Both lifeboats launched at 6.15pm (Saturday January 19) the crews made their way to the Wareham end of the harbour, information came through that there were two casualties and dog in a swamped wildfowlers boat.
Conditions were calm with a biting north easterly breeze and it was a very dark, thick clouds keeping the moon under wraps.
The Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat Sgt Bob Martin was first on scene and began to search in the darkness , they carried on up towards the Wareham Channel, scouring the area, senses heightened and then suddenly, they saw a minute speck of light from the head torch that one of the casualties was wearing.
The lifeboat headed across the shallow ground and found a camouflaged vessel, semi-submerged with two people lying in water on top of the vessel, their dog was safe up in the bow.
The lifeboat crew immediately got the casualties off and out of the water, they were assessed and monitored, they needed to warm them up, they were extremely cold and had been in the water for some time.
The lifeboat took the casualties to Rockley Park, where Poole Coastguard rescue team were standing by, an ambulance had also been requested. The lifeboat volunteers transferred the casualties and their dog across to the care of the coastguards.
Meanwhile the D Class had come alongside and took the wildfowlers boat under tow and brought it ashore at Rockley.
Both lifeboats returned back to station, refuelled and were ready for service by 8.30pm.
‘They were lucky that they had a dry phone to call for help, it was pitch black and they were extremely cold by the time we got to them. It was good to get them both and their dog safely ashore’.