifeboat crew, safety boats, safety kayaks and divers also there for you. The Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim 2013 is not a timed event however, there will be a steward ashore making basic timings for the event. It will be split into two stages, firstly for the club swimmers (usually very fast swimmers) and secondly the leisure swimmers (just happy to complete the course in their own good time!), you have the choice to enter which ever you category you prefer in the personal information section.

4 After completion of the swim there will be an awarding ceremony for all participants. There will also be food and entertainment for you after the swim (swimmers eat for free!) at the Towy Boat Club (Ferryside). Please feel free to bring your family, partners and supporters to join the festivities too!! The next step is for you to fill in, sign and return your swimmers personal information form and 25 security ASAP. We have 100 spaces. Therefore, the 'first come, first served' principle will be undertaken. If however a swimmer needs to cancel early, we ask that you contact us immediately and the next in line will be contacted straight away. If you require a late cancellation your 25 deposit is non refundable. If on the day of the swim there are adverse weather conditions the swim will be postponed until 14 th September If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Many thanks James Littlejohns Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim 2013 Organiser Coxswain Ferryside lifeboat Head of Fundraising Mobile (+44) ferrysidelifeboat@gmail.co.uk Ferryside Lifeboat is proud to serve the people of Carmarthenshire since 1835.

5 Swimmer ID F01 Ferryside Lifeboat (Charity No ) Personal Information Name Sex Age Address Post code Home Tel Mobile

6 Next of kin Name Tel Average 2km swim time speed minutes I would like to be placed in the; Club Swimmer category / leisure swimmer category (Delete as appropriate) I have read and understood the statement of understanding and I wish to participate in the Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim Signed Date Please return this completed form and 25 swimmers deposit to: Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim, Ferryside Lifeboat, The Foreshore, Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, SA17 5SF All Cheques made payable to Ferryside Lifeboat. Alternatively you can pay the deposit by PayPal on the Ferryside lifeboat web site, please make sure you label the payment as swim and your name and post the personal information sheet to the above address.