Hanging around and wasting time

The Easter break was rounded off for me yesterday with a final tea-time shout. At 5.25 my pager went off requesting the launch of both boats. I just had time before we slipped to call Liz and give her final instructions for cooking our Sunday roast!

As we hit the water we got through to Portland and discovered our task. A selection of climbing kit, rucksacks and ropes had been found at the top of Marmalata Buttress (1/2 a mile west of Anvil Point lighthouse) with no owners nearby. Naturally the Coastguard treated this seriously and asked for us to investigate from sea level. After a good search close inshore nothing was found but with a strong tide running we were concerned that had anyone fallen they would be far away by now. Just as we were about to move further out to sea to search further afield Whiskey Bravo spotted a group of 3 climbers adjacent to Blackers Hole (1/2 a mile further west). The ILB investigated and confirmed that these were indeed the climbers who had left gear at Marmalata.

We returned to station and ourselves, whiskey bravo and the police were stood down. The Coastguard team proceeded to meet the climbers and explain politely but firmly how they could have avoided the drama by simply leaving a note or informing others of their actions.

I arrived home as Liz was carving the Chicken, very god it was too......washed down with a fine glass of Hungarian Chardonnay.

And this life's just a waste of our time
So why don't we get together
We could waste everything tonight
And we could waste and we could waste it all yea
But everybody thinks
That everybody knows
About everybody else
Now now now nobody knows
(Jack Johnson)