Marley was enjoying a day on the water with his grandfather, David ‘Dai’ Jones, during a holiday in Fontygary on May 27 when their kayak capsized and they found themselves unable to get back onboard.
Mr Jones helped Marley get back onto the kayak but was unable to climb back on himself, so he held onto the kayak while Marley sat in it.
Mr Jones said: “I was getting tired and cold and there was a point where I wasn’t sure I’d make it.
“But I was trying to stay positive and keep calm for Marley because I didn’t want him to be frightened.
“Seeing the lifeboat arrive was a huge relief.”
Despite the frightening situation, Marley stayed calm and used a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch to contact his grandmother on shore.
She immediately called 999 and requested the Coastguard.
Barry Dock RNLI launched their D-class inshore lifeboat with helm Andy and crew members Ben, Gerwyn, and Kris, heading directly to Limpet Bay.
By the time the crew arrived, strong tides had carried Marley and Dai two and a half miles in just 25 minutes—from Fontygary Steps to near the Cason by Aberthaw.
Marley was found sitting on top of the kayak, while Dai, exhausted and cold, was still clinging to it in the water.
Both were rescued and taken ashore, where they were handed over to Coastguard team volunteers.
They had spent about 25 minutes in the water, which was only 11–12°C despite warm weather.
A few days later, Marley and Dai visited Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station to meet the crew involved in their rescue and Marley’s father, Joe, also joined them.
During the visit, Marley was awarded a special medal for his composure and courage.
Marley said: “When I called my Nan, I told her I was okay, but Granscha looked like he was drowning and we needed help.
“I was really happy when the lifeboat arrived—I thought PHEW!
“When I visited the lifeboat station afterwards, the crew taught me about Float to Live.
“The thing I’ll remember is to lie on my back like a starfish if I ever get into trouble in the water.
“I’m going to practise it next time I’m in the swimming pool.”
Andy, helm of the D-class lifeboat, said both Marley and Dai made the right decisions in a dangerous situation.
He said: “Even when people are experienced and prepared, things can go wrong very quickly at sea, particularly in the Bristol Channel where the tides and currents are extremely powerful.
“Marley and Dai did exactly the right things when they found themselves in difficulty.
“They were both wearing lifejackets, they had a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, they called for help when they realised they were unable to get safely back to shore, and they stayed with the kayak.
“Staying with the kayak made them much easier for the lifeboat crew to spot, while calling for help early meant assistance could be launched before the situation became even more serious.
“All of those actions played an important part in bringing this incident to a safe outcome.”
