Three marine rescues

Three marine rescues took place during the last weekend of November.

Two calls for help were received by Marine Rescue Central Coast first thing on the morning of Saturday, November 26.

The first call, received by phone around 8:20am saw Central Coast 21 with skipper Bren Weston at the helm, tasked to assist a seven metre runabout reported with two persons on board and a mechanical problem.

The boat was in Broken Bay off Bullimah Beach, at the western tip of Gerrin Point.

Three metre seas made conditions difficult but the rescue crew located the vessel and it was taken in tow.

The lumpy seas put extra strain on the tow line and a fitting parted.

It was replaced and the tow resumed, however, the tow was again suspended when the rescue boat instruments showed the engine was overheating.

The second call was received by radio at 8:30am saw Central Coast 22 with skipper Ian Radford at the helm, tasked to assist a six metre runabout with electrical failure at Ettalong.

This vessel was located and had reached The Rip Bridge on the way to Lintern St Ramp when the rescue boat was directed to assist Central Coast 21 which was at Box Head.

The towed boat was asked to anchor and the crew promised to return as quickly as possible.

Central Coast 22 hurried to Broken Bay and took over the tow from Central Coast 21 and the vessel was towed to Gosford Ramp.

After some investigation the cause of the diesel engine overheating was determined and rectified.

Central Coast 21 then went to The Rip Bridge and took the anchored vessel left by Central Coast 22 in tow, dropping the vessel at Lintern St Ramp.

The radio room received a phone call on the Sunday at 9:30am from the owner of a five metre runabout with mechanical failure off the north entry to the Blackwall Channel.

He requested a tow to Gosford Ramp.

Central Coast 22 with Bren Weston and his crew attended and towed the boat to Gosford Ramp.

Media release, 28 Nov 2016

Ron Cole, Marine Rescue NSW Central Coast