Saved by a waterproof cellphone.....

The boat pictured went over today on a coastal bar. 11 people were tossed into the water, and all were eventually rescued, after some harrowing experiences, but it seems certain lives would have been lost were it not for one person being able to use a waterproof mobile phone, (whilst floating in the water) to alert rescuers, even though it would have taken around a half hour for help to reach the fairly isolated area to fish them out. At least a couple were reportedly about to go under, none had lifejackets on. Clinging to the boat proved difficult as waves broke over it, and the group were swept away. Moral of the story, imo, always wear lifejackets crossing bars, use whatever services are available to radio in when about to cross, then radio back when safely across, although in this instance it would still not have been possible to get immediate help. Hard to say what caused the 30 foot vessel to capsize, conditions seemed not to be that bad, it seems a big set caught them on the outward journey, and the second wave finished the job. I wonder how much water that might have been dumped in over the open bow was still sloshing dangerously around when the second wave arrived. A charter fishing boat will always have those paying for a day's fishing anxious to get to the grounds as soon as possible, making the idea of sitting for 15 or 20 minutes inside the bar to watch the pattern of the sets unpopular. But probably a wise precaution.

 

THIS could have been a terrible loss of life. No one could GET back on board to throw flotation over board. JUST LUCK...............

 

A dashcam would have been interesting. One of the passengers described the initial wave as "vertical", and "knocking the boat off course", which suggests it was not square-on at the impact.

 

The passengers should have been wearing jackets for the bar crossing & in an open area of the vessel with that size vessel if my regs are remembered correctly for here so they "should" have been wearing floatation, head & back injuries were sustained along with some cuts & bruising. Some great work in getting everyone together. The skipper will have some investigation as to their actions, the main thing is nobody lost their life & what has been learned from this incident can be further applied.

j.

 

I recall an old hand with a charter vessel who would not traverse that bar with paying customers, saying (at the time) that it was officially "closed to navigation". I'm not sure what the legalities are surrounding that matter these days, but there seems a strong case to mandate wearing of jackets and have someone wearing a personal EPIRB as well.

 

Here are the requirements in NSW
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/business-...quirements/coastal-bar-crossing-approval.html
Not sure what they do in QLD.
J.

 

A cursory reading of that seems to indicate lifejackets would have to worn on a charter boat of this kind in NSW, if it is a requirement in QLD, I'm not aware of it.

 

I'd think there'd be a reg that requires "passive" (automatic) deployment of both life-saving flotation and emergency water proof radios and beacons, if the boat turns over, gets swamped, etc, without any action of incapacitated entire crew or passengers.

In other words, a laundry basket of $5 life jackets with gizmos tied to them always somewhere on deck.

I remember a long time ago on an SF bay ferry they had outside box-benches with foam covered lid-seats, and under the seats were all stacks of cheap mae west style PFDs. Made sense, the foam lids would open and all the PFDs would float out.