A FATHER and daughter who were rescued by St Davids lifeboat after getting into trouble on a kayaking trip returned to the lifeboat station in St Justinian's on Monday, September 30, to thank their rescuers.

Chris Coley and his 18 year-old-daughter Molly Basson were rescued by St Davids volunteer crew on September 14.

The pair, who have been kayaking for two years and who are also keen scuba divers, set off from Porthclais before crossing to Ramsey Island.

The trip was an eighteenth birthday treat for Molly; the pair have been regularly exploring the Welsh coastline since their love of kayaking began during a trip to Newquay two years ago.

As they were heading back from Ramsey to the mainland the pair found themselves in difficulty, battling a strong current and trying to find an entrance between rocks and closer to the coast.

"At this point I had no power left in my arms," said Molly. We got into calmer water right by the rocks and were holding onto each other's kayaks trying to get our energy back.

"Dad told me to let go as he could feel that he was going to flip over. His kayak flipped and then I flipped.

"I went under the kayak and was under the water for quite a long time. I managed to pull myself up but was getting dragged back in again. A little voice in my head told me to lie on my back and kick my legs."

Molly managed to get back over to her dad and onto the rocks, however the sea was getting rougher.

"The tide was on the turn," explained Molly. "The water was getting higher and the swell was picking up. It was like being in a washing machine. I said to dad 'we're going to have to call for help'."

The pair had their phones in waterproof pouches and dialled the coastguard. Unsure of their location they were able to pull up maps on their phones and give their coordinates.

Within minutes Saint Davids All Weather Lifeboat had been launched. The crew then used the small Y boat to get to Molly and Chris. They evacuated the pair of them off the rocks and managed to retrieve their kayaks.

"I'm amazed by the crew and that they are all volunteers," said Chris. "One of them had become a grandad just two hours before but still answered the shout."

"I didn't think I was going to die but I did think I was going to get hurt. I had nightmares after for quite a long time, thinking about the worse that could have happened," said Molly. "I'm eternally grateful to the crew and can't thank them enough."