This afternoon, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to assist with the removal of a time expired distress flare at North Beach, Skerries. A Member of the public contacted the Coast Guard having found the flare washed in by the tide. The marine flare was in poor condition and Gardai at Balbriggan removed it for later disposal by the Army’s EOD team.
Skerries Coast Guard – a voluntary search and rescue unit of the Irish Coast Guard.
This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team conducted a large scale, multi Coast Guard Unit search exercise in the area of Rush. This scenario based exercise began shortly after 9am at the South beach, and after an initial briefing all search teams departed to their allocated search areas. Weather conditions in the area were excellent with good visibility reported.
This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team assembled at the Hills Cricket Club, Skerries to prepare the landing site for a visit from the Coast Guard’s Dublin based Sikorsky S92 helicopter. The Skerries team were joined by their fellow Coast Guards from Clogherhead.
Shortly before 09:30, the helicopter made radio contact with the Coast Guard ground team to confirm its imminent arrival. Orange smoke flares were deployed at the site, to assist the helicopter crew with assessing wind speed & direction. The Sikorsky helicopter landed on several moments later, the first time a Coast Guard helicopter had ever landed at the immaculate grasslands of the cricket club site.
The purpose of the visit was to allow the excited pupils of the nearby Scoil Moibhi National School an opportunity to explore the impressive helicopter up close and learn more about the work of the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard extends its sincere thanks to all at the Hills Cricket Club for allowing us the use of their club lands for the visit.
This year, eight members of the Skerries Coast Guard team once again joined thousands of others across the country for the annual Pieta House Darkness into Light 5km on Saturday 9th May.
This year, the town of Skerries hosted its first ever Darkness into Light, with the route starting and finishing at Red Island, beside the Skerries Coast Guard station. Starting just after 4am, the 5km route meandered through the village before arriving back along the South Strand for a memorable sunrise over the Skerries Islands.
For more information on the annual Darkness into Light event visit www.dil.pieta.ie. For information on the work of Pieta House and the vital services they provide please visit their website www.pieta.ie
Skerries Coast Guard – a voluntary rescue unit of the Irish Cost Guard