Porthmadog rowers turned into rescuers on Saturday, 15 June when they spotted a stranded couple.

It had been a normal Saturday morning for the MYC Rowing crew when they launched their Celtic Longboat Fleetwing for a social row in the Glaslyn Estuary.

The weather was unpredictable with sunshine and showers but the water was calm when the rowers set off at 11am to catch the incoming tide.

In the crew was Dave Thurlow (cox), Sarah Thomas (MYC Commodore), Ash Wiseman, Ian Williamson and Kevin Sheen.

After an enjoyable row, they turned back and headed towards Porthmadog. Fleetwing was the only boat on the water when the crew noticed two figures walking on Harlech Point at waters edge opposite Garreg-goch, near to Borth-y- Gest.

They commented that the couple were a long way from the safety of the shoreline and kept an eye on them. As Fleetwing headed towards Borth-y-Gest one of the walkers started running towards them and the other waved frantically at the crew.

Dave immediately turned the boat around and carried out a beach landing on the sandbank. As the boat slid on to the sand the female climbed into the boat, sitting alongside Ian, and the male sat in the bow.

The crew rowed the middle aged couple back to the sanctuary of Porthmadog Harbour. They explained how they had walked from Harlech beach, paddled across Afon Dwyryd, walked across the sandbank trying to get to Borth-y-Gest but had been thwarted by the deep channel of Afon Glaslyn.

The couple found themselves stranded on the sandbank unable to reach dry land with the rising tide.

They did not give their names but were extremely grateful and before they left handed a sum of money to Sarah, which will be donated to a local charity, to be decided by the rescue crew.

Ian said afterwards: “Although sea conditions were calm at the time, in hindsight, if the couple had not been rescued then the situation could have rapidly deteriorated. It clearly demonstrates the need to be safety conscious and aware of sea and weather conditions, thankfully on this occasion, all was well.”