Tom Thorburn and a friend had planned an overnight fishing trip to the west of Scotland, camping on a wide sward of grass halfway down cliffs near Ellenabeich, south-west of Oban.
But it turned into a nightmare in the morning when wet weather made the way back up impossibly slippery – with the very real danger of skidding off the rocks and plunging into the sea.
The pair had initially parked nearby on the afternoon of 19 July in calm conditions and carried their gear down a dry route to a broad flat area, within easy reach of the water.
Tom (24), from Dumfries and Galloway, said: “The plan was to go skate fishing and fish through the night, when they are best to catch. We set up camp and started fishing.
“At about 8pm it started raining. We’re more used to sandstone where we’re from; even in the rain there’s always some grip. But here it was like walking on ice. We were trying to stand up on the rocks and it was just like ice.
“We decided not to risk it but to go back to the tent. The next morning everything was still so wet and slippery.”
With their one way out also covered in rainwater, they were trapped.
Tom continued: “We had a lot of stuff. I think we maybe could have done it with nothing to carry, but we had a good 200kg of gear with us and it would have been several trips. There was the risk of falling or slipping and hitting your head.”
Realising that attempting to climb back up would be foolhardy, the pair called 999 and asked for the Coastguard.
Support was soon on hand with Coastguard Rescue Teams (CRTs) sent from Oban and Crinan, as well as the RNLI all-weather lifeboat from Oban, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
With exit by air and sea unavailable, the CRTs used their technical rescue skills to fix a secure ropeway across the rocks.
With the lifeline in place, one by one Tom and his friend were fitted into a lifejacket and harness, clicked onto the rope, and assisted back up to safety.
For others planning a similar trip, Tom advised: “I didn’t think to consider the type of rocks we would be fishing from. We knew that rain was coming but where we usually fish it’s safe to keep going.
“The big thing is not to be afraid of asking for help. I have never been afraid to do that and I’m very glad.”
Alec Wallace, Senior Coastal Operations Officer with HM Coastguard, said: “This incident shows the speed and severity of how conditions by the coast can suddenly change: from safe and dry to wet and treacherous.
“They did exactly the right thing: they stepped away from the danger, stayed put and called for help. Their decisions that day might well have saved their lives.
“Our advice for visiting coastal areas is to check the weather and tides, watch out for changing conditions, and avoid cliff edges. Keep your exit routes in mind too. If you do get into difficulty by the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
For safety tips when visiting the coast, visit hmcoastguard.uk/safety-advice.
