Friday, January 24, 2025

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

NEW YEAR’S BREAKDOWN LEADS TO JOYFUL RESCUE

On New Year’s Day, the rescue team was called to action just before dinner time. At 5:25pm, Paul, a skipper on the Marine Rescue team, was happily anticipating a lovely evening meal when a single phone call halted all dinner preparations.
A broken-down vessel with three people aboard requested a tow out by Stonehaven and required assistance to get back to Coral Sea Marina. When Paul and Donna arrived at the VMR1, they found both Rodney and M already preparing the rescue vessel for departure. It took roughly an hour to reach them but communications were clear and concise.
The crew of the VMR1 had a straight shot to the distressed vessel as the seas were wonderfully calm. They knew the position, its colour, and its size, as the anticipating rescuers were dutifully monitoring channel 16 on their boats’ radio.
Greeted by an excited young boy, clamouring all over the boat with waving arms, the VMR1 crew hooked up the faulty vessel. After the paperwork was completed the journey back to the Marina could commence. It was slow going at 10 knots as the vessel was very heavy and its bow was prone to travelling too low in the water. Everyone arrived safely at the Coral Sea Marina by 8:10pm and the three passengers were happily dropped off at the public jetty.
The tow would have cost the owner $1300 but luckily, they were a member of the Volunteer Marine Rescue Whitsunday. So, after a debrief and the post-activation chores completed by the crew, Paul could finally go home and eat his dinner.
However, this was not the first time mealtimes got pushed around due to a rescue. Just after Christmas, on the morning of the 27th of December, Michael called cheerfully, “Hey, are you up for a quick run in VMR2 to rescue a 6m Quintrex, a few km outside of Shute?”
Rolling out of bed and heading straight to the marina, the VMR2 was ready to go to the rescue. Cutting through the water at 25 knots, the VMR2 team reached the distressed vessel which had drifted closer to Round Head than their provided coordinates indicated.
Once the vessel was hooked up for the tow, returning to the marina was slow. The rescued boat was a fair bit larger than the VMR2, and the best speed it could muster was 7 knots. The rescued passengers used an electric motor to get their boat back down the marina passage which meant that everyone was home and having breakfast by 10am.
Even without food our Marine Rescue team always does their best. Thank you Donna, M, Rodney, Micheal, Shane and Paul for your fast and active responses, especially when they cut into your favourite mealtimes.

VMR1 Crew heading out to the rescue. Photo Sourced: VMR Whitsunday Facebook

Rescued boat at tow behind the VMR1. Photo Sourced: VMR Whitsunday Facebook

Skipper Paul on the lookout. Photo Sourced: VMR Whitsunday Facebook

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