Wild weekend for Marine Rescue NSW
Marine Rescue NSW crews worked non-stop in appalling conditions over the Father’s Day weekend after the volunteer organisation received an unprecedented number of calls for assistance.
The popular Pittwater-Broken Bay-Brisbane Water and Hawkesbury region proved to be very risky for many who ventured out, with numerous vessels and houseboats experiencing trouble as a result of the very rough conditions.
"I have not seen wind conditions in Broken Bay of this magnitude in over 45 years of boating in the area," said commander David White from Marine Rescue Cottage Point.
Marine Rescue NSW said the calls began on Saturday when its Hawkesbury unit searched for two people on a dinghy missing from a houseboat. They were found sheltering on shore and were reunited with their friends — who hadn’t noticed them missing!
Sunday was even busier when the Cottage Point crew was called to the aid of an 18ft cruiser that was only just being kept by its crew from breaking up on rocks. This was followed by a race to prevent a 53ft yacht from going aground in Coal and Candle Creek. Then a 42ft yacht at Akuna Bay almost broke out of its berth.
The volunteers spent the day hurrying from one incident to another as they assisted various yachts, houseboats, and even some kayakers. By five o’clock that evening they finally returned to base, having clocked up more than eight hours underway and used around $450 in fuel.