A mother has warned of the dangers of riptides after nearly drowning along with her partner during a terrifying incident at Tyninghame Beach.
Kerry O’Hara and Lewis Patchatt were swept out to sea by powerful currents and left fighting for their lives.
Kerry, 38, said they were convinced they were going to die before being saved by a hero surfer who spotted the pair.
Lewis, 36, had to be airlifted to hospital following the traumatic experience which took place during a family day-out on Saturday, 24 May.
Kerry O'Hara and Lewis Patchatt
Now Kerry has urged anyone visiting a beach in East Lothian to be aware of water safety.
She said: “It was a beautiful day on this stunning beach, and myself, Lewis and the three kids were all having fun. The waves were a bit high, and it was a quite windy, but we were only in the sea up to our knees.
“In the afternoon we were getting ready to leave when my 12-year-old daughter went back into the water. The next minute we heard her screaming and saying she was stuck. Her feet couldn’t touch the ground.
Dragged out
“I ran in with Lewis and managed to reach her. I passed her to a man who was on the beach, but then a very strong wave came up. I didn’t see it until it was too late and a current took me away. When I calmed down and caught my breath, I found I’d been carried out a fair distance and I felt tired.
“Lewis came and got me, but the tide was going out and the waves were getting bigger. We fought to swim towards the beach, but we weren’t getting anywhere. We were being dragged out.
“I was holding onto Lewis who was panicking. We were just trying to keep our heads above water and it felt like an eternity passed. Lewis was telling me he couldn’t hold on any longer and he was going to die. He kept going under and I had to pull him back up. He was telling me he loved me and I should save myself. I was getting frantic because I couldn’t leave him and there wasn’t a way out.
Stay vigilant
“That’s when I saw the man with the surfboard coming and I told Lewis to hang on. The surfer had to struggle to against the tide, but he reached us and got Lewis onto the board.”
Tyninghame Beach on the day of the incident.
The rescuer helped the couple, who are from Athelstaneford, back to the sand. Minutes later the RNLI lifeboat from Dunbar Harbour arrived and its volunteers administered medical aid to Lewis.
Lewis was airlifted by Coastguard helicopter to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and treated for water in his lungs before being released.
Kerry said: “If the surfer wasn’t there, I think we would’ve drowned.
“I hadn’t seen any danger in the water. I only realised how much trouble I was in when I felt the strength of the current pulling at my legs. I would encourage everyone going to the beach to be aware of riptides and stay vigilant.”
For advice on staying safe, please visit Water Safety Scotland at https://watersafetyscotland.org.uk/