Monday notes

Not a bad day, the odd shower and the odd ray of sunshine. It has been bad weather - for the culicoides impunctatus or Highland midge. This is not the same as a mosquito. A mosquito is about 8 mm / 1/3 inch in length; a midge is barely 2 mm or 1/10 inch. I recently published a scale of midge misery, but it has not nudged much above 1. Apparently, the heavy rain in certain parts of Scotland has made it difficult for the blighters to get a blood meal within 7 days, without which they perish. My heart bleeds.

Last night, a 6 metre speedboat with 6 crew aboard was being escorted into Donaghadee in Northern Ireland, after calling 999 and confessing they were lost and were without any navigational aids aboard.

Belfast Coastguard took the call, which was diverted from Liverpool Coastguard and requested the launch of the Donaghadee RNLI lifeboat to search for the boat and its crew.

Judith McNeice, Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Watch Officer, says:

The vessel was making its way from Portpatrick to Donaghadee, when the crew realised they were lost, fortunately their mobile telephone had reception and we were able to request them to fire 1 of the 3 white flares they did have aboard. A member of the public reported the flare and the lifeboat was then able to locate the speedboat 5 miles off Copeland Islands.

The boat is now being escorted back to harbour where the Bangor Coastguard Rescue team will meet them.

Whatever type of journey you are planning on water it is essential to be prepared and have the correct navigational and safety equipment aboard, if ever in doubt contact your local Coastguard station for advice.