MAKING WAVES Monaro News
Six keep watch at shipshape Bermagui What’s timber and floats? A boating hazard near harbour mouth.
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he summer season was busy for members of Marine Rescue Bermagui, who wrapped up the holidays with three operations on January 29 alone. Bermagui 30 had undertaken 17 assists by early March, many resulting from water in fuel. The triple-mission Saturday began with the crew returning one boat to safety after it called for help when they spotted a disabled vessel that had not sought assistance. This boater was rescued in a second trip, followed by a third journey to pick up a large piece of wood posing a boating hazard near the Bermagui Harbour mouth. In early February, the unit was called to a vessel with a failed engine and a passenger suffering serious sea sickness. The skipper generously gave the unit a $500 donation, for which Unit Commander Alec Percival expressed his thanks. However, volunteering with
All hands on deck during a routine maintenance shift on board Bermagui 30 ... Steve Angelo, Mark Donnelly, Di Manning, Denise Page, Peter Strain and Volker Aebischer.
MRNSW is not all about the time on the water helping boaters, picking up debris and whale watching. A training session every now and again also is devoted to general maintenance and a bit of spit and polish. A total of 25 members are
currently undertaking training courses. The unit now has six Watch Officers, Lauren Lowder, Ray McLeod, Denise Page, Alec Percival, Steve Angelo and Lynda Bailey, with five more in training. Lauren did a great job as the unit’s Watch Officer at the annual Monaro Regional
SAREX. All members, both radio and crew, enjoyed the event, which was a good opportunity for new rescue vessel crew and for Watch Officers to practice running a situation room and using the suite of incident documentation. Denise Page
EPIRB alert signals Christmas Day capsize Boaters rescued from catamaran, runabout in festive season emergencies.
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olunteers from Marine Rescue Batemans Bay didn’t even get to sit down to Christmas lunch before they were tasked to respond to an EPIRB emergency beacon activated off Batemans Bay. The EPIRB was detected only for a short time but as it was registered, this provided authorities with family contact details for its owner. MR units at Batemans Bay, Narooma and Bermagui tried to make contact with the registered vessel. Just before noon, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Lifesaver 23 located a 6m catamaran capsized about 3nm off Durras with five people sitting on the upturned hull. The helicopter winched two of the survivors off the boat and took them to shore before returning to winch
off the remaining three, completing the operation just a few minutes before Batemans 30 arrived. With the capsized catamaran posing a serious hazard for coastal marine traffic, including the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet, BM 30 took it under tow. The 3m seas and 25 knot wind made for a slow return to Batemans Bay. Unit members responded swiftly to save a man knocked overboard when the rear of his 5m runabout was tipped from behind by a wave while crossing the Batemans River bar on January 3. A member of the public alerted unit Radio Operator Peter Varkulevicius to the skipper’s plight about 10.30am. BM 21, on a training run nearby with Angelo Di Bella, Thomas
Ready to respond 365 days a year, even before Christmas lunch ... the Batemans Bay unit’s rescue fleet.
Czarnick, Peter Elekessy and Robert Loftus on board, immediately sped to the scene, reaching the man within five minutes and plucking him from the water to safety. Although he was wearing a lifejacket, he told the crew the life-
saving device had not inflated when he attempted to activate it. Monaro Regional Controller Bob Herbert said the Batemans Bay crew members deserved congratulations for their speedy and professional response to both emergencies. SOUNDINGS | MARINE RESCUE NSW
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