East Sutherland Rescue Association

31/05/2026

Our grateful thanks to a lovely lady called Valerie, who came up and donated £10 to us at the callout today. I didn’t hear her surname, but we were delighted to receive this donation. Thanks Valerie!

31/05/2026

***CALLOUT REPORT***

The team was tasked on 31/05/2026 at 1325hrs following reports of a vessel in difficulty off Embo.

The vessel, carrying three adults, was not requesting assistance and was able to make progress towards shore. The lifeboat attended, conducted an assessment and remained available while HM Coastguard confirmed the situation. The vessel was subsequently brought safely ashore by those on board. No casualties or further assistance were required.

Dornoch Lifeboat was stood down by Aberdeen Coastguard, returned to station at 1420hrs and was declared fully operational again at 1436hrs.

https://esra.uk/donate

21/05/2026

** CALLOUT REPORT **

The team were called out yesterday at 1730hrs following reports of a person entering the water near Dornoch Firth Bridge.

The bridge was closed while emergency services responded, with reports that the casualty had been swept around half a mile from the bridge by the receding tide.

With assistance from emergency personnel on the bridge directing our crew to the casualty’s location, the casualty was located in the water and recovered onto Wildland.

Also in attendance were Coastguard Rescue Teams, the Coastguard helicopter, Scottish Air Ambulance and the Scottish Ambulance Service. The casualty was handed into the care of SAS crews after assessment by paramedics.

During the rescue, Wildland sustained some minor damage after having to beach on rocky shingle in order to land the casualty as quickly and safely as possible.

The lifeboat returned to station, was washed down, refuelled and made ready for service again by 2000hrs.

Well done to all agencies involved in a challenging incident.

https://esra.uk/donate

13/05/2026

It was a pleasure to meet Princess Anne today.

03/05/2026

Lately, you may have noticed the cost of just about everything creeping up, and obviously fuel is one of the hardest hits.

For us, that is not just a number on a forecourt sign. It directly affects every time our crews launch.

Every callout means fuelling boats, vehicles, and equipment. Not long ago, fuel was around £1.45 a litre. Today, it's significantly higher, and that adds up quickly.

One of our launch vehicles, the Talus, holds around 400 litres of fuel. At £1.45 per litre, that's roughly £580 to fill. At today’s prices, that same fill can be well over £700. And that's just one vehicle, before we even consider the boats themselves.

Our crew doesn't choose when they go out. They just go, day or night, whatever the weather, because someone needs help.

As an independent lifeboat service, we don't receive government or any other funding. Rising fuel costs simply mean it costs more to keep doing what we've always done.

If you are in a position to help, even a small donation genuinely makes a difference. This ensures that when a call comes in, we can answer it, no questions asked.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

You can donate safely and securely here:

https://esra.uk/donate

18/04/2026

Very grateful to receive the help that we do from the Dornoch Co-op. Danny King (Dornoch Coop Manager) presenting the cheque to Tony Ross of ESRA today.

Delighted to present East Sutherland Rescue Association with a donation of £150 from our community fund

29/03/2026

An amazing night.

23/02/2026

East Sutherland Rescue Association Annual General Meeting

The ESRA Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 7pm in the Cadogan Lifeboat Station, Dornoch Beach Car Park, Golf Road, Dornoch.

All are welcome to attend.

01/01/2026

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from everyone at ESRA! Wishing you a safe and successful 2026!

Today is the annual loony dook. Participants will enter the water at 1100hrs. Based on the tides, this should coincide with high tide.

ESRA will, as usual, be on the water providing safety cover. We’ll also be on hand with hot drinks and hot dogs, available for a donation.

Please remember that the water and conditions can be very cold at this time of year. If you’re taking part, do so with care and be aware that entry into the water is entirely at your own risk.

⚠️ No unaccompanied children under the age of 16.

Wrap up warm, look out for one another, and come along to support a great local tradition.

https://www.thisisdornoch.com/listing/loony-dook/