Kite Surfer Safely Returned to Inchydoney Beach by Inshore Rescue Boat
- Pat Nolan
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Tuesday 14 July 2026
A coordinated response between Cork County Council Beachguards and the Inchydoney Inshore Lifeboat Association ensured the safe return of a kite surfer to Inchydoney Beach on Sunday evening after he came ashore some distance from his original launch point.
At approximately 5:30 pm, a lifeguard on duty at the Point headland at Inchydoney was approached by children who had become concerned after losing sight of their father while he was kite surfing offshore.
The lifeguard was able to reassure the children that he had been monitoring their father's progress and had seen him safely come ashore beneath Dunmore House Hotel after encountering more challenging conditions.
The lifeguard immediately notified the Inchydoney Lifeboat driver on duty, and shortly afterwards the association's Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) was launched from its standby position on the slipway with one lifeboat driver and one lifeguard on board.
Operating in a moderate easterly wind, a falling tide and a choppy sea state, the IRB was guided to the casualty's location by the lifeguard on the headland using handheld radios. The crew quickly located the kite surfer, who was onshore and preparing to relaunch his equipment in an attempt to return to Inchydoney Beach.
The crew offered to transport him back to the beach by IRB. After learning that his children had been worried after losing sight of him, the kite surfer readily accepted the offer. He was safely brought aboard and landed on the western beach at Inchydoney, where he was reunited with his children. A lifeguard remained with the family throughout the incident, keeping them informed of the rescue plan.
With the situation successfully resolved, the IRB returned to the slipway and remained on standby until being stood down at 7:00 pm.
The Inchydoney Inshore Lifeboat Association said it was pleased to have been able to assist the experienced kite surfer, noting that he had followed good safety practice by heading ashore when conditions became unfavourable.
The association also praised the vigilance, rapid response and decisive actions of the Cork County Council Beachguards, along with the skill of the IRB crew, who successfully launched the rescue boat from the slipway despite the challenging sea conditions.
Established in 1970, the Inchydoney Inshore Lifeboat Association provides assistance to those in difficulty off Inchydoney during the summer months while supporting the beach lifeguard service. The association's Inshore Rescue Boat is on duty seven days a week throughout July and August from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm in support of the lifeguards at Inchydoney Beach.
