A KAYAKER has told of how grateful he is to have been rescued by the RNLI after getting into difficulty in the sea off Cornwall.

Cold and weakening, Dr Philip Coates was stuck in the sea in deteriorating conditions, his abandoned kayak semi-submerged, but he remembered the float to live campaign advice by the RNLI and minimised his activity.

Early the 52-year-old had set out with his wife and a friend to go kayaking in St Austell Bay.

He said: “My wife and I went sea kayaking with a friend of mine who has many years of experience in sea kayaking.

“Having set off in good weather, after rounding Gribbin Head, I was finding my kayak increasingly unstable and difficult to control in choppy waters and capsized.

“I could not remove my spray deck and was trapped under the kayak for approximately one minute with the rest of the team around 100m from me. My friend conducted a successful rescue and I was able to extract myself, although I was cold.

“On the return leg, having arrived at Gribbin Head, the seas were choppier and there was a strong tide. I had problems staying in line with the other two kayaks and then realised that my rudder was no longer functional.

“The tide had strengthened and the conditions were deteriorating. I capsized the kayak three further times and became increasingly cold. My friend rescued me each time, but I realised my core temperature was dropping and I could not successfully regain access to the kayak.

“My hands and arms were increasingly weak and the buoyancy of the vessel was severely compromised as it was flooded and we could not pump it out.

“We fairly quickly came to the conclusion that a rescue was required and a 999 call was placed, and RNLI attendance was requested.

“I think I was in the water for half-an-hour to 40 minutes before the boat attended, with worsening shivering. I used the inverted boat for buoyancy and remembered the float to live campaign by the RNLI and minimised my activity.

“The RNLI team arrived at the same time as a small fishing vessel. I was recovered by the RNLI into their lifeboat. They immediately undertook active warming and provided supplementary oxygen. I was met by an ambulance crew on return, and immediately placed in a shower and given warm fluids. Hospital admission was not required and I was able to leave after an hour or so – and was extremely grateful.”

Dr Coates was rescued by Fowey’s D-class lifeboat in the early evening of Thursday, May 28.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “If you find yourself in the water, do as Philip did and remember the guidance from the float to live campaign. Tilt your head back, submerging your ears; relax and control your breathing; gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat – your legs may sink, that’s okay, everyone floats differently; and spread your arms and legs out to improve stability. Floating gives you the chance to rest and recover your breathing.”