RNLI: Number of paddle boarders rescued off Anglesey coast rockets from six to 37 people in a year
Video report by ITV Cymru Wales reporter Ian Lang
A man has recalled the moment he "cried in his kayak" after being hit by a rogue wave which prompted a major rescue operation.
Guy Lowndes from Llandegla was out in his kayak last December with around ten others near Holyhead when he got into trouble.
It comes as new figures show a sharp increase in the number of people taking part in paddle sports needing to be rescued.
The incident resulted in Mr Lowndes' kayak being flipped over and he capsized. He was later rescued by the RNLI.
Guy Lowndes believes his trip could have ended in tragedy if he was not carrying the correct kit
Speaking to ITV News, he said: "I popped myself out of the boat, got the boat turned the right way up, waited and somebody came back to collect me.
"Everybody else was gone then. Within a couple of minutes, I couldn't see anybody or anything, I was just bouncing. The tide pushed me one way and my boat the other, I must have been in the water about 20 minutes.
When his friend arrived to help, Mr Lowndes explained that he "was really struggling" to tell his friend how to get into his phone.
The pair had a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) which his friend used to call for help.
A rescue operation was mounted including a helicopter and RNLI crews from Holyhead and Moelfre.
He added: "You feel a bit of a fraud. When the lifeboat turns up, that's when you realise the adrenaline plummets out of you because they're there.
"That's when the emotions start. I won't lie, I cried in my boat because I realised then that everything was ok."
The RNLI said with a rise in visitors to the coastline expected over the coming weeks, it has teamed up with British Canoeing, to encourage people to make safety a priority before taking to the water.
It is in response to figures showing the number of lives saved while kayaking or canoeing by RNLI crews more than doubled last year in comparison to 2021.
What do the figures show?
In 2021, volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews saved 11 lives responding to callouts to kayakers and canoers, compared to 24 lives in 2022
There were 144 callouts to paddleboarders in 2021, compared to 175 in 2022
The RNLI said it is a particular issue on Anglesey.
Lifeboat crews at Trearddur Bay, Moelfre, Holyhead and Beaumaris have seen the number of people rescued whilst taking part in these activities rocket from six in 2021 to 37 people in 2022.
It is now urging coastal visitors to stay safe this summer.
Mr Lowndes said he is "so grateful we had a means of calling for help, so we could alert the RNLI to exactly where we were located.
"I was starting to feel incredibly cold and poorly despite wearing a dry suit. I’m convinced if I’d have been there any longer with the failing light, we may never have been found.
"My story just goes to show how dangerously unpredictable the sea can be."
What is the safety advice?
Wear a buoyancy aid or personal flotation device
Carry a means of communication to call for help in an emergency
Check the weather before heading out
Tell others of your plans so they know when you will be returning
Paddle within your ability
Volunteer RNLI lifeboat launched 18 times last year to people partaking in paddle sport activities compared with eight incidents in 2021.
RNLI lifeboat crews spent over 108 hours at sea in 2022 helping people who got into trouble whilst enjoying a trip out on the coast.
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