P#&^%@D OFF
Received a phone call at 0700 Monday morning from one of the volunteers at Carnarvon sea rescue radio bases to notify me that they had got a call from a vessel over at the islands that they were unable to start their motor.
Rang around and contacted another of the rescue vessel skippers.We had just about cast off the mooring line to head out when we received a call notifying us that the boat in question had restarted their engine and were coming straight in.By the time we had put the rescue boat back on to the airberth it was 0830 and coffee at the base was the order of the day.Given that the time it usually takes a boat that size to come in from where he called from we decided to hang about and find out what went wrong.
At 10.00 we gave a couple of radio calls to the boat without an answer.Hearing another vessel calling we contacted them to find they helped the other vessel get their engine started.They let us know that as soon as the engine restarted they turned the radio off to conserve electricity!!! then turn south to go fishing,not return to Carnarvon as stated.
At 1215 I got a call from one of the base station radio operators to say the vessel was overdue by 15 minutes,I said to call every 15 minutes in the hope that they had turned the radio back on.Come 1300 and nothing heard we started to put wheels in motion to start a search for them
Police were notified,the base opened up,when a boat was spotted on the horizon coming from its expected direction,so we waited.20 minutes later and its a boat of the same colours but 21foot not 25foot.The skipper and his crew were heading out the gate to start down to the boat when another boat is spotted.
Finally when it gets close enough to get a good look at the size and colour it must be it,only need to get a look at the rego number,sure enough it is the missing vessel.
When having a word to them on what has happened,the response we got was that their ETR [estimated time of return]was just a rough one and it wasn't to be taken seriously.
It was explained that as soon as their given ETR passes things do start to happen and not to be too surprised if the boys in blue pay him a visit to find out some details.
"Not happy Jan" would be an understatement.
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
only polite words...
better man than me as I would be harder with them....
good work though
Paully
Posts: 3246
Date Joined: 15/08/09
It's the old thing isn't it
They probably wont ever have an appreciation of the effort that others like yourself go to, and the risks involved unless of course, they were the ones involved in coordinating a search and rescue. Good work mate.
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
All their other shenanigans aside
from where I sit, an an ETR is just that - an estimate. It aint gospel.
But the other events leading up were pretty average on the offending skippers behalf.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
Matt T
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 19/11/07
Not too hard
It's not too hard to update your ETR - especially if you have already contacted rescue for help once that day. Would have been a different story if that engine hadn't started again...
carnarvonite
Posts: 8668
Date Joined: 24/07/07
ETR
If I'm out fishing and get on to a good patch or something and look like being over,it only takes 20 seconds to call up and extend. same goes for change of location.
At least then they have some idea where to start looking not somewhere you were an hour ago.
There are plenty of sheets on the log,one more isn't going to fill the page or is your location so secret no one is going to know not even within a square mile or so.
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
Come on your there to
Come on your there to serve,its not like you have anything better to do .Some people should not be on the water .As said its 20 seconds to update you details,could even save your life oneday
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wide open
Posts: 444
Date Joined: 24/12/09
carnarvonite a few questions
the islands being roughly 50km off carnarvon can you get a message to sea rescue with a 27mgz radio?, was just curious, are telstra the only phone that gets reception out there
understand why you would mad because its not like garden island a 9 kilometres drive its 50 and it takes time
carnarvonite
Posts: 8668
Date Joined: 24/07/07
27meg
Using 27meg at the islands is strictly hit and miss with heaps more misses than hit.VHF can be heard clearly with the exception of being close in down the western side.
I have no idea on different phone ranges.I know vodaphone isn't even reliable as far from town as the main T junction so the island is out of the question.Telstra has dropped out on me half way across at time.
wadetolley
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 27/06/08
Some
some people make you wonder!
wide open
Posts: 444
Date Joined: 24/12/09
yeah bloody vodafone
coudnt even get reception at the plantations haha
funny, my uncle said that he could get telstra next G reception at the islands
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
plenty of patience
your team did well not voicing their opinion to the boats crew, i have listened to the radio team down here and iam amazed at how some of the public tell the radio staff their information or their expectations , the rescue people arent getting paid to do the job they do it as a service to the rest of the boating community. hopefully his wheel bearings seized on the way home
carnarvonite
Posts: 8668
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Communities
Like all of the small towns/communities everywhere nearly all of the emergency response groups are made up of volunteers with a sprinkling of pro's in some of the bigger ones.
The towns would not survive with out them,same goes for the town firemen,bush brigades,St John ambos,SES,sea rescue and heaps of others not named,it is why living in the bush beats the rat race any day,it give you a sense of belonging if you know what I mean.
Some times you just have to blow off a bit of steam now and then.
If his wheel bearing seized it probably would affect another vollie in some way.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
i would be peed too. as
i would be peed too. as mentioned there is no harm extending your etr. we always do it and even if we are on our way in we still call up and tell them we are running a bit late returning. knowing that others know where you are and when returning you have a peace of mind knowing if something goes wrong there will be someone that will be looking for you. only thing worse is when someone comes in real early and doesnt sign off with rescue .rescue then spend heaps of time trying to get hold of the boat only to find out that they returned hours earlier
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
carnarvonite
Posts: 8668
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Phone number
At our last meeting it was decided to ask for an onshore phone number from the vessel when they log on.They do this for every boat in EXMOUTH,it will save hours of the trouble of ringing DPI or the police to get a number,it may cause a worry to a few boaters but will make or life that much easier
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
I can understand your frustration Carnarvonite
There is too much of this selfishness around at the moment and no appreciation for what other people are doing - and in particular the time that volunteers like you put in.
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Iceman
Posts: 747
Date Joined: 17/03/09
ETR request
When vessels log on we (Whitfords Sea Rescue) request an ETR in all instances. It is up to the skipper as to whether he give one or not. A couple of years ago we had a vessel overdue, within 30 minutes we were searching for it and 15 minutes later found the vessel capsized just inside staggies reef of Mindarie. Was winter and one of them was suffering hypothermea as they had been in the water for 2 hours. Just goes to show why we ask for ETR.
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