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Central Coast
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TEENAGERS STRANDED OVERNIGHT AT SARATOGA
28 September 2008
Three teenage boys aboard a 3.0m aluminium dinghy were stranded over Saturday night (Sept 27) at isolated Saratoga Point due to mechanical failure of their outboard engine. The outboard had a broken shear pin. A shear pin is installed in the drive train and is designed to break in the case of a mechanical overload, preventing other, more-expensive parts of the drive train from being damaged. The shear pin is attached to marine engines propeller shaft. The boys had tried to row their boat home to Tascott but they found that the windy conditions made progress impossible.
The Patrol’s marine radio base received a phone call around 9.00am from a local resident seeking assistance for the boys. Stephen van Bruegel and his crew, Mike Eckford and Cameron Veacock attended in Brisbane Water Lifeboat. They found the uninjured boys and towed their boat back to their home jetty and a relieved father at Tascott.
Get shipshape now for a rescue-free season of Summer boating
28 Sept 08
The change of season has already seen several surprise days of above average temperatures. Winter-chilled boat owners are thinking thoughts of boating days with sunny skies, a leisurely cruise up the coast, an exhilarating day sail, a quiet anchorage, a good catch of fish, a barbecue on board and any number of other boating pleasures that are so readily available in our beautiful part of the world. So get your boat shipshape now and be ready for a carefree, rescue-free boating season.
The most frequent reasons for emergency rescues received by the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol are:
- mechanical failure, often associated with contaminated fuel;
- out of fuel, and
- battery failure;
These problems represent around 60% of all calls for help. When you’re the skipper, you’re responsible for the safety of everyone on board so now’s the time to get your ship into shape for Summer Boating.
If you were motoring, these wouldn’t seem too serious. You could just pull over to the side of the road. But when you’re in a boat at sea, these problems can spell disaster. The water environment - especially salt water - is harsh on all equipment and your boat needs more maintenance and attention than your car. It’s so easy to take simple steps to prepare your boat and keep it ready to provide carefree enjoyment each time you take it out.
The Coastal Patrol recommends you use a standard check list that will help ensure you check every item that needs attention. Use it at the start of the season and then each time you go out for a day to help ensure the safety of everyone aboard.
The NSW Boating Handbook from NSW Maritime contains a comprehensive check list to follow. You can go to this link on the NSW Maritime website and print your own check list to keep on board: http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/sbh/maintain_vessel.html#checklist
Or call in to Central Coast Coastal Patrol Marine Radio Point Clare Base at the end of Kurrawa Ave to get a copy of the NSW Boating Handbook. While you’re there, ask about the other public education programs that are also available. These are great value and great training for skippers as well as family members or friends who go out with you. These include NSW Maritime Boating Safety (Boat Licence) and Marine Radio courses.
SEA SAFETY AND SEARCH & RESCUE IN AUSTRALIA
19 September 2008
Coastal Patrol has a major interest in the safety of the recreational boating community. The Patrol’s objective is ‘Safety of Life at Sea’. In pursuit of boating safety, Central Coast Division of Coastal Patrol has arranged a forum on ‘Australian Search and Rescue’ at its Point Clare Base at 11.00am on 3 October 2008.
The presenter will be Arthur M Heather, Senior Search and Rescue Officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Service (AMSA). Arthur is based at AMSA’s Emergency Response Centre in Canberra, and he is responsible for the coordination of marine and aviation search and rescue incidents within Australia’s Search and Rescue (SAR) region.
The topics to be covered include AMSA – its structure and personnel and Emergency Response Centre, SAR responsibility in Australia, Air and Sea Assets used in SAR, Maritime Distress and Safety Systems, the future of SAR and some AMSA case studies.
Prior to joining AMSA Arthur Heather was a naval aviator (Lieutenant Commander) with his last posting serving on HMAS Adelaide where he was Flight Commander. His military career comprised 20-years with the RAAF including seven years flying P3C Orion aircraft and 20-years with the RAN including flying Seahawk helicopters and submarine special operation tours.
The presentation will commence at the Patrol’s Point Clare Base at the end of Kurrawa Avenue Point Clare. Entry will be by $note or gold coins donation. Seating is limited and boaties who wish to attend are recommended to call the base on 4325 7929 and reserve a seat.
ARTHUR M HEATHER
The Seminar's Presenter is Arthur M Heather, he is currently employed by the Australian Maritime Safety Service (AMSA) as a Senior Search and Rescue Officer within the Emergency Response business unit. Responsibilities include all aspects of coordinating search and rescue for both aviation and maritime incidents within the Australian search and rescue region.
Previous to AMSA he was a Naval Aviator (Lieutenant Commander) with his last posting serving on HMAS ADELAIDE where he held the position of Flight Commander. Military career comprised 20 years with the RAAF including 7 years as a navigator flying P3C Orion aircraft and 20 years with the RAN, which included flying Seahawk helicopters and two submarine special operation tours.
Tertiary Education:
a. Graduate Diploma in Applied Science - Aero Systems.
b. Diploma of Applied Science in Air Navigation.
c. Advanced Diploma of Search and Rescue.
d. Diploma of Public Safety (Police Search and Rescue Coordination).
Awards
a. Defence Force Service Medal – South East Asian Operations.
b. Australian Defence Medal.
c. Defence Force General Service Medal, clasps include - Kuwait (Gulf War) and Submarine Special Operations
d. Ordre du Merite Maritime – French Government Award for the Southern Ocean Rescue.
e. Long Service Medal.
f. Governor General’s Medal.
A RESCUE FOR RACING YACHT
14 September 2008
Volunteers from Coastal Patrol were on Central Coast Lifeboat training when around 3.30pm they received a call for assistance from a yacht that had just completed a race from Sydney to Broken Bay. Gosford Sailing Club ran two offshore races over the weekend, the first on Saturday from Gosford to Sydney and the return leg on Sunday, from Sydney to Broken Bay.
The 34’ yacht had reached the finish line and then discovered a mechanical failure as the crew started the engine to cross the bar at Little Box Head at the entrance to Brisbane Water. The water pump impeller on the yacht’s engine had failed. The bar is very dangerous at present and in urgent need of dredging to enable safe entry and egress from Brisbane Water. For safe entry the yacht needed assistance to cross the bar and then required a tow to its berth at Gosford Sailing Club.
Duty Coxswain Ian Brown and his crew on Gosford Lifeboat (Norm Smith, Kevin Sullivan and John Randall) were quickly ‘on the job’ and Central Coast Lifeboat took the stricken vessel for its 2-hour tow to Gosford.
The yacht race ended in fashion quite different to that anticipated by the yacht’s crew.
LUCKY SURFERS SAVED ON LITTLE BOX HEAD BAR
Sunday 17 August 2008
The surf was up on Sunday at the Bar at Little Box Head, with confused heavy seas, waves on the bar running at 3-4m, and an occasional breaking wave on the bar. Just after 2.00pm, the training officers of Central Coast Division of Coastal Patrol had both the Division’s lifeboats at the Bar, one for safety of the Patrol crews being trained and the other in use training lifeboat crews in the techniques of safely crossing the Bar in bad conditions.
Ken Sharp (pictured), senior coxswain and trainer was in control of the exercise and the safety lifeboat. He noticed a 3.95m aluminium boat entering the bar behind the second lifeboat and crew being trained. Ken radioed the lifeboat crew to alert them of the vessel that was behind them on the Bar. As the crew turned to watch, the tinny’s engine stopped, one of those on board frantically tried to restart its engine, and the others began to row. In the conditions, the ungainly tinny was heading for certain disaster.
The crew on the lifeboat on the bar immediately made an emergency turn, good seamanship in the conditions and sped to the tinny. They learned that the fuel line on the boat had broken and those on board were literally rowing for safety. The three men were surfers who had come from Pittwater to enjoy the big surf on the Box Head Bar. They had their surfboards on board the stricken vessel.
They gratefully accepted assistance and the lifeboat quickly took them in tow and to safety just off Lobster Beach. After a discussion, they asked that they be taken to Ettalong ramp where a car could come from the northern beaches to collect them, their boat and surf boards.
In the conditions prevailing, these men were very lucky that the Patrol vessels were training at the time they attempted to cross the bar with their broken down boat, as disaster could have overtaken them at any moment.
SEA SAFETY AND SEARCH & RESCUE IN AUSTRALIA
15 August 2008
In the interest of the safety of the local recreational boating community, and to promote its objectives of ‘Safety of Life at Sea’, Central Coast Division has arranged a public presentation on ‘Australian Search and Rescue’ at its Point Clare Base at 11.00am on 3 October 2008.
The topics to be covered include AMSA – its structure and personnel and Emergency Response Centre, SAR responsibility in Australia, Air and Sea Assets used in SAR, Maritime Distress and Safety Systems, the future of SAR and some AMSA case studies.
The presenter will be Arthur M Heather, Senior Search and Rescue Officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Service (AMSA). Arthur is based at AMSA’s Emergency Response Centre in Canberra, and he is responsible for the coordination of marine and aviation search and rescue incidents within Australia’s Search and Rescue (SAR) region.
Prior to joining AMSA Arthur Heather was a naval aviator (Lieutenant Commander) with his last posting serving on HMAS Adelaide where he was Flight Commander. His military career comprised 20-years with the RAAF including seven years flying P3C Orion aircraft and 20-years with the RAN including flying Seahawk helicopters and submarine special operation tours.
The presentation will commence at the Patrol’s Point Clare Base at the end of Kurrawa Avenue Point Clare. Entry will be by $note or gold coins donation. Seating is limited and boaties who wish to attend are recommended to call the base on 4325 7929 and reserve a seat.
BUSY WEEKEND FOR COASTAL PATROL VOLUNTEERS
11 August 2008
Central Coast Division of Coastal Patrol assisted four vessels but attended only three incidents over last weekend. Late afternoon on Friday the Point Clare Radio Base was contacted by the skipper of a 5.5m centre-console runabout anchored near the Rip Bridge. The vessel’s gearbox had failed, there were five people (and a dog) on board. They asked for help to get back to the ramp at Blackwall. Brian Warburton and Patrick Kearney responded to the call on Brisbane Water Lifeboat and soon had boat and crew safely to the destination.
Early afternoon Sunday the Base received a request to assist another 6.0m runabout that had broken down at Coaster’s Retreat in Pittwater. Coastal Patrol Broken Bay collected the vessel that had two adults and a child onboard. Broken Bay’s lifeboat towed the boat to Little Box Head where it was passed over to Brisbane Water Lifeboat skippered by Alan Howes. The stricken vessel was then towed to the ramp at Koolewong. The owner’s bad luck continued as he found that he had left his car head-lights on and now had a car with a flat battery as well as a boat with a problem. He used the boat battery to start the car to get home.
Not long after the strong westerly hit during Sunday afternoon the crew on Central Coast Lifeboat who were training with the boats fire-fighting gear on the Broadwater were tasked by the Base to assist two trawlers, one 38’ and one 30’, with three men on board. The trawlers were in trouble at Pretty Beach. Both vessels had broken free of their mooring in the strong winds and were in danger of being stranded on the foreshore. The trawlers were rafted together, and only one had an operational motor. The lifeboat, skippered by Ron Cole towed both vessels into the channel and they were then able to proceed to a safe berth in Booker Bay under their own power.
Great work maintaining Safety of Life at Sea by the local volunteers
Davistown RSL Donation to Coastal Patrol
5 August 2008
Pat Fayers accepts cheque from Ben Bradley GM Davistown RSL as Ian Gallard looks on.
A function was held at Central Coast Leagues Club on Tuesday morning, August 5th, to present donation cheques from the Community Development Support Expenditure (CDSE) scheme. Many local community service groups attended. Registered clubs with a poker machine turnover in excess of $1 million are able to direct up to 1.5% of taxable income to the CDSE scheme in return for a tax rebate. Funds available for disbursement to community groups is 33% less than last year due largely to the new poker machine tax.
Davistown RSL Club Committee chose Coastal Patrol Central Coast Division as a recipient of its CDSE funds for 2008. The donation of $8225 was accepted by Division Commander Pat Fayers from Ben Bradley, General Manager, Davistown RSL Club.
In accepting the cheque Pat Fayers said, “The volunteers at Coastal Patrol are most grateful for this CDSE grant that will enable us to improve our marine rescue service. We are more and more reliant on computers and reliable electrical supply for communications and operations. The funds will enable us to install new computer systems with uninterrupted power supply and, hopefully, an automatic changeover system from mains supply to our back-up diesel generator.”
Community Chest Provides Comfort to Coastal Patrol Volunteers
5 August 2008
Volunteers at the Point Clare Marine Radio Base of Coastal Patrol spend many hours each week at the marine radio base. The Patrol operates 7-days-a-week, and volunteers also have overnight duties on Friday and Saturday nights.
The base has few of the comforts of home (what workplace does?) so the hours can drag on very hot or very cold days or nights. Community Chest has provided $1600 to the Patrol to enable the Mess Room at the Base to be air-conditioned to provide some comfort to the volunteers.
The funds were raised for Community Chest by a Work for the Dole group whose participants assisted various organisations with fund-raising events such as the BMW Golf Day and McDonalds.
David Bacon presented the cheque to Central Coast Division Education Officer, Rob Smith, at the Work for the Dole Graduation Day on Tuesday August 5.
Report Recommends Integration
of Marine Rescue Groups
An independent report prepared for the NSW Government and announced by the Hon Joe Tripodi MP (Minister for Ports and Waterways) on 1st August recommends the integration of NSW volunteer marine rescue groups.
The report was prepared by the Hon John Price. He was appointed last November to review the adequacy and long-term viability of volunteer marine rescue in NSW currently provided by three separate rescue organisations, Coastal Patrol, Coast Guard and VRA (marine branch). Units based in the Gosford and Wyong local council areas that could be affected are:
· Coastal Patrol Gosford
· Coastal Patrol Terrigal
· Coastal Patrol Hawkesbury
· Coastal Patrol Tuggerah Lakes
· Terrigal Sea Rescue (VRA)
· Norah Head Sea Rescue (VRA)
· Coast Guard Tuggerah Lakes
The terms of reference were:
· Examine the adequacy of the existing disposition of volunteer marine units to address the State’s marine search and rescue requirements.
· Identify any area where resources may be duplicated and how these facilities could be rationalised.
· Examine the adequacy of the current volunteer marine rescue organisational structure and make recommendations on how this could be improved.
(The Price report is available on-line at the NSW Maritime Authority website, a copy is attached for your convenience): http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/volunteer_marine_rescue.pdf)
In his report, the Hon. John Price made nine recommendations:
1. That a new Volunteer Rescue Organisation be established with membership invited from the three existing organisations;
2. The official name of the new body be the “NSW Volunteer Marine Rescue Service" short titled for the purpose of dress recognition “NSW Marine Rescue".
3. Once recommendation 1 is agreed, an administrative committee of 8 to 12 persons drawn from the existing participating organisations under the chairmanship of the NSW Police Force Marine Area Command be established to facilitate the transfer of personnel and assets as determined by the new organisation within a period of two budget years (2009 / 2010 or sooner).
4. That the existing funding formulas remain in place until the administrative committee determines that the new formation is on operational footing and at that time all state funding will be transferred to support the new entity. (See Recommendation 7).
5. In line with its 2006 review the NSW Police Force, Marine Area Command will undertake a rationalisation review of the current services for consideration by the committee of the new organisation. Implementation in whole or part should follow this review.
6. If a shortfall of bases to be operated by the new organisation eventuates and existing units still wish to be involved then a system of accreditation and or licensing will need to be devised to maintain the service but only in the name of the new entity and with their livery. (In these circumstances, a badge designating the external unit may be worn on the sleeve).
7. Provide additional funding above the current annual contribution indexed from 2008/09 budget year to cover the cost of uniforms, safety gear and training in order to provide some incentive to recruiting new volunteers into the new entity ‑ cost estimates to be confirmed (See recommendation 4).
8. That provision be made for re-imbursement of fuel and oil costs for rescue operations tasked by the NSW Water Police;
9. Consideration should be given to encouraging, by agreement or legislation, a small percentage of marine insurance being directed to the NSW VMR. This may require COAG agreement but is worth pursuing given the enormous benefit VMR provides to insurers.
Coastal Patrol, the longest established, is the largest in membership and operational facilities. It has long been an advocate for integration and is the only one of the three VMRs that has indicated its willingness to sacrifice its name, personnel, equipment, property and infrastructure into an entirely new government funded VMR organisation.
VMR in NSW is vital and necessary for the safety of the recreational boating community. The NSW Water Police, Boating Owners Association, and the Boating Industry Association support integration. NSW Waterways has made provision on its web site for anyone interested to comment on the proposal.
COASTAL PATROL ACCREDITATION INSPECTIONS
In order that it is legally permitted to operate its marine radio bases at Point Clare and Terrigal Haven and use its purpose built lifeboats for search and rescue, Central Coast Division of Coastal Patrol must pass an annual accreditation inspection of its bases, lifeboats and all its equipment by the NSW State Rescue Board (SRB).
The SRB sets the standards for crew training, base and vessel fit-out. All lifeboats and radio bases must comply with the SRB’s prescribed standards to maintain their accreditation. It is this accreditation that provides the authorisation for the Division to operate and provide the local community with its 7 day-a-week marine radio services and to provide the community with a free marine search and rescue service.
The SRB also sets the standards for the Patrol’s volunteer training so that the standards are at a comprehensive professional level and consistent throughout the state. Reports on training compliance are required bi-annually from each volunteer marine rescue unit.
Each annual inspection is a time of tension and concern. At the end of the day, Division Commander Patricia Fayers was smiling and relieved. Both radio bases and both lifeboats received the SRB’s tick of approval. The Central Coast Division is again accredited to operate for the next twelve months.
State Rescue Board Inspection Team at Coastal Patrol Base Point Clare (left to right)Sgt Scott Abbott, MAC NSW Water Police, (front) Patricia Fayers Division Commander Central Coast Division Coastal Patrol, David Dodds, AVCG Cottage Point, John McCloskey Coastal Patrol Hawkesbury Division, and Bill Glover VRA Hawkesbury
SRB inspectors, Sgt Scott Abbott Water Police and David Dodds AVCG inspect equipment on Brisbane Water Lifeboat as Central Coast Division Boat Master, Norm Smith looks on
MARIE ANDREWS PRESENTS STATE STORM MEDALS
30 June 2008
About 80 Patrol Members and friends were present of the waterfront at Point Clare Base on Monday morning 30 June at 10.30 am when the Member for Gosford, Marie Andrews MP presented engraved State Medals to members of four Coastal Patrol Divisions.
Central Coast Division recipients (above) pictured with Marie Andrews MP are (left to right) David Lynch, Anthony Porter, Cmdr Pat Fayers, Brian Warburton, Patrick Kearney, Jim Clark, Norm Smith and Ian Brown.
TheState Medal was struck for volunteer “Emergency and Recovery Response 2007 Hunter and Central Coast Storms”. It is presented to those emergency service workers who were involves in the June 2007 Storms in the Hunter, Central Coast Region and Sydney Metropolitan areas and is awarded by the NSW State Government.
Patrol members from Hawkesbury, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Division and supporters attended the ceremony. As she presented the medals, Marie Andrews commented, “Coastal Patrol is not well recognised for the work they undertake to assist their communities. On behalf of the State Government I thank you for your continuing brave activities that are so often undertaken in very adverse conditions.”
In introducing the Central Coast Division members to receive the medal, Division Commander Patricia Fayers said, “On this calm, bright and placid morning it is hard to image that at the time of the storms waves were breaking over our jetty, part of which was washed away, waves were breaking across the front lawn and our waterfront wall was under-mined and had to be rebuilt. Vessels, including our lifeboat were broken from their moorings and swept away into the mangroves and onto the mud flats. The base was on emergency power due to blackouts. Those who were on duty during the storm periods deserve this recognition for a job well done.”
COASTAL PATROL INSTALLS 240 volt GENERATOR
Picture: Division Commander Patricia Fayers starting new 240 volt emergency generator installed at the Point Clare Base
Volunteer members of Central Coast Division of Coastal Patrol have been providing emergency radio watches, marine safety education programs and lifeboat rescue services from our Point Clare and Terrigal Haven bases for more than 37 years. The support from the community at large and service clubs over that time has been essential to our continued operation as, even today, the Division receives no direct operational funding from government.
Over the years there have been huge changes in government oversight of volunteer marine rescue and the use of technology to make that possible have taken place. Coastal Patrol must now provide and use sophisticated computer software, operational at all times and this, along with our marine radios, requires a reliable power supply. It is vital that the Patrol monitors marine radio emergency channels even under the worst of conditions - which is, of course, when the radios are more likely to be needed.
During the storms of June last year, the Point Clare Base was without power for 120 hours over 6 days. The Division managed its usual emergency facilities with a constant relay of 12-volt batteries from newly charged at members with homes with mains power. This keep our marine radios ‘on the air’ at all times. The Division’s Computers and fax equipment went down but there was no interruption to our 24-hour emergency services.
With this dramatic experience, the Division was successful with a grant request to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) for part funding of a suitable emergency generator. The Rotary Club of Gosford was also made aware of the Division’s needs and generously provided are large part of the balance of the funds needed.
Installation required that the base electrical power board be rewired to enable changeover to power from the emergency generator to be utilised. A Kubota J180 9KVA diesel generator has been installed in a specially constructed cover/cage close to the power board enabling easy changeover. The unit and its installation have cost almost $12,000.
Division Commander, Patricia Fayers, said, ‘We are really most grateful to DAFF and our friends at the Rotary Club of Gosford whose generosity has made this installation possible. We are now in a position to maintain full services SAR services during any power outage, and will even have the ability to make a cup of tea to keep up the spirits of our volunteers instead of them having to sit in the dark and cold.’
To make the installation ‘fail-safe’ the Division must now raise another $3000 to procure and install UPS facilities for the computers and auto changeover equipment for the generator.
CENTRAL COAST MASONS SUPPORT COASTAL PATROL
10 May 2008
Many Central Coast Freemasons and their partners attended a picnic BBQ lunch at Coastal Patrol’s Point Clare base on Saturday March 10 to celebrate their donation of $6000 to assist the work of the Patrol.
‘Central Coast Lodge 2001’ was one of three clubs rewarded by NSW Grand Lodge for a successful weight loss programme. Their ‘prize’ was to be able to donate funds to a charity of their choice.
In presenting the cheque to Division Commander Patricia Fayers, Worshipful Master Guy Thornycroft said, “There are many parallels in voluntary service to the community made by the Masons and Coastal Patrol. We are delighted to be able to assist such a worthy cause”.
Picture: Guy Thornycroft presenting cheque to CMDR Pat Fayers in the grounds of Coastal Patrol Point Clare.
