Video: Stranded puppy Bam-Bam rescued by water sports instructor at Hampton
Water sports
instructor Charlie Head with a dog he pulled from the
waves
by Ed Targett
A pet puppy stranded at sea faced a watery grave as the rising
tide covered a rock it was stuck on.
But shivering Bam-Bam was saved from oblivion by a paddling
adventurer near Herne Bay on a trip to London.
Water sports instructor Charlie Head has faced storms, ships and
shoals of fish – but never a stranded shih tzu.
The 33-year-old even filmed the rescue, capturing on camera the
moment he saved the shivering pup from the rocks.
In heart-warming commentary, he says: "He's just sat out there
like a little dude, wondering what to do.
"He definitely needs a rescue - in about 10 minutes he'll be
completely covered in water."
Video: Charlie Head
rescues Bam-Bam from water off Hampton
When he rounded Hampton in choppy seas on Monday morning, he
spotted the soaked dog on a rock hundreds of feet out to sea.
Charlie, who is making his way from Cornwall to London by
paddle board to train for a 3,000-mile cross-Atlantic trip, said he
was stunned to see the animal.
He said: "I was gobsmacked. I couldn't believe my eyes. I
thought there is no chance it could have got there on its own and
the tide was coming in.
"He was just sat there wondering what the hell to do. He was
absolutely terrified. In about 10 minutes the rock would have been
covered with water.
"I managed to get him onto my paddle board and bring him
ashore."
Staff at the Hampton Inn
were looking after Bam-Bam after the rescue
The obvious port of call was the Hampton Inn pub, where landlord
Stuart MacKenzie took the unlikely mariner under his wing and
barmaid Chelsea Clark wrapped him up warm.
She said: "He was stranded on the furthest rock out. He would
definitely have drowned as there was no way to get back and the
tide was coming in. We were calling him Pebbles until the dog
warden found out his real name. He was shaking all over.
"If they can't trace the owner I am going to keep him. Poor
Bam-Bam."
Canterbury City Council spokesman Rob Davies said: "We are
trying to contact the owner. For the meantime Bam-Bam is safe at
the Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary."
Are you Bam Bam’s owner or do you know why he was stranded at
sea? Phone 01227 475985 or hernebaygazette@thekmgroup.co.uk.
17/10/12
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