A North Shields birdwatcher has warned the public to beware of the tide after he and a friend became stranded and had to rescued by being lifted nearly 100ft up sheer cliffs.
Dave Brown, 65, and Gordon Dougal, 66, became stuck in a small cove near Marsden Grotto on April 19, even after having checking tide times and giving themselves a couple of hours to get back before high tide. However, the pair walked a little further than normal and with the return taking longer than expected, they found themselves trapped.
Facing choppy water, their attempt to get round the cliffs to Marsden Beach, around 100 yards away, was unsuccessful so they prepared to hunker down above the tide line and make their way home when the sea receded. But as the sun dropped behind the cliff, wet from his efforts to get out of the cove, started to feel the effects of the cold and the pair decided to get in touch with family.
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Dave said: "We were not panicking, because the tide does not come up to the base of the cliffs, but it was just the cold and getting hypothermia, plus getting round the cove later in the dark. So we thought better safe than sorry."
However, when they attempted to call for help it appeared that the cliffs had blocked mobile reception and when a text eventually got through to Dave's family, the alarm was raised with HM Coastguard. Locating the pair proved difficult, so the RNLI inshore lifeboat was dispatched from its Tynemouth station.
The crew eventually spotted the men, but choppy conditions meant it was too dangerous to pick them up off the beach. With Dave at risk of hypothermia, HM Coastguard sent a 12-strong rope rescue team, comprising Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Voluntary Life Brigade, to bring him and Gordon to safety by lifting them up the 100 foot cliff.
Dave said: "They were pretty high cliffs but the lads were brilliant, and took us through it first. It was either that or call a helicopter out.
“My friend’s not very good with heights but he was fine with the blokes with him.”
Dave and Gordon were recovered one by one by around 5.15pm, roughly two-and-a-half hours after the first call was made. Dave said: "I felt a bit better at the top where it was a bit warmer in the sun.
"I have never been so happy to get home and see the wife. She said, ‘You’re grounded!’"
He finished with a word of advice for other visitors: "Marsden cliffs have several curved bays and if you’re in one, you can’t see properly where you are.
"I would just say to people not to wander too far from the main beach as there aren’t escape routes and the coves make it hard to see round to the main beach. And if you get stuck, call 999."
Martin Lowe, coastal operations area commander from HM Coastguard, said: "It’s surprisingly easy to be caught out by the tides, even if you know an area well – it happens so often, and Marsden is a real hotspot for getting stranded. In this case there was a safe ending and no one was hurt, but there are a few simple things we can all remember to avoid getting into danger and the risk of a tragic outcome.
"We always advise people going down to the coast just to check whether the tide is going in or out, and to stay aware of the state of the sea if you’re walking along the shore without a quick escape route. But if you do get into trouble, dial 999 straightaway and ask for the coastguard – we’ll know what to do."
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