ON THE RADAR It’s a small world
Cold, wet skipper’s case of mistaken identity Crew searches in vain for sinking boat at Swansea. ON THE RADAR d It’s a small worl
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hen the MR Lake Macquarie radio base received a call for help from a boater whose vessel was sinking off Swansea Caravan Park on February 26, a rescue vessel was quickly deployed. The crew of Lake Macquarie 11 made good time to the scene but could not locate the boat or any sign of people in the water. The crew continued searching in the vicinity without success before calling the skipper’s mobile to ask if he could see the rescue vessel. No, was the response. The boater couldn’t see his rescuers and the rescue crew couldn’t see him. The skipper said he had by now made it out of the water and was standing cold and wet on a jetty. The conversation continued as the crew tried to ascertain details
that would point to a likely location. And then the penny dropped. The caller was at Swansea in Tasmania, not New South Wales. This information was swiftly passed to the radio base and transmitted to Maritime and Safety Tasmania. The incident echoed an emergency in December 2013 when a 5m runabout capsized in rough conditions off the Swansea coast, throwing two brothers into the water as they headed out fishing. The young men managed to reach nearby Moon Island, from where they could see the unit’s radio base. Unable to read its signage, they Googled Swansea Coast Guard on their mobile and rang for help. The radio operator was having great trouble understanding their location and finally, out of
iles away ll and 10,000 m ca e on ph brothers’ SOS. to a ds st pon rd res Help ju les? UK Coastgua Are you in Wales
or New South Wa
who wo young fishermen their made an SOS call when during a late sank out runab small Island off afternoon jaunt to Moon was help Lake Macquarie found on the other near but yet so far … . globe the of side lm and The two brothers, Malco g the Ian Hancock, were visitin in Sydney’s Lake from their home decided to Richmond, when they Bar late on cross the Swansea off the rocky December 19 to fish ing their trip island, never dream s. Swansea in Wale l headlines. sea in NSW, not would make internationa zed ... off Swan too rough, men’s boat capsi e the two fisher Finding the sea state Moon Island, wher turned 20s, a brilliant job. the pair, in their early however, you guys did ss their small operator crew had back but in the proce “The Swansea Bridge “It was pleasing the ed. Wearing ency opening boat was 5m runabout capsiz assisted with an emerg lifejackets on and their e phone mobil the a to g with and gettin lost thing which lifejackets so no time was well equipped, some to so swim to ged too to hand, they mana young men. not happen in the UK does sadly help. , Barry the island and call for crew, UC John Hatton “The ” often. Macquarie carefully Marine Rescue Lake ed the base to Bonning and Zoe Tylee, Malcolm later email Roger the ander h Comm throug thank Unit way to y Deput “I’d like negotiated their thank the rescuers: could see the nding the Evans said the boys involved with our rocky outcrops surrou everyone who was radio base on unit’s Swansea Heads get the chance island. rescue ... as I didn’t the bar. e vessel got as close nally. Even the hill overlooking rescu perso “The to thank everyone our sign and the boys yed and “They could not read as safety allowed and h my boat is destro so thoug er, ed, numb retriev phone be s to did not have our d I am so glad we swam out 30 metre insure t sea wasn’ Swan Guard kets. they Googled Coast wearing their lifejac thed.” still unsca ed escap said. ged to get echoed by and hit dial,” DUC Evans “The crew also mana This sentiment was tor was ed boat and “The Coast Guard opera ts, Tom and a line on to the upturn the boys’ grateful paren understanding smiths to having great trouble ck, who also wrote slowly returned to Black Hanco Claire the as ially thanks to their location, espec their ” ss ramp. expre to unit the ‘but I can see Neil Grieves distressed caller said their sons. Regional Controller the crew for saving ration, the helping ramp, the how at l just ne your base’. Out of despe met the vesse “We can only imagi ‘what country out of the operator finally asked must have been, the men get their boat difficult a rescue it trailer. nded by are you in?’.” water and on to their with Moon Island surrou Yates, sea Rescue It was then that Steve prevented HM Coastguard Swan help ... Steve rocks and reef which operator Took the call for ger Steve Mana e Centr n coming in too the 13-year veteran tguard Swansea Coordinatio the rescue boat from the Yates from Coas in m at 7.15a se at surpri call ous taking the Jones expressed his in the UK. and presented an enorm close, e Rescu ken l mista Coastguard Swansea crew did a the case of internationa hazard. The rescue in Wales in the Coordination Centre close to the identity. ruined. But as brilliant job to get as ed the boys’ the electrics ... are with HM United Kingdom, realis whilst dodging “I have been involved his boat, island as they could h to the throug call much as Malcolm loved a years put 40 t. and location Coastguard for over in the surging curren material losses. rocks rity mere the only Autho are like Safety they of a call would Australian Maritime and had never heard is our sons “As your rescue crew “The important thing sea,” cant 10,000 miles away. signifi being received at Swan has this boat back home with know, the on, are alive, safe, and to MR Lake “While this was going the outboard we are he wrote in an email structural damage; r Jim Christmas, for which for Office John us Duty ander base Comm being our radio Macquarie Unit motor is wrecked from the incident extremely grateful.” t Stringfellow had seen . e down by the curren Hatton upsid 40. ed page way , dragg its See letters team on my operators reefs; and all and had the rescue “I was pleased that through the rocks and Macquarie call as a hoax, to assist on board Lake did not dismiss this 30,” DUC Evans said.
T
Deja vu ... Soundings’ report in Autumn 2014.
desperation, asked what country they were in. It was then Steve Yates, a 13-year veteran taking the call in the Coastguard Swansea Rescue Coordination Centre in Wales
realised the pair was on the other side of the globe. Meanwhile, the radio operators in the nearby Swansea base had seen the incident unfold and - just like in 2019 - sent a vessel to the rescue.
Lifejacket rule covers more rock fishers DINGS
10 MARINE RESCUE NSW | SOUN
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14 MARINE RESCUE NSW | SOUNDINGS
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ock fishers on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and areas of the North Coast will now have to wear lifejackets when fishing on the coastline. The Northern Beaches and Richmond Valley councils will enforce this safety rule, joining Randwick Council, where it has been mandatory for rock fishers to wear appropriate lifejackets for the past two years under the NSW Rock Fishing Safety Act. Commissioner Stacey Tannos said wearing a lifejacket was an essential safety precaution for rock fishers, giving them the chance to survive if washed into the ocean. A six-month advisory period will apply in both locations, with campaigns to inform anglers about the new laws and provide advice on safe rock fishing. NSW Police, council rangers, Department of Primary Industries Fisheries
Officers and National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers can enforce the rule. Fines for not wearing a lifejacket will apply in both new locations following the six-month advisory period. As well as always wearing a lifejacket, rock fishers are encouraged to follow safe rock fishing protocols, including: • Check the weather, swell and tide conditions before you leave home; stay alert to changing weather conditions while fishing. • Wear non-slip shoes and light, non-restrictive clothing. • Do not rock fish when the conditions are dangerous. • Never fish alone. Never turn your back on the ocean. • Do not jump in if someone is washed into the ocean: throw a life buoy, call Triple Zero or get help. Visit http://www.watersafety.nsw. gov.au for more information.