Three Rescued from Island Nature Reserve After Being Stranded by High Tide

A man and two women were saved from an island nature reserve after becoming isolated by a rapidly advancing tide. On Saturday, volunteers from the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Brancaster in Norfolk observed the stranding at Scolt Head Island. A hovercraft from RNLI Hunstanton was dispatched around 11:30 BST and successfully retrieved the three individuals, who were described as “cold and wet but otherwise uninjured.” NCI Brancaster communicated via Facebook that this incident highlighted “the dangers of not understanding the tides and how easy it is to be stranded on Scolt Head Island”. An RNLI spokesperson commented, stating: “We took about 15 minutes to reach the scene.” The spokesperson added: “We found all three uninjured, although one of the women had lost her shoes.” The three rescued individuals belonged to a larger party of five people, initially observed by NCI volunteers or watchkeepers, who then notified HM Coastguard. This information was first reported by the Eastern Daily Press. The remaining two members of the group successfully waded across to the mainland. The RNLI spokesperson issued a caution, stating: “We urge anyone visiting the coast to check the tide time and beware of the risks.” Scolt Head Island, situated between Brancaster and Wells-next-the-Sea, is designated as a national nature reserve. Its ownership is shared by the National Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and it is managed under a lease by Natural England. Access to the island is advised via a ferry service operating from Burnham Overy Staithe, which runs annually from April through September.