More Money and Boat to Maritime - Safety?

 

South Coast gets state of the art patrol boat which quote “will improve safety for all boaters” HOW? Come on, explain how?

The press release is just full of fake expressions and unsubstantiated spin.

The Maritime Operations Officer states the vessel will be used for “ strategic compliance operations as well as assist combat agencies” Did you read that correctly “Compliance operations” and assist "combat agencies”

Improve safety – not a word….. you have got to be joking! Not a single sentence regarding demonstrations or education or in fact safety operation but “enforce rules”. Just PR spin.

Maritime will not tow a vessel to safety nor render any other assistance. The local BSO does not answer calls on VHF Chanel 16. So what is the use of the calling and safety channel when he does not respond. So improve safety – one must question that.

Read the press release further: “NSW Maritime will now have three patrol boats and two jetskis operating in the Batemans Bay area.” What an overkill of assets for the number of boaters in the area especially in light of the single always open boat ramp west of the bridge and the private boat ramp at Hanging Rock.

Maritime was moved kicking and screaming under the new Transport for NSW Department while the bureaucrats scrapped over who would manage the vast boating licence fee honey pot so this may be the sop the Minister had to give to keep the local union representative quiet and sweet. Wink wink nudge nudge."

Yachtsman death delayed by Marine Rescue’s actions.

A person sailing a 33 ft yacht south along the south coast of NSW contacted Marine Rescue Batemans Bay Friday to inform them that there was a foot of water in his vessel and it was sinking. The vessel was presumed to be off Brush Island which is halfway between Ulladulla and the Bay so both MR bases scrambled their crews on the fast response rescue vessel to proceed to the scene of the incident.

On route three of the crew fell off their chairs and sustained non-life threatening injuries. It was reported that the winds gusted up to 20 knots in seas “too hazardous” to come along side the distressed vessel and attach a tow line to the vessel.

The master was instructed to launch his flimsy inflatable dinghy into these confused seas, get on board and row to the Marine Rescue vessel so his life could be saved.

Photos showed the owner – wearing a person safety device, clutching the side of his “sinking yacht” while transferring his belonging. He bruised his body during this dangerous operation while the MR crews looked on. He was later examined by paramedics on the wharf at Ulladulla and released immediately and told to take medication and lie down for a rest.

Marine Rescue left the yacht to drift along the coast in the rain and mist as a grave hazardous to navigation. Stating "It could end up on the beach, or it could sink before it gets to the beach.". It should be noted the adjacent land area is a pristine national park with endangered birds nest on the shoreline so the diesel, petrol and other debris will land up on the shore. This will release Marine Rescue of any obligation and transfer the clean-up responsibility to another Government agency.

However if the yacht did sink it would find a resting place on the bottom of the ocean in the Batemans Marine Park sanctuary zone where the diesel and other debris would drift along the sea bottom for years to come. Save the Sanctuary Zone activist will soon be organising a salvage operation calling all their member to donate to find this wayward vessel before it destroyed the pristine nature environment of the Eurobodalla coast line.

Now the hard questions:

• Who made the decision to leave the vessel to the mercy of the sea? Was it Marine Rescue instructing the master under some dubious police authority or was it made by the owner fearing legal liability?
• Who made the decision to leave the vessel to drift ashore or sink into the depths of a Marine Park?
• Did Marine Rescue place an activated EPIRB on board to track the vessel?
• Did the vessel have an AIS safety device to tell other vessels its location, speed and direction?
• Has this operation been recorder as an AMSA incident and when?
• What notice to mariners has been issued regarding a “sinking” vessel in the area?
• Will Marine Rescue undertake a full, open and transparent incident and operation review of this operation?
• Will the report be made available to the public who contribute to the funds of Marine Rescue?
• Will Marine Rescue again brush this under the carpet as just another “learning” experience and never mention it again?

Many many unanswered questions. Will Marine Rescue respond or put out a further social media post regarding searching for the disabled vessel?