We were stern-moored at Ranworth when we heard what sounded like a child screaming in distress. We saw someone leaning over the side of a mudweighted boat and holding on to what appeared to be a child in a bright orange life jacket. Standing atop the boat was a young man and there were others sitting and chatting in the open centre cockpit. As the screaming continued nobody but the person holding the child was responding to it.
At this point three clearly experienced paddleboarders headed quickly to the scene to find that the person on the boat was unable to lift the child out of the water. The three rescuers got the child onto one of the boards and helped him/her to stand to be pulled onto the boat.
That family was extremely fortunate that the people who so quickly rushed to help were near enough to effect a rescue in time. Speaking to the rescuers after the incident, I learnt that they are members of Norfolk SUP Racing Team, Dave Blakeley, Graham (G Man ?) Ives and Stephen Beckham.
Well done guys. Hope this balances some of the negative comments about paddleboarders on the Broads.
I have a lovely photo of the rescuers, which the three guys were happy for me to post, but I don't know how to do it here.