Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast - QF5 Noosa Winter Edition

Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast | 1

This issue ...AGL Rescue | Bay to Bay Race | Diving HMAS Brisbane

A Day in the Life | Rescue Stories | Guardia CosteriaNoosa Tides | Improving SAR | Radar | Seeing in the Dark

Hitting the Bricks | QF5 News

Winter 2013 - QF5 Noosa Edition

2 | Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast

AVCGA QF5 NOOSA Proudly supported by ...

John Waddams and the AGL Rescue helicopter after a successful training exercise.

Background image: Sunset over the Noosa River from Munna Point

Bar Tender Patrol crossing the Noosa Bar.Member of the public participating in a flare demonstration held at QF5.


04 EDITOR’S CORNER

05 COAST NEWS

06 SQUADRON NEWS

10 AGL & QF5 TO THE RESCUE QF5 particpate in a helicopter rescue demonstration for an international police convention

12 2013 BAY TO BAY YACHT RACE QF21 take us on safety boat patrol during this year’s race

14 HMAS BRISBANE Dive the wreck of HMAS Brisbane off Mooloolaba

16 A DAY IN THE LIFE ... Spend a day on the job with QF17’s MOB Training Dummy

18 ITALIAN GUARDIA COSTERIA Meet our Italian “cousins”

20 THE JAMES COOK MISSION QF21 to the rescue when a crew abandons a sinking houseboat

21 SALVAGE AT SUNSHINE QF5 tackles one of their toughest rescues

22 IMPROVING SAR RESPONSES

24 NOOSA TIDES Your pull-out tide info

26 RADAR Part 1: A Brief History

28 SEEING IN THE DARK Night vision equipment to help you see in the dark

30 HITTING THE BRICKS How to manage groundings

33 “SEA PATROL” TO THE RESCUE HMAS Bundaberg assists QF6 with a rescue

34 FLOTILLA NEWS Latest news from QF5

42 MEMBERSHIP

44 FROM THE SHIP’S GALLEY

44 FIRST AID TIPS

45 THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE

46 SQUADRON CONTACTS

10 12 14 16

18 20 21 26

28 30 33 34

CONTENTSThe Official Magazine of AVCGA Sunshine Coast Squadron

WINTER 2013 | ISSUE 2QF5 Noosa Edition


PUBLISHING INFORMATIONCoast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast is published quarterly by AVCGA Sunshine Coast Squadron.Copies are available from QF4 Caloundra, QF6 Mooloolaba, QF5 Noosa, QF17 Tin Can Bay and QF21 Sandy Straits. Please contact the Flotilla.Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast is available via email. To join the emailing list, please contact the flotilla representative for your area.Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast is also available via download. Visit the flotilla’s page on the Coast Guard website at www.coastguard.com.au. For advertising enquiries, please contact the flotilla representative for your area.

EDITOR: Vice Captain Julie HartwigPh: 07 5486 4014M: 0498 377 402E: [email protected]: 2A Bass St, Tin Can Bay, Qld 4580

Sub-Editors:QF4 Caloundra: John GasparottoE: [email protected] Noosa: Christian DearnaleyE: [email protected] Mooloolaba: Ian HuntE: [email protected] Tin Can Bay: Julie HartwigE: [email protected] Sandy Strait: Kate HouleyE: [email protected]

Disclaimer: Whilst every care is taken by the Editor to minimise errors, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy or otherwise of contributions made by AVCGA members, and the information, images, illustrations and advertisements contained herein. Opinions expressed in articles in this publication are those of the authors. All content in this publications is published with the consent and approval of the Sunshine Coast Squadron Board.

© Copyright AVCGA Sunshine Coast Squadron, 2013

Visit Coast Guard on the web:www.coastguard.com.au

Welcome to the Winter edition of Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast. Getting the first edition (Autumn) out was almost bigger than Ben Hur, and while not all the Squadron’s flotillas managed

to get their editions up and running, Noosa, Mooloolaba and Tin Can Bay rose to the challenge. And what a challenge it was! There were a few technical glitches to overcome, but we got there in the end and the result is a Coast Guard magazine that we here on the Sunshine Coast are justifiably proud of.

In the aftermath of that first publication, the feedback from Coast Guard members, advertisers and the public has been extremely positive. I have received several phone calls from readers offering congratulations on the standard of the publication and the content, so hopefully with that support, the magazine will only get better.

The concept of merging five magazines into one was always going to be a difficult one to sell, but once that first issue was published and people could see it and read it, we knew we were heading in the right direction. The participation of all flotillas for this second issue has been nothing short of fantastic - well done to everyone who has made contributions! Remember, it can’t be about you if you’re not in it!

We’ve got a terrific selection of stories in this issue, starting with a helicopter rescue demonstration with QF5, then we join QF21 for the safety boat patrol at this year’s Bay to Bay Yacht Race. We go diving on the wreck of HMAS Brisbane, spend a day on the job with QF17’s Man Overboard Training Dummy, visit our “cousins” at the Italian Guardia Costeria and catch up with rescue crews doing their “stuff” on the water.

On the technical side, we have the first in a series of articles on Radar. QF6 tell how they are improving search and rescue procedures, we get the low-down on special equipment used in night operations, and get some tips on how to manage groundings. In addition, there’s all the latest news from your flotilla and much more.

The team here at CGRSC invite Coast Guard members, supporters and boaties to share your boating experiences and knowledge with readers. Contact your local flotilla (details at left) and they’ll assist you with your contribution.

In the meantime, stay safe on the water and enjoy the read!

Julie HartwigEditorVice Captain PublicationsSunshine Coast Squadron

A Message to Our Readers ... Please Support our AdvertisersThe Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association is a volunteer marine rescue organisation committed to saving lives at sea. AVCGA flotillas in the Sunshine Coast region receive minimal government funding and must engage in constant fundraising activities to keep our rescue vessels on the water, train our volunteer personnel and operate our rescue bases.

The support of local and regional businesses is an essential part of our fundraising activities. When you shop at any of our advertisers, please tell them you saw their advertisement in Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast. Please support our advertisers because their support ensures the continuation of AVCGA’s rescue services to boating communities on the Sunshine, Cooloola and Fraser Coasts.

Editor’s Corner


ADD LIFE JACKETS TO YOUR WINTER WARDROBEWith cooler temperatures rolling into Queensland, everyone is now reaching for their winter woollies, but boaties should also be reaching for their life jackets, according to PeterVaughan Deputy Commander of the Caloundra Coast Guard.

“The colder weather is another occasion for boaties to review their safetypreparations before heading out into potentially unfavourable conditions,” he said.

“Wearing bulky clothing can further reduce your survival chances if you end upin the water, so wearing a life jacket when boating alone, at night or in high-risksituations, is more important than ever.”

Mr Vaughan said while Queensland enjoyed milder water temperatures thanthe southern states, it was not always the case on inland waterways.

“Fresh water temperatures can plummet, particularly further inland, so the risk of hypothermia from immersion is greatly increased,” he said. “That’s why anyone boating on inland waterways should make sure they’re wearing extra protection against the cold – their life jacket. If nothing else, remember life jackets can make warm, wind-proof accessories on a cold day or night.”

Boaties should also continually consider the risk of deadly carbon monoxide gases building up in enclosed areas on vessels. “Boaties dropping covers on vesselsto shut out the cold weather could potentially be shutting in engine exhaust fumes,which can quickly cause unconsciousness and possible death,” Peter warned.

“Always make sure your compartments and work areas are well ventilated andwatch for early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as headaches and drowsiness.”

NATIONAL FISHING TITLES COME TO CALOUNDRAIn December 2010 the Caloundra Power Boat Club submitted a proposal to Queensland Amateur Fishing Club’s Association (QAFCA), the organisers of the National Titles, to host the championships out of the Caloundra Power Boat Club.

They were successful and have been working with QAFCA since then in the planning process to ensure the Titles are a success.

The Australian Anglers Association (AAA) 33rd National Angling Championships and Convention of 2013 will be held from 6 August through to the 22 August. Headquartered at the Power Boat Club, the Championships consist of four separate fishing disciplines plus a substantial social program for the anglers and their partners to enjoy.

There will be three separate rounds of competition for Offshore, Rock, Beach and Estuary and two rounds for Casting, giving 11 days of competition. Prizes will be awarded for each round, plus overall Championship winners and runners up in teams as well as individuals.

According to Barry Purcell of the Power Boat Club, they are expecting a minimum of 250 to 300 anglers competing from all States plus New Zealand, with their partners and families over the 16 days of competition, giving the Sunshine Coast (in particular Caloundra) an undoubted economical boost for accommodation, tourist attractions, dining, entertainment, fuel supplies along with bait and tackle requirements.

Anglers must be affiliated with their various State associations to compete. Weigh-ins at the Power Boat Club will be open to all interested members and visitors who can also enjoy a meal and drink overlooking the beautiful Pumicestone Passage.

During the competition, the Caloundra Volunteer Coast Guard will be on hand to look after the anglers’ safety.

Coast News


ACTS OF SABOTAGE HAVE HAPPY ENDINGGood news comes from unlikely places. The last few months have certainly seen some ups and downs for QF5.

The fuel lines on QF5’s newest vessel, Davo’s Rescue, were cut sometime between the night of Sunday May 19 and the morning of Tuesday May 21. Needless to say, the deliberate sabotage of a rescue vessel obviously had questionable motives and left the entire flotilla and local Noosa community confused as to why someone would do such a thing.

The sabotage left QF5 with little choice but to invest in a high-quality security system that would record the vessel at all times The large cost of this system left all at QF5 reeling, however, good news was on the horizon! Coverage of the event in local papers lead to QF5 being contacted by the Noosa Heads and Tewantin-Noosa Lions Clubs who generously donated $2200 between them to put towards the system.

Unfortunately, a fuel line on Davo’s Rescue was again cut just days before the system was installed.

The second incident was nearly identical to the first, with the exception of only the one line being cut. The second incident received much more media interest, which sparked a spate of donations from individuals as well as the Rotary Club of Noosa. Club president Tess Alexandroff presented a cheque to QF5 Commander John Milland for $800 on behalf of the club, which will see the entire cost of the security system covered by donations. The generosity of these organisations and the individuals who made donations was a welcome surprise for QF5.

Christian Dearnaley, QF5

Above: QF5 Commander John Milland accepts the cheque from Tewantin-Noosa Lions Club.

COMMODORE’S MESSAGEI recently attended a special meeting of the National Board at which the main discussion points were to clarify some serious items of misinformation circulating around Flotillas and disclosure of disciplinary actions within the AVCGA. So, please note the following:• AVCGA Status: AVCGA is NOT in liquidation and has NOT had an administrator appointed.• Legal representation: Minter Ellison continues as AVCGA’s solicitors and represents the organisation at all levels.• Constitutional issues: AVCGA will continue seeking to become a company limited by guarantee. However, the

Constitution (Version 7) must first be ratified by members. Some changes will be required to comply with the law; the least palatable of which is that voting by post will not be permitted on Constitutional matters. The National Board has undertaken to hold any such meetings requiring a vote by financial regular members to be held in the capital city of the state in which most members are resident to enable as many members as wish to vote the right to do so. Further, the current structure of the AVCGA will remain as is, with only cosmetic changes required to comply with legal requirements.

• Status of AVCGA Kingscliff: This flotilla continues to operate as AVCGA Kingscliff despite continued harassment from MRNSW.

• Disciplinary Actions: Disciplinary action concerning four members in Victoria is ongoing. AVCGA’s legal/insurance team advise that legal action be taken against these members ASAP. AVCGA will be seeking full reimbursement of all costs. There has been no High Court decision concerning these four members and the cost of this legal action is and will be covered by AVCGA insurance. These members have not been disenrolled, but cannot return to active duty unless they appear before a Squadron Board, which apparently they have refused to do.

I hope this puts to bed any speculation about the situation within the AVCGA and legal matters.Robin HoodSunshine Coast Squadron Commodore

Squadron News


QF17 CHARITY GOLF & BOWLS DAY RAISES OVER $9,000After holding their charity golf day at Gympie Pines for the past two years, QF17 decided to bring their very successful fundraising event to their home “ground” at Tin Can Bay. With Tin Can Bay Country Club organising the golf and bowls competitions, QF17 volunteers approached local and regional businesses and were rewarded with a fantastic array of prizes and items for the raffles and charity auction.

Sunday 26 May dawned fine, though a little windy, but that didn’t stop over 90 golfers and 35 bowlers fronting up with their clubs and bowls. The golfers tackled the Tin Can Bay course in a 3-man Ambrose format competition which kicked off at 10:30 sharp. After 18 holes, local golfer Grant Williams eventually walked away with the winners’ prize.

Over at the bowls green, the 15-end competition was on for young and old with mixed teams guided by experienced club bowlers leading the way. The girls from the Cooloola Dragon Boat Club showed that fast paddling is not their only skill when they stepped up to show their support for Coast Guard, while Adam, on holiday at Rainbow Beach, saw the ad in the Rainbow News and decided to come over for the afternoon even though he had never played bowls before.

After the games were over, the fun began in the clubhouse with dozens of prizes up for grabs in the rolling raffles and some great items available in the auction, including a weekend for two at Kingfisher Bay Resort, cricket memorabilia, BBQs, outdoor furniture and lots more.

A great day was had by everyone that saw over $9,000 raised. QF17 volunteers wish to thank the management and members of the Tin Can Bay Country Club and all businesses and members of the public who sponsored holes, donated prizes and auction items and played in the golf and bowls competitions for their fantastic support. The golf and bowls day will be back bigger and better in 2014.

Julie Hartwig, QF17

QF21 HAPPY WITH HONDA OUTBOARDSIn the last issue we reported that QF21’s primary rescue vessel, Pride of Maryborough, had been fitted with two new Honda outboard motors to replace their previous outboards, one of which suffered a catastrophic failure. Although the new motors have only just passed the first scheduled service, the difference in performance at all levels is becoming quite clear. The 29 hours of operation of the Hondas was compared against the last 29.5 hours of operation of the previous O/Bs, with the following outcomes:

Engine power: Honda 200 HP vs E-Tec 150 HPTotal fuel used: 678 litres vs 1396 litresFuel burned per motor: 339 litres vs 698 litresFuel burned per hr/motor: 11.69 L vs 23.42 LOil burned (total): Nil (4 stroke) vs 7 litres (@$14/L)During the survey period, the Hondas powered Pride of Maryborough

on a 5.8 hour tow of a 14 ton vessel from Dream Island to Tin Can Bay, at 2,200 RPM and an average speed of 8 knots. The previous O/Bs were not called on to perform any comparable task in the surveyed period. The difference is marked and the all-round improvement in performance makes the albeit expensive change-over worth every dollar. We have a 33% increase in available HP.; a 50% reduction in fuel usage, and a 100% reduction in oil usage.

Because the Hondas are heavier, the propellers are deeper in the water, thus providing more grip. Overall vessel trim is also improved. The factor that most impresses our crews is the reduction in the overall noise level. It is possible to have a normal conversation within a metre of the motors in operation at 4,000 RPM without having to shout, or strain to hear over the racket of the engines.

While it was an unexpected and unwelcome expense at the time, the long-term benefits in running cost savings, decreased strain on the crews and improved performance will be more than worth it.

Our other expensive recent acquisition, the aluminium trailer, has also proved its worth. We can now tow Pride of Maryborough to any point in the Maryborough Police district in complete safety. Launching and retrieving are achieved with far less difficulty and towing is easier on the tow vehicle and trailer, which adds a further reduction in maintenance costs. Jon Colless, QF21

Above: QF21 DFC Don Archer and Commander Jukka Manttari with Pride of Maryborough and the new Honda outboards.

Above: QF17 radio operator Marilyn Richards showed her style at the 7th tee.

Squadron News


QF4 ANZAC DAYThis year’s Anzac Day ceremony attracted a large contingent of QF4 members who attended both the Dawn Service and the 98th Memorial Service. Coast Guard Caloundra members took part in the Dawn Service followed by the March. For many years we have been invited to attend at the request of the Caloundra RSL.

Members of Charlie crew set their alarm clocks for 0300 hours and with Deputy Commander Peter Vaughan at the helm of Caloundra Rescue 2, crossed the Caloundra bar, and took up station off the Centaur Memorial waiting for the dawn service to start before laying a wreath in the sea as dawn broke. They then returned to base for a well deserved BBQ breakfast.

Later in the morning, Charlie crew again took to the water, taking up station off Kings Beach to prepare for another wreath laying for the Memorial Service. On land, a contingent of QF4 members joined assembled servicemen, ex-servicemen and marching bands in Burgess St, Caloundra, to march to the Kings Beach Auditorium.

Marching with the Australian and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard flags, our members attracted the cheers and applause of the crowds lining the streets. We marched well thanks to the music supplied by an Air Force cadet band behind us.

Commander Tony Barker, who led our smart looking marching party and returned the official salute, led our group into the auditorium for the service, where our Maintenance Officer Ben Davis, was given the honour of laying a wreath for the fallen at the catafalque that was guarded by members from the RAAF base at Amberley.

After the ceremony, Commander Barker said he was happy with the number of members who attended and was very impressed by the way the general public who lined the route of the march held Coast Guard Caloundra in such high esteem. He added that he was also impressed with the number of local school children who attended both services.

John Gasparotto, QF4

Squadron News


Below: This “motley crew” of Beer Fest patrons get into the spirit of the day at the Aussie Hotel.

Who are Coast Guardians?

We are ordinary people just like you,Who give up our time to man a crew.

A lifeboat that can be called 24 hours a day,Yes, my friends we do this without pay.We even man radios all day and night,

So when we hear a distress call we can come to your plight.We spend many hours with raffles and raising funds to pay

The fuel costs, which as you know are expensive today.The money you give helps to keep us afloat

So we can put to sea, rescue you and your boat.if there is anything you need to know about boats and the sea

You can call the Coast Guard and speak to someone just like me!Tony Taylor, QF5

Original version written by Lavinia Kemp (Southport CG)

QF21 RAISE FUNDS AT RELISH & BEER FESTCoast Guard Sandy Strait enjoyed a great weekend of fundraising and community involvement on Saturday 8 June and Sunday 9 June with participation in the Relish on Saturday and the Beer Fest on Sunday. Organised by the Fraser Coast Council, these two events were well supported by the local community.

During Saturday, QF21 members helped staff the entrance stands and other ticket selling places, engaging with the public making them more aware of QF21 as a community organisation, and also spreading the word that our annual fishing competition has been moved from July to September 28/29.

Sunday saw the annual Beer Fest fill the streets and pubs of Maryborough with an assortment of people in fancy dress with the theme being ‘nautical’ in honour of the fact that $1 from each of the pub crawl participants was donated to QF21. It was a wonderful fundraising event and despite the fact that a few showers dampened the day, spirits were not deflated.

QF21 supplied at least two members at each pub to sell the tickets and help to promote our flotilla. We were ably assisted by a group of other volunteers who entered into the spirit of the fest and made the day flow like clockwork.

Lunch was provided to all volunteers by the Council, after which QF21 members wandered the streets and the pubs rattling the buckets. The generosity of patrons was overwhelming and overall the day boosted the funds of QF21. Thank you to all those involved especially the Council and the Pub Fest participants.

Kate Houley, QF21

Above, L-R: QF21 Members Kerry Kingston, John Meredith, Kate Houley and Bruce Pollard at the “Relish”.

Squadron News


AGL Helo & QF5to the Rescue

One of the primary functions of a volunteer Coast Guard station is to provide a search and rescue facility. Christian Dearnaley reports on QF5’s involvement in a helicopter rescue demonstration staged for an international police convention held recently on the Sunshine Coast.

The nature of search and rescue missions often requires coordinated involvement from other emergency services such as the Water Police and air-rescue helicopters.

In April this year, QF5 Noosa participated in a simulated rescue exercise with the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter. The event, which was coordinated by the Sunshine Coast Water Police, showcased the importance of volunteer rescue groups like the Coast Guard and the ways they can assist emergency services. The exercise aimed to demonstrate how the volunteer Coast Guard could participate in a search and rescue event and then prepare the patient to be airlifted off the back deck of the same search and rescue vessel, without having to head inshore and transfer to an ambulance. Let’s just say QF5 succeeded in doing this and managed a little showing off in the process.

QF5 first heard about the event when the Sunshine Coast Water Police approached us with the idea of putting on a display for a police convention that was being held on the Coast. Sixty-one officers from 30 nations had travelled to Queensland to take part in the second International Police Association Seminar for Young Officers. For one week they studied major incident response techniques, viewed case study presentations and watched local rescuing and policing demonstrations. QF5’s demonstration was part of a morning of displays from other services like the Volunteer Lifeguards and the SES.

The morning began for us at 1000hrs when we arrived at the Munna Point base to prepare Davo’s Rescue, which would be taking a few QF5 crew as onlookers and photographers from local news stations, and the John Waddams. The large back-deck area on the John Waddams made it the perfect choice for the exercise, as a rescue swimmer would

Above: International police officers gather on the shore at Little Cove to watch the display. (Photo by Christian Dearnaley)Main pic, top: Rescue swimmer gives to “OK” to commence winching casualty up to the helicopter. (Photo by Ann Milland)


be winched down from the rescue helicopter, thus requiring a large landing space.

By 1030hrs we had both boats open and were only waiting for the last of the photographers to arrive. By 1040hrs we were underway in Davo’s Rescue, with the John Waddams following closely behind, and on time with the strict schedule we had been given.

At 1100hrs we arrived at Little Cove in Laguna Bay, ready for the scheduled 1130hrs rendezvous with the rescue helicopter. The weather was clear and conditions were smooth which meant the possibility of swimmers entering into the drop area. This presented a real danger to the swimmers but also to the rescue swimmer being winched down as QF5 skipper Peter Williams on the John Waddams would need to keep the vessel as still as possible while the exercise was taking place. Any sudden movements from the vessel, such as avoiding swimmers, could result in serious injury to the rescue swimmer or even damage to the helicopter or our vessel – the pressure was on! Our role on Davo’s Rescue was to warn swimmers against entering the exclusion area, as well as preventing any vessels from coming near the area.

As we were waiting in the drop area, a reasonable crowd began to gather on the grassy opening at Little Cove. We could make out some of the different countries present by their police uniforms - the Mounted Canadians in red, the Indians in Khaki and the Americans in black - all mixing with the Australian ‘boys and girls in blue’.

As the 1130hrs meeting time drew closer, attention turned to our two yellow vessels which were floating around 100m from the shoreline. At 1120hrs we heard the tell-tail ‘wop wop wop’ of a helicopter approaching and looked to the Noosa headland as the AGL Air-Rescue Helicopter rounded the corner on a tight bank. She flew fast and low overhead, sweeping the area three times – no doubt a bit of a show for the foreign viewers – before hovering over the John Waddams.

The chopper moved forward slightly and dropped something into the water and then moved back again dropping something into the water. These two ‘somethings’ turned out to be flares and the red smoke that billowed from them signified the area the John Waddams had to stay within. The chopper then moved away, around 500m from our vessels and began lowering their rescue swimmer. He was lowered to around 10m above the water level before the chopper started making its slow return back to our vessels.

Peter Williams worked the throttles and buckets of the John Waddams continuously to ensure it stayed in the same location. The chopper approached the John Waddams with the swimmer dangling just metres from the back deck. One last swing in across the deck and he was lowered the rest of the way down, landing on his feet and springing straight into action.

Immediately he removed a large padded sling from around himself and instructed our crew member, who had volunteered to be the patient, to put it around his body and clamp it under his arms. The rescue swimmer then attached it to his harness, instructed his patient to keep his arms down by his sides and gave his crew in the chopper, which was still hovering above, the all clear. The pair huddled down on the back deck, waiting for the slack line to be taken up. Just 30 seconds after he dropped down, the rescue swimmer was once again airborne, this time with a patient who was being quickly winched to safety.

While this event was just a simulation, it gave the crews involved first hand experience of working with an air-rescue helicopter and showed just how effective and quickly an air-rescue helicopter could come in and pick up a patient off a search and rescue vessel. Such capabilities would be invaluable in the search and rescue of someone lost at sea, as the patient would need not endure the trip back in to a waiting ambulance. It goes without saying that this could literally mean the difference between life and death in a rescue situation.

Top: Rescue swimmer is winched down to the John Waddams.Above: Rescue swimmer and casualty winched up to the helicopter. (Photos by Ann Milland)


The annual Bay to Bay race was held on the weekend of the 4th and 5th of May. For those who don’t know, this is an event for trailer-sailers that is held over two days, racing from Tin Can Bay to Hervey Bay, with an overnight stop at Garry’s Anchorage on Fraser Island in the Great Sandy Strait.Trailer-sailers covers a wide variety of mono and multihulls up to 10 metres in length. The multihulls, although

being classified as trailer-sailers, are demountable, which means that they aren’t exactly a ten minute launch.QF17 Tin Can Bay and QF21 Sandy Strait supplied on-water safety coverage on day one, while on day two, QF21

covered the fleet as far as Ungowa before handing over to VMR466 Marine Rescue Hervey Bay for the run to the finish off Urangan.

At 0700 on Saturday morning, QF21 launched Pride of Maryborough and Jupiter One to make their way to the position off Inskip Point where they were to start their role as auxiliary safety craft for the 135 entrants. On the trip down the Strait, the Saturday leg of the course was checked, which consisted of the boats travelling through Cockburn’s Gutter to perform a “log patrol”. This turned up a couple of potentially damaging pieces of driftwood.

The 1100 start time came and went ... no wind! The start line was moved down Tin Can Inlet towards Inskip Point where the breeze finally kicked in and got the fleet moving, albeit in leisurely fashion.

Jupiter One ranged ahead of the fleet with QF17’s Mount Rescue II and Mount Rescue to keep watch for any driftwood the previous sweep had missed, whilst keeping an eye on the fleet rockets - the big multihulls - some of which were starting to move through the fleet at an increasing rate as the breeze piped up.

The race proceeded without incident until around 1400, when the breeze dropped out, leaving almost half the fleet becalmed between the S38 red beacon south of Snout Point and the entry to Garry’s Anchorage. It was a frustratingly slow hour and a half for the competitors, drifting with the tide and making minuscule amounts of headway under the occasional cat’s paw of breeze.

The race controller called stumps at 1530, at which time those that hadn’t made the finish line were encouraged to fire up their “iron topsails” (or two-stroke spinnakers, depending which school you attended) to get everyone over the line, accounted for, and snugged down for the night in Garry’s. We didn’t venture into Garry’s; boats were stacked gunwale to gunwale, by all reports.

Sunday morning saw QF21’s boats

Bay to Bay Yacht Race

by Jon CollessRadio Officer, QF21

Left: The rewards of “log patrol”. (Photo by Jon Colless)Above: Coast Guard raft up at Inskip Point. L-R: QF17’s Mount Rescue II and Mount Rescue, QF21’s Pride of Maryborough and Jupiter One. (Photo by Julie Hartwig)


on the water again by 0700, to take up positions for the run up through Sheridan Flats to Ungowa. Jupiter One again headed up the course on log patrol, while Pride of Maryborough stayed at the tail of the fleet. There was a bit more breeze and everyone got moving reasonably well. The difference was that the breeze was following, so spinnakers and gennakers were the order of the day. At this time we were joined by our eye-in-the-sky, Kev and Carole MacNally in their microlight, who we must thank for the aerial photo.

Again it was an incident free morning, apart from a Sydney 18 foot skiff that went just a little too far off the course line and into the shallows for which the Strait is notorious, and appeared to touch down. The crew kept all sail flying and managed to sail off without too much trouble, although it’s not every day that an 18 footer is seen with the spinnaker full, but with the mast almost 60 degrees off the vertical.

There was the usual pushing and shoving at S24 to get all boats around the buoy, but while there were some close encounters of the potentially damaging kind, everyone managed to negotiate the turn without damage other than to nerves and tempers. It was then a glorious spinnaker run up to Ungowa.

QF21 handed over to VMR466 at Ungowa and the two vessels and crew returned to base. Maybe we’ll get a race with a bit more wind next year …

Above: After motoring down Tin Can Inlet on Saturday morning, Divisions 2, 3 and 4 finally got a start near Ida Island. (Photo by Julie Hartwig)

Right The MacNally’s and their microlight get a bird’s eye view

of Sunday’s start. (Photo by Jon Colless)

Main Pic, left: The fleet gathers for

Sunday’s start north of Garry’s Anchorage.(Photo by Carole MacNally)

Below Sunday start under spinnaker. (Photo by Jon Colless)


There is always something sad about seeing a ship scuttled at sea or wrecked on the shore. It seems to be an abrupt end to what can sometimes have been a fantastic story for that ship, often filled with adventure, heroism, or sometimes just the pleasure of being on the sea. Often, as I look out and see a passing ship, it makes me

wonder who is on it, where is it going and where has it been?In some ways the story of the ex-HMAS Brisbane came to an abrupt end when it was scuttled 4.2 nm off the

coast of Mooloolaba. In this case, however, the story of the ex-HMAS Brisbane typified the cliché, ‘This was not the end but only the beginning.’

The HMAS Brisbane was built for the Australian Navy in the US. The Australian War Memorial notes that, “It was the third of the RAN’s American-built ‘Charles F. Adams’ class guided-missiles destroyers. (The other two were HMAS Hobart and HMAS Perth.) These ships cost $40 million each (or $50 million with missiles) and were the first major Australian warships designed and built in America. They carried a complement of 20 officers and 312 sailors. Apart from the 5-inch/54 calibre guns, they were armed with Ikara missile systems and anti-submarine torpedoes.”

The HMAS Brisbane saw active service in the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, and was recognised as playing a significant role in supporting the US fleet in both of these conflicts. Its rear 5” gun had an automatic loading system, allowing it to fire its rounds as fast as was possible with an expert crew. It could achieve a speed of 35 knots.

In 2001, the Brisbane was decommissioned and a number of suggestions were put forward as to how this ship could be honoured. Eventually after negotiations between Commonwealth, State and local governments, it was decided that the ship would be scuttled as a dive attraction on the Sunshine Coast. At the time it was believed that such a dive attraction could contribute up to $18 million annually to the Sunshine Coast region and it has not disappointed.

Before it could be sunk, the ex-HMAS Brisbane needed to be prepared carefully and there were a number of environmental and safety issues that needed to be resolved. First, in a fitting memorial, its bridge and one of its guns were removed and they now stand outside the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The rest of the ship had to be cleaned to ensure all fuel, oils, asbestos and other contaminates were totally removed.

The ship was then prepared to address safety issues

HMAS Brisbane ...... Diver’s Paradise

by Ian DavisG-Force Crew, QF5


for divers. The main concern was that divers could become lost inside the wreck and to overcome this, large holes were strategically cut in both sides of the ship. This would allow light into the interior and provide exit points for scuba divers.

On the July 31, 2005 the ex-HMAS Brisbane was towed to Mooloolaba and, using carefully laid out explosive charges, it sank in 2 minutes and 10 seconds. It now sits upright on a sandy bottom with the bottom of the hull 26m below the surface, its deck at 17m and one of its towers just 5m below the ocean’s surface, which is ideal for divers to complete their safety stops.

Eight years after its sinking it has truly brought new life to the area. Extensive coral growth has taken over the exterior of the ship and it is now the home of a huge variety of marine life from tiny nudibranchs to the occasional passing whale that uses the side of the ship to scratch a persistent itch. Snapper, trevally, gropers, octopus and lobsters all call the ex-HMAS Brisbane home. Annual visitors include pelagics, turtles, whales and even the occasional manta ray.

For those who may now be thinking that this is their next fishing spot, it is a no fishing zone and access is restricted to two dive operators and individual divers who must obtain a permit from the EPA. This has the advantage of restricting the number of divers on the ship at any one time and ensures that it truly becomes a marine haven.

The ex-HMAS Brisbane now sits proud beneath the surface, and with its contribution to marine conservation and the economy of the Sunshine Coast, its motto, “We aim at higher things” lives on.

Above: Fish life around the Brisbane.

Below: Divers inside the Brisbane and with one of the ship’s guns;


A Day in the Life of aMan Overboard

Training Dummy

by Rastus StuftanovabordMOB Training Dummy, QF17

Ever wondered what it’s like to be thrown overboard, half drowned, dragged aboard a rescue vessel and receive potentially lifesaving CPR? Sounds like an exciting career, doesn’t it? Well, think again because the work is dangerous, especially for those involved in the rescue operations. However, these experiences are part of everyday

working life for me. What do I do? My name is Rastus and I’m a Coast Guard Man Overboard Training Dummy.A typical day begins when the crew lifts me from my hook on the tool shelf in the boat shed and puts me

aboard one of the rescue boats. (Getting to ride around in the yellow rescue boats is definitely one of the “perks” of my job ... Actually, it’s the only one!)

After a briefing, the crew board the RVs and we head out to the training area, where I get to observe training exercises including boat handling, radio communications, GPS and radar operations and general seamanship as we proceed to a designated “drop zone” for our special man overboard training activity.

Once there, I’m covertly thrown or dropped overboard, or deliberately capsized from an inflatable tender deployed for the purpose. (The covert aspect of this part of the training exercise is essential, because if the crew saw me go over the side, they might not take the “search and rescue” exercise as seriously as they should.)

From the water, I get a great dummy’s eye view of the proceedings. A MOB call from the observer’s boat summons a rescue vessel to the scene. If I’m in deep water, any of the RVs can affect my rescue. But if I’m in shallow water, the inflatable rubber duck is launched and pressed into service. (The last time this happened, I was taken ashore with the promise of a ride in an ambulance ... another “perk”, but one that sadly didn’t eventuate.)

When I’m found, the crew drag me aboard the RV, though depending on the exercise (or how cold the water is), they sometimes use the floating stretcher to retrieve me and hoist me aboard with the deck crane!

Once on board, the crew check my vital signs: Am I conscious? Am I breathing? Do I have a pulse? Because I’m just a dummy, I obviously don’t, so they commence CPR. This is by far my favourite party trick because I never had life to begin with and therefore, no one has yet succeeded in giving it back to me! But that doesn’t stop ‘em trying and that’s what the MOB training exercises are all about – teaching our Coast Guard volunteers the techniques involved

Left Psyching myself up for the day’s training exercise as I ride out to Inskip Point.Above: Doing my stuff in the water. Notice how the guys in the rubber duck don’t seem to be in too much of a hurry ... (Photos by Julie Hartwig)


in rescuing a man overboard and practicing resuscitation skills so that when the real thing happens, they’re fully prepared.

So, that’s a day in my life. If you’re interested in a career as a MOB dummy, there are a few important considerations. On the plus side, Coast Guard provide all necessary equipment at no expense, including uniforms (a day-glo orange jump suit), boots (to OH&S standard) and safety gear (a PFD 1 with accessories). In addition, MOB dummies are the only Coast Guard members who don’t have to comply with all of the OH&S/WH&S requirements which drive everyone crazy.

The job requires no particular physical attributes. Being vertically challenged is not an impediment - I’m only four feet six - and no one will give you a hard time about being a complete weakling totally devoid of muscular fibre. However, being soft in the head, having feet that possess a mind of their own and flexible limbs and joints are a decided advantage.

Communication skills are not required either. Being the silent type, devoid of the power of speech, means that no matter how perilous the situation is, you will never panic and start bellowing, “Help! Help!” You’ll always present a nonchalant facade when eventually rescued because it’s all in a day’s work.

On the remuneration front, I get a five-figure salary (all zeroes, like every Coast Guard volunteer), but the job is its own reward and like my cousin, the crash test dummy, it’s the price we pay for being ordinary dummies doing extraordinary things.

Being a MOB dummy is a high risk occupation, but if you think you have what it takes, there are a few essential prerequisites that suitable applicants must possess ...• Because you are subjected to some rough treatment at times, it’s a definite benefit to be a devotee of the “no brain, no pain” set. Being an inhuman, inanimate object also helps;• You must possess a supreme belief that you are completely indestructible, though if you do get injured or damaged, Coast Guard’s legendary ingenuity will repair the damage! (It’s amazing what the guys can do with a roll of gaffer tape!)• You must be able to tolerate long periods of immersion in water, especially when the water temperature gets cold enough to chill your favourite beer;• You must have absolutely no fear of Mother Nature’s water-borne man-eating and marine-stinging species (i.e., sharks, Box and Irukandji Jellyfish, crocodiles, Blue-ringed Octopus, etc.);• You must relish the prospect of being shark bait. (Being made of plastic and man-made fibres will give you a huge advantage here as these materials don’t make very appetizing meals for sharks);• Because never being found is the worst-case scenario for a MOB, you must have an unshakable belief that the guys and girls in the yellow boats will always find and rescue you;• Finally, you must have no aversion to being prodded, poked and pummelled while the Coast Guard crew practice their First Aid skills and try to resuscitate you (being a stuffed mannequin is a definite advantage here.)

So, that’s the low down on my job. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, but if you’re looking for an interesting job with plenty of excitement and danger, why not give the Coast Guard a call? There’s an empty hook on the tool shelf beside mine and it would be nice to have company while I hang around between ops .... Above: I don’t know which bit I injured here, but

the crew thought a pair of crutches would fix the problem.

Above: Hoist away, boys! That’s me in the floating stretcher. (Photo by Julie Hartwig)

Above: Safely back aboard, but for someone who’s just been plucked from the jaws of a watery death, the boys don’t seem too concerned about me ... (Photo by Julie Hartwig)


The Corpo delle Capitanerie di Porto - Guardia Costiera is the coast guard of Italy. It forms part of the Italian Navy under the control of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. In Italy, it is commonly known as the Guardia Costiera.It made world headlines recently when one of its officers, Captain Gregorio De Falco, ordered the captain of the

cruise ship Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, to return to his ship immediately, which was sinking off Giglio Porto, Italy.

Captain De Falco is now famous for shouting at Schettino- in no uncertain language over the radio - to get back on board the sinking vessel: “Get on board,d---!” he screamed in Italian. The actual phrase he used is, “Vada a bordo, cazzo!” Many translations have “cazzo” as “dammit”, but as an Italian-born Aussie, I can tell you it actually refers to a man’s private parts.

Italy’s Coast Guard is responsible for the safety of navigation. It does this by controlling and checking all national merchant vessels, fishing vessels, yachts and pleasure crafts, and by International agreement, all the foreign merchant vessels in Italian waters.

With a compliment of 11,000 sailors, it operates a fleet of 499 vessels and 21 aircraft from 300 bases across Italy. It is ready to undertake many multi-task roles for all maritime activities under its jurisdiction.

Its principal tasks are:• Search and rescue at sea (SAR);• Safety of navigation, with systematic investigative controls on the entire national mercantile, fishing and pleasure fleet, through the activity of the Port State Control, also on foreign mercantile shipping that call in at its national ports;• Protection of the marine environment;• Control of maritime fishery - the Italian Coast Guard is the responsible authority of the National Fishing Control Centre and it enforces the relevant regulations on the entire fishing fleet.

It is also responsible for the registration of mercantile, fishing and pleasure craft, and investigating maritime

The Italian Coast Guard

Contributed by John GasparottoEditor, QF4

Above, L-R: Vessels of the Italian Guardia Costeria - patrol vessel, small patrol boat, motor boat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_guard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Militare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Infrastructure_and_Transport

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_and_rescue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_of_navigation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_State_Control

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_conservation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_fishing


crimes. The Italian Coast Guard’s maritime police duties include enforcing maritime navigation laws and the control of maritime traffic, manoeuvring ships into harbours and their safety in the ports. It also investigates maritime accidents, guards maritime State property, and carries out periodic inspections of hazardous installations. Other functions also include underwater archaeology, and anti-illegal immigration patrols.

The Italian Coast Guard patrols 155 000 km² of maritime waters, internal lakes and rivers and territorial, which are in every respect part of the national territory, and another 350 000 km² of waters on which Italy has exclusive rights (exploitation of the depths resources) for its duties of rescue at sea and safeguarding the marine environment. Following the tendency that is affirming itself in Europe, the maritime authority - Coast Guard - must exercise an effective control at sea for the safeguard of human life, for the safety of navigation, for the correct continuance of economic activities (fishing and exploration of the continental platform) and for the protection of the marine environment.

Like related coast guards around the world, the Guardia Costiera uses “The Stripe” on its vessels. This marking is in the national colours, with a narrow green band, a narrow white spacing, and a broad red band. Inside the red band is a white circle with a black anchor.

The Italian Coast Guard was first organized by royal decree in 1865. It became part of the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) in 1915, and on June 8, 1989 it was named the Guardia Costiera.

Today, its fleet is comprised of six ocean-going patrol vessels, nine small patrol boats, 272 motorboats and 212 rigid-hulled inflatable vessels. Its air wing is comprised of 13 helicopters and eight fixed wing aircraft, with two more on order. The Italian Coast Guard also has a dedicated group of divers based in three regions across Italy. These divers were recently used to search the Costa Concordia for victims of the disaster.

Above: Small patrol boat; on scene with a grounded ship.Right, top to bottom: Patrol vessel at speed; rigid-hulled inflatable boat; rescue helicopter; fixed-wing aircraft; divers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_police

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_archaeology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_waters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Exclusion_Zone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Exclusion_Zone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_guard


Morning shift radio operator Don Archer received the call at 1010: Tin Can Bay Houseboats reported that MV James Cook, with four elderly people aboard, had struck lateral beacon S22 at Sheridan Flats and was taking on water. A rescue mission was immediately initiated.

There was one minor problem: To get a crew assembled and under way in a reasonable time meant that a substitute radio operator and another senior rating had to be found quickly to round out the mandatory crew complement for Pride of Maryborough. Fortunately, David and Mary Dixon were available, and, residing at Poona, were able to get to the base in smart time. Mary took over the radios, while David rounded out the required ratings complement.

Within about forty minutes Patrol Officer David Dixon, Leading Coxswain (now Deputy Commander) Don Archer, Competent Crew Cliff Lean and Competent Crew Mark Nielsen had Pride of Maryborough heading out of Big Tuan Creek north towards Sheridan Flats and the last reported position of the sinking vessel. With the extra power of the twin 200hp Hondas, Pride of Maryborough made this trip in forty minutes.

When Pride of Maryborough arrived on scene, the crew discovered that James Cook had drifted about a nautical mile north with the wind and tide and had settled on the bottom in the shallows near Turkey Island with only the flybridge showing above water. There was no sign of the people reported to be on board, but a binocular search of the surrounding shallows located the survivors in the houseboat’s tender to the west of where the collision had occurred, amongst the mangroves on a small island. They had very wisely abandoned ship in the vessel’s tender when they realised that the situation was untenable, and made for the closest dry ground, which happened to be one of the little unnamed islands to the west of S24.

Access to the survivors was made impossible by a stretch of water too shallow for Pride of Maryborough to negotiate, so they had to get back in the tender and make their way back across the flats to reach deep water, where they were taken aboard. Fortunately, none of them were in need of medical attention. They had not had time to retrieve anthing, so all they had was what they stood up in; their belongings went down with the ship. They were bemoaning the loss of a good catch of fish and crabs which had made their trip, up to the point where they fell foul of S22.

With the tender in tow, Pride of Maryborough returned to Big Tuan Creek at a more leisurely pace via the long way home around S38 because the falling tide left insufficient depth to take the short-cut through Cockburn’s Gutter. The two elderly ladies had to be persuaded that their lifejackets weren’t needed anymore and that they were quite safe in the cabin.

In the time the crew had been out the tide had fallen to the point where there was not enough water to make the passage in to the Big Tuan Creek landing, so Pride had to stand off for the better part of two hours. Eventually there was sufficient depth of water to get to the pontoons and the survivors were handed into the care of the operators of Tin Can Bay Houseboats. On the following day our training vessel was taken off its trailer, which was used to transport the tender back to Tin Can Bay.

Although it was a relatively simple operation the elapsed time was four hours because of the distances covered and waiting for navigable depth to return to the landing. Our area of operations isn’t called the Great Sandy Strait without good reason and this incident shows how easily inexperienced mariners can get into dire strife in these relatively benign waters.Editor’s Note: MV James Cook was salvaged several days later and towed back to Tin Can Bay where it was pronounced a “write off”.

The James Cook Mission

by Jon CollessRadio Officer, QF21

Broadcasting the weather, tides and navigation warnings, and guiding vessels through the shallows of Sheridan Flats or into safe overnight anchorages is normal activity for the radio operators at QF21. But Tuesday 23 April, turned out to be anything but routine ...


“Can you help?” asked the owner of a 6 metre power catamaran that had gone aground on Sunshine Beach. “We’ll have a look and see what can be done,” the QF5 skipper replied. And so began a long and tricky recovery off one of the Coast’s most dangerous open beaches ...

To begin with, the duty skipper and another member drove down to where the vessel was beached. What they saw did not inspire confidence for a successful salvage job. The six metre cat was sitting beam-on to the surf and had sunk a little way into the wet sand. It was not exactly the best place for a large, offshore boat to be. The vessel had been in transit from Redland Bay to Tin Can Bay, when it suffered mechanical problems in both

engines. The foul weather at the time quickly washed the vessel ashore despite the owner deploying the anchor. “It all happened so quickly,” he said. “One minute I’m powering up the coast and although conditions weren’t

ideal, I didn’t feel the need to stop at Mooloolaba to wait out the weather. Staying close to the shore seemed a good idea at the time.”

It turned out to be a decision he would later regret. When the engines failed, with what was suspected to be electrical problems, he tried to call for help but the radios were also dead. With no mobile phone or any other means of communication he did the right thing by deploying his anchor and donning a life jacket. Unfortunately, the anchor was too small for the conditions and the wind and waves kept pushing him to shore. It was late afternoon, the sun had almost disappeared and he couldn’t see anyone on the beach; he was on his own.

By the time the vessel had drifted into the breakers, the skipper had decided to abandon ship and swim to shore. “I thought she’d break up for sure and I didn’t want to be on-board when she did, so I decided to jump overboard,” he said.

After what must have been a traumatic few minutes he found himself able to stand and walked the rest of the way ashore. Turning to watch what he thought was going to be the end of his prized possession, he was astounded to see that it hadn’t been smashed to pieces, but was in fact, very likely to come ashore virtually unscathed. As the vessel was almost at the shoreline a huge wave caught the stern and surfed cat up the beach where it stayed. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “It was like someone had driven it up there”.

After spending some time surveying the grounded cat, he made his way up the beach and onto the roadway where he was able to use a phone to contact his wife. “I decided to stay with the boat, I was worried about vandals, there were dry clothes on board and my wife was leaving Redland Bay with provisions and a phone,” he said.

After a night on the vessel, he decided to call Coast Guard Noosa and seek advice from the duty skipper about attempting a salvage job. The morning light revealed that the vessel was high and dry, beam-on (side on) to the sea and that a lot of sand had built up around the hulls. The motors had suffered considerable lower leg damage and would need a rebuild, but despite this she was in remarkable condition considering her rough journey ashore. With no visible hull damage, the owner felt confident it wouldn’t take on water if it could be re-floated.

“It would probably be easier to get a crane in,” the duty skipper remarked. “Yes, I thought that,” the owner said, “but my insurance company seemed to baulk at the quote they got and are looking for alternatives. Can you do it?”

After a quick phone call to the insurance company, a hefty donation to Coast Guard Noosa was promised and the job was on! We decided to wait until the following day’s high tide, which was around 1000, to put a few lines on her and heave her off. Sounds simple? Well, it wasn’t.

Firstly, pulling a boat that size back into the sea would require some careful planning if we were going to avoid pulling it pieces. Towropes would have to be strategically placed to spread the load, the sand removed from around the hulls and maybe even a small channel dug to lessen the stress on the vessel. It was decided that we would use our most powerful rescue boat, the John Waddams, as its tremendous pulling power and extreme manoeuvrability would make it perfect for the job.

With a few willing hands, the sand around the hulls was removed and a channel from the cat to the water’s edge was dug. The crew onshore began fixing ropes fore and aft on the vessel that connected to the John Waddams via a bridle. Spreading the load on this fibreglass cat was vital, as trusting the small cleats on the bow and stern would be silly. It was decided to rig up lines that virtually encompassed the whole boat,which meant that the entire hull structure would bear the strain of being turned and towed off the beach.

Continued on page 23

Salvage @Sunshine

by Alan HallSea Lions Crew, QF5


Members of the public pay Associate membership with Coast Guard for peace of mind, knowing that there is always a dedicated trained operator listening 24/7. This knowledge provides security and confidence that if they get into trouble, a response is only a radio call away and will be attended to with professionalism by

volunteers dedicated to the boating community.One of the many functions of Australian Volunteer Coast Guard flotillas in all areas is the ability to render

proficient support to AMSA for Search and Rescue (SAR) and their appointed delegate, normally State Water Police, known as a Search Mission Coordinator (SMC).

At QF6, we have recognised the need for improvement in this important function and commenced refining the practice at the beginning of 2013. The two principle members leading the process of improvement are Roger Beighton and Rod Ashlin, both experienced mariners, who have analysed the existing skill base of the flotilla and defined new standards and processes to be followed.

Over the past six months, QF6 has conducted numerous SAR exercises and has developed a generic SAR Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This SOP is still under refinement but generally deals with the issues of On Scene Coordinator (OSC) reporting, Command and Control (C2) in the search area, drift analysis (DA), vessel search patterns to be employed, crew and observers, and Rescue Liaison Officer (RLO) operational functions, and the employment of vessel tracking systems in the Operations Room.

Below is a summary of points that have been identified and may be helpful in future training:OSC – The weather report issued by the BOM in conjunction with known seasonal tidal information is generally the main source of information utilised by giving a more comprehensive report from the OSC on the actual sea state on scene will give the SMC and RLO better information for analysis.C2 – The OSC is appointed by the SMC and normally Water Police craft is on scene. However, on many occasions, the first vessel on scene (usually a Coast Guard vessel) is appointed the OSC and will direct supporting vessels giving headings and search distance. The skippers of each of the supporting vessels should then maintain spacing and headings in line with OSC.DA – Determining the drift of any object is dependent of the actual current and wind at the time of the search. It is important to use a drift target similar to the actual target that the searchers are pursuing. After a period of time at the LKP, the information of time in the water, time of positioning and retrieval is relayed back to the Ops room for analysis and an actual track is then determined, the search is then commenced as a coordinated event. Other supporting vessels are employed at the time of DA in searching the LKP.

Improving SAR

Responsesby Lee CampbellQF6

Above: QF6’s state-of-that-art primary rescue vessel Rhondda Rescue is fully equipped for SAR operations.

Right: AGL rescue swimmer on board Rhondda Rescue.


Vessel search patterns to be employed – The SAR manual defines search patterns believed to be effective in a search area. Not all can be employed on water and produce results in a timely manner. The SMC will give the pattern to be used; however the OSC should advise the SMC if another pattern would be more effective with the current sea state.Crew and Observer – It is important to remember that crew are not only required to operate the vessel but also to act as observers on deck. Both responsibilities are demanding and require a great deal of concentration. This is another factor that the Skipper has to take into account and rotate responsibilities and positions. QF6 recognised that their skippers and crews, although qualified under current training requirements, needed to have more practice at the basics and more development in advanced SAR techniques for on water operations and incorporated a consistent training regime to ensure that these skills are honed and improved.RLO – One of the key personnel in a SAR operation, the RLO will act as the go-between for SMC and flotilla assets. At QF6, the RLO has a Vessel Tracking System that aids in plotting DA and Search areas. It gives the SMC a visualisation of the area covered by the search vessels. The RLOs within QF6 have practised and made themselves more familiar with the operation and the tools available to them to aid the SMC in their task.

The SMC will direct operations from the QF6 Operations Room through the RLO, utilising the computerised vessel tracking system and reports from the OSC. The computerised information and OSC reports will add a better visualisation of the search area and along with the drift analysis, the SMC can more accurately predict the most likely area for searches to be conducted, thus reducing the time in areas of less possibility.

QF6 is continuing to improve the current practice and plans to share its findings with other flotillas and interested parties in order to establish a more efficient use of resources and a more timely result to any operation.

The Sunshine Coast boating community and the public at large has a well-trained and responsive team of dedicated volunteers that can assist in any situation with various emergency organisations.

Salvage @ Sunshine | Continued from page 20 ...

Our crew on the John Waddams was ready and the towline had been connected. We took up the strain and then backed off, as we wanted to see if anything needed adjusting. Turning the bow of the cat to face the sea was going to be the difficult part as most of the force would be on the bow. A little more tension was put on the towline and with bodies on the shore pushing, we increased the power little by little. More people began pushing while we continued pulling until, finally, it moved - not much, but it did move and instructions were relayed to us on the John Waddams via a hand-held VHF radio. With a tiny bit more power and everybody on the beach pushing their hardest she continued to turn until, with a loud cheer, she was round and facing seaward.

It was time to adjust the lines and double-check everything as we only had one chance. The tide was full and the sea was friendly. It was time to earn our fat donation.

“OK, a little bit at a time until I say GO,” the duty skipper ordered. Slowly, the cat crept forwards until she was sitting in the water.

“Wait for a wave,” the skipper declared. You know the feeling when you’re waiting for a kettle to boil, and you know it’s going to happen but it seems to take forever? Well, the ocean decided to show us how calm it could get right at that moment, but after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, the order came: “GO GO GO!” Using all its power the John Waddams took up all the tension on the towline and powered the cat out of the breakers and into safe water.

No damaged was caused to the cat by Coast Guard Noosa, the owner got his boat back minus a few bits and pieces, the insurance company gave us a fat donation, and the crew took part in a very interesting salvage. All in all it was a win-win outcome.

The vessel was towed into Noosa where it was repaired and 10 days later it continued its journey to Tin Can Bay.




by Gary PiperQF5

RadarPart 1: A Brief History

The use of sound to determine the location of objects was first discovered by Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729–1799) an Italian Catholic priest, biologist and physiologist who is credited with a vast number of important contributions to the experimental study of bodily functions, animal reproduction, and for what we now call echo location.In 1793, Spallanzani conducted experiments that isolated bats’ ability to see, smell and hear. He discovered that

bats without sight and smell could still navigate and avoid objects. However, those with plugged ears could not. It would take another 145 years until Donald Griffin, an American scientist, correctly identify the real method for bats’ navigation. (BTW: Not all bats have developed echo location; most species of fruit-bats depend on their sense of smell and eyesight to find food.)

In 1887, German physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894) experimented with electromagnetic waves, finding that these waves could pass through some materials and be reflected by others. He was the first to succeed in generating and detecting what we now call “radio waves”.

In June 1900, Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), a prolific inventor generating hundreds of concepts wrote:“For instance, by their use we may produce at will, from a sending station, an electrical effect in any particular region of the globe; we may determine the relative position or course of a moving object, such as a vessel at sea, the distance traversed by the same, or its speed”.

Starting to sound familiar?In 1904, Christian Hülsmeyer combined all these

theories and built the first fundamental radar, the Telemobiloscope. When a generated signal reflected from a ship was picked up by an antenna attached to a separate receiver, a bell sounded. During bad weather, the device would be turned to check for nearby ships up to a distance of three kilometres. The telemobiloscope could not detect range. Unfortunately, due to lack of interest by the naval authorities of the time, the telemobiloscope was never put into production. The telemobiloscope operated in the 12-15Ghz (microwave) range (hmmm, all that unshielded microwave radiation).

We then come to Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) - the same Marconi who won the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand Braun in recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy. At the age of 22, after studying the works of Hertz and successfully transmitting radio waves over a distance of some 12 miles, Marconi registered a patent for a system of telegraphy using Hertzian waves. In 1922, he wrote a paper predicting new types of marine radio apparatus that would “project radio waves and detect their reflections from metallic objects so as to ‘immediately reveal’ the presence and bearing of other ships in the dark or haze and to enable vessels in foggy weather to locate dangerous points around the coasts”. It was not until 1933 that he was able to demonstrate his first working device.

Now we have both bearing and range.

The development of modern radar as wesee it today can best be described as theaccumulated result of research and inventions over time by many of the big names in physics like Hertz, Tesla, Marconi,Hülsmeyer, Watson-Watt etc. In researching thehistorical development of radar, I found that many countries (particularly around the WWII years) have different versions of its history. Here’s my favourite ...

Above: Christian Hülsmeyer - Telemobiloscope (1904)Image credit: Deutsches Museum – Marine Technology http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/exhibitions/transport/shipping/marine-technology/


It was Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (1892 - 1973) who used his research designing devices to locate thunderstorms in 1935 to complete his research into an aircraft location device.

In 1935, Radar was patented (British patent). Watson-Watts’ work at the British Air Ministry resulted in the design and installation of aircraft detection and tracking stations called “Chain Home” along the East and South coasts of England in time for the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

I wonder if this new research inspired Donald Griffin in 1938 when he identified the real method for bats’ navigation ...A gift to the AmericansIn 1940 constant bombing and limited resources drove Winston Churchill to send the top-secret Magnetron invention to the United States. The invention was eventually handed over to Dr. Vannevar Bush, a scientist at MIT and co-founder of Raytheon. It was then that Raytheon entered the magnetron business. Raytheon’s chief engineer, Percy Spence, further developed the magnetron, increasing its output to 10 KW at 10 cm and making manufacture a reality. By the end of World War II, Raytheon was manufacturing over 80% of the magnetrons in the United States.Some interesting information• X Band radar was named “X” band because the frequency

was considered secret during WWII.• The term RADAR (Radio Direction And Ranging) was

created by the US Navy in 1940• Unfortunately for those who like to drive fast, one of the

most widespread uses of radar today is the radar speed gun utilised by the Police.

In Part 2 of RADAR we will cover microwaves.

“Chain Home” technical specs:• Frequency 20 - 30 Mhz• Peak power 350 Kilowatts• Pulse length 20 micro seconds• Pulse repetition frequency 25 and 12.5 pulses per second

Navigation Quick Quiz“Navigation is all about knowing where you are and safely getting to your destination whilst not getting any of Australia stuck in the bottom of your boat”.Questions1. On which scale of the chart can accurate distances be measured?2. One (1) degree of latitude equals how many Nautical miles?3. What does MHWS stand for?4. Standard marine radar operates in what part of the radio frequency spectrum? a) HF - High Frequency b) Microwave c) UHF - Ultra High Frequency d) VLF - Very Low Frequency5. Describe the marker located at 27O19.4S 153O21.5E (Map 78# – Morton Bay). Is the marker lit? If so, describe the characteristics of the light.Answers on page 45# Quiz Source: Maritime Safety Queensland’s Beacon to Beacon Directory 8th Edition.

Above: The Chain Home installation at Poling, Sussex. On the left are three in-line 110m (360ft) steel transmitter towers with transmitting aerials suspended between and on the right are four 73m (240ft) wooden receiver towers placed in a square.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Ministry


Well, Winter is here and a lot of keen fishermen will be heading out at night to catch a monster Snapper or two. Going out into the dark ocean at night is a bit scary the first few times and is always a more dangerous option than heading out in sunlight, due to other vessels and objects being difficult to see.

Carrots, liver and night visionI remember being told as a child, “eat your carrots and you will be able to see better in the dark”. Is this true or just an old wife’s tale? Well, after doing some research, I found that there is some truth to this legend; the protein rhodopsin found in the eye breaks down into retinal and opsin when exposed to light and reforms when back in the dark. Retinal is made up of vitamin A which is found in carrots and many other foods. A severe lack of vitamin A in the diet may result in night blindness, however, vitamin A will not help one see better than normal.

If you don’t like carrots you have another option. In Ancient Egypt, it was discovered that night blindness could be cured by eating liver, which was later found to be a rich source of Vitamin A.

For you night fishing smokers out there, be aware that nicotine may diminish your ability to see in the dark. So it may be a good idea to avoid cigarettes, even second-hand smoke, when you need to see in the dark.Managing vision at nightWe have all experienced some clown hitting us with high beam while driving at night and the effect it has on our vision for some time afterwards. Light sources diminish night vision. In addition, it takes longer for your eyes to readjust for the dark than it does for your eyes to adjust for the light you just looked at. If you can’t avoid looking at a light source, cover or close one eye until it passes.

If you do need to use a light, place a red lens over the light source. This will allow the cones of your eyes to see whatever is being illuminated without affecting the rods. Stargazing programs, for example, often have an option to make their display screens red because red does not affect your rod cells, allowing you to still see well in the dark.

QF6 conducts around 120 assists each year, with a fair number of these being at night. Trying to find a vessel with flat batteries in even moderate seas is quite a challenge, so what aids do we use to help us to find the stricken vessel as quickly as possible?Seeing at night - NVGsWell, all our crew members eat 1kg of carrots a week! Just joking, but it is worthwhile remembering the tipsabove about night vision.

Our vessels are equipped with white and red interior and map reading lights, to maintainour night vision and all our electronics can be set to night palettes or red background, as donein aircraft. Apart from the normal aids that help us navigate in the dark, such as Radar, GPSand AIS, QF6 has two other types of electronic wizardry to help us out. You have all no doubtseen videos of military and police force members using Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), whichgive a greenish tinge to the picture. These types of equipment are light intensifiers, whichenable a user to see a very weak light source from a long way away.

We don’t have NVGs that we wear, but we have two sets of hand-held night visionequipment, like those shown at right; a monocular that is used like a telescope and a setof binoculars. These are fantastic for seeing very weak lights from a long distance. So ifyou have a flat battery and we ask you to flash a torch, we can see this from miles away,when it is impossible to see with the naked eye.

Seeing inthe Dark by Ian Hunt

Training Officer, QF6


Seeing at night - FLIRThe other well-known type of night vision equipment is heat-sensing, as we sometimes see on TV when aircraft are deploying missiles that sense target heat. Better known as Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR), this type of equipment is great for seeing heat sources such as someone in the water, a nearby boat or for navigating in the harbour at night. Every object gives off a differentheat and so a FLIR picture at nightshows in great detail what isaround us.

Until recently, QF6 hadthe former type of night vision equipment, but not FLIR. However, one of the priorities for the new Rhondda Rescue was to install a FLIR system (right), which is what you can see sitting on top of the radar dome. The FLIR system gives us the ability to view 3600

around the vessel and from straight ahead to ± 900 on a dedicated 17 inch screen or one of the other SIMRAD Multi Function Displays in a variety of selectable colour schemes. The specifications state that our FLIR can detect a man from 990 meters and a small vessel from 2,800 metres. Our FLIR is also equipped with a Low Light Camera for use in conditions when the FLIR may be affected by the sun, eg sunset and sunrise.

Now, I’m not suggesting you race out and spend $3,000 to $4,000 for a set of night vision binoculars or $20,000 on a FLIR, but cheaper versions are becoming available, with night vision scopes available for around $500 and hand-held FLIRs for around $2,000 if you are really keen. Still too expensive? Well, there’s always liver and carrots!


Hitting theBricks

Hundreds of yachts cruise and transit the Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Inlet every year and there is an often heard saying that if you haven’t run aground in the Great Sandy Strait, you haven’t been boating in the Strait. Every year, Coast Guard receives numerous calls to assist vessels that have run aground on the many sandbanks within these waters. This article examines the reasons why vessels ground, how to avoid this often embarrassing and sometimes costly experience and how to re-float your vessel if you do run aground.

by Keith FlemingCruising Yachtsman

All mariners will hit the bottom at some stage in their boating lives. The ultimate grounding is to hit the hard stuff—the “bricks” or the rocks. Fortunately, most groundings occur on soft hazards like sand or mud.Avoidance is the best policy

Experience and common sense should indicate that avoidance is the best policy for dealing with groundings. The secret to successfully avoiding groundings is navigation: knowing where you are at all times and being where you expect to be.

Most vessels usually hit the bottom either when moving or at anchor, and I must admit that while I have hit the bottom a few times, I have never laid my boat on its side. However, I have seen a lot of boats on their side and some of them did not come back up when the tide came in.

When under way, you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Be able to read the water, your navigation chart, your tide tables, keep up-to-date on Notices to Mariners that are issued about known hazards, and in particular pay attention to your GPS cross track error.

Good navigation is the key to keeping out of shallow water. Be sensible. The hours of darkness are not a good time to be transiting shallow water. In fact, except for crossing deep oceans, night is not a good time to be moving in any water, especially unfamiliar waters and those around reefs and areas where known hazards exist.

Take into account less obvious things like chart datum errors when moving around reefs. Some foreign charts are not as accurate as local versions. For example, while passing Bramble Cay in the Louisiades, we found the edge of the reef about 250 metres from where the chart said it was. Luckily, it was daylight and we could see the reef.

Another trap that can cause grounding is the fact that navigation beacons are rarely located on the edge of deep water, but are located on the hazard itself; deep water does not extend to the beacons. In some places, many navigation beacons have been placed up to 70 metres from deep water and if navigating at night, it is hard to judge distances from the lights on these beacons. A good practice is to insert a clearance waypoint in deep water, level with such lights.


CausesMost groundings take place at anchor and are usually caused by a number of factors, including a change of tide or change of wind direction, both of which can move a vessel into shallow water. If either or both of these factors combine with an outgoing tide, a vessel can often find itself with a “bit of a lean on”.

Around reefs, the seabed usually drops off quite quickly and as most vessels would usually anchor in less than 15 metres of water, there is not usually a lot of room to place the anchor. If you are leaving your vessel to go snorkelling, fishing or ashore, or just getting your head down after a long, tiring passage, consideration must be given to tidal flow, wind strength, the amount of anchor chain required to allow safe anchoring, your swinging circle, and the possibility of a change in wind direction putting you on a lee shore.

The anchoring bible is the tide book for the area in which you are boating or going to anchor. Most skippers get into trouble through failure to read and understand tide tables. If you anchor for a 14-hour period, you will experience two tide cycles - one low and one high (or vice versa). One of the low tides in a 24-hour period will be lower than the other and one of the high tides will be higher than the other. Always look ahead at the next tide to see if it will be lower and possibly put you aground.

One skill you need to acquire is the ability to calculate how much water you are going to lose from the time you anchor to the desired time of your departure from the anchorage. Tide books contain a simple formula for working this out.

Other information you need includes knowing the location of the depth sounder transducer and whether the sounder has been calibrated to show the depth from the bottom of the vessel or from the transducer.

Marking your anchor chain every 10 metres will help you know how much chain you have put out. Many a skipper on an overnighter has awoken the next morning to find his grounded vessel has dragged during the night because he has laid insufficient chain for the depth of water at the next high tide.

Getting offWhen travelling through shallow areas, always try to move on a rising tide. Then, if you do happen to touch bottom, it should not be long before you lift off. Going aground on a falling tide is a real nightmare, especially in areas with big tidal ranges where the water seems to disappear from under a boat in a flash.

Should you go aground, remember that generally the only way out is the way you went in. Do not attempt to drive the boat any further forward. You will more than likely only be driving your boat into shallower water and harder aground.

If you do ground on a falling tide, there are a number of things you can try to get afloat again. The very first thing to try is immediately getting your crew to the stern of the boat and putting the engine in full astern. Getting the crew to the stern lifts the bow and takes the weight off the front of the vessel. If you have been motoring or sailing with the boat upright, you will have a good chance of getting off if you are quick enough.

If the boat does not come off straight away, other methods can be employed. Try twisting it off by moving the rudder from one side to the other at 10 second intervals to try to break free or rock the boat from side to side.

If travelling in company with another vessel, pass them a towline and get them to tow you out backwards or if there is a power boat nearby who is willing to assist, use a halyard to pull the mast sideways to tilt the yacht on its side to lift the keel so you can reverse out. This method is by far the best for getting a yacht off the bricks. Alternatively, if you have a good tender or dinghy with an outboard of around 10 hp, you may be able to deploy this to do the same job.

If you were sailing when you grounded, it is best to drop all sails immediately to stop the boat being driven further aground.

Setting a spare anchor on a long rope from the stern may also help if you are fast enough. If you deploy a stern

Anchored in a tidal estuary (above) and a tidal creek (right) both of these vessels should refloat themselves when the tide comes in. It would, however, be a good idea to re-anchor in deeper water when that occurs.


anchor, attach the rope to the main winches and try setting it at an angle to the boat so you are pulling the stern slightly sideways to get you unstuck. Keep the engine going in reverse all the time until you succeed or realize the situation is hopeless. Remember, that on an ebb tide, speed is essential - all the time the water is disappearing from under the boat means it is getting harder to shift.Damage limitationIf the situation appears hopeless, look to the next step. Get out the tide book and check to see how much further the water is going to go down before the next low tide. If you go aground at high tide, check to see if the next high tide will be higher than the one you grounded on.

If it is certain that the boat is going to lay on its side, check to see if there are any rocks on which it may rest. If there are, you may have to get a mattress between the hull and the rocks. If the boat lays right over, check to see if any water enters the boat through drains or the head. You need to know that the hull is watertight before the tide starts to rise again. If you dry out completely, you may have time to scrub part of the hull while you wait.

You must keep water out of the boat at all times. If you have a side exhaust you may need to plug it before the boat lays over to stop it flooding back into the engine. If you know you are going to lay over, consider having a hot meal and filling a thermos with hot coffee or tea before the boat lays over because you will be there for a while and once leaning right over, you may not be able to use your cooking facilities.

There is not much point in deploying the main anchor unless you have an onshore breeze that will keep pushing you further on the ground as the tide lifts. If this looks likely, deploy the stern anchor. If you are aground amongst reefs, then you may consider tying the boat to the reef to help.Calling for assistanceThere are many instances where, upon going aground, a skipper will immediately call for assistance from the Coast Guard without taking a few moments to ascertain a few pertinent facts:• What is the state of the tide? High or low? Ebbing or flooding?• How long will it take the Coast Guard to reach your location?• If it takes more than half an hour to reach you, will the Coast Guard be able to assist when they arrive?• If the tide is falling will the vessel be hard aground?• If the tide is rising, will the vessel float off by itself?

In most instances, if a skipper can answer these questions, he will be able to assess his situation and work out a self-help plan of action and manage his grounding without calling for assistance.

In many situations, Coast Guard will be unable to assist due to the tidal conditions. If a vessel grounds at the top of the tide and spends time trying to extricate itself from the situation before calling for assistance, there is little that Coast Guard can do to assist until the next high tide. Provided the next high tide is not significantly lower than the previous high, the vessel will probably float off without any intervention from Coast Guard.

A vessel grounding near or at low tide or on a rising tide should exercise a little patience. As the tide comes in, you’ll soon float free without any intervention.

Trailer-sailers can simply raise their centerboards and multihulls, trailer-sailers and most powerboats will happily dry out, provided the hulls are resting on fairly level ground. Only in situations where life is endangered should calling the Coast Guard be a mariner’s first course of action.Remember …Whatever the situation, the secret to managing grounding is still good navigation, knowing exactly where you are at all times and thinking ahead.

Above: This grounding may be a hopeless situation without an extremely high tide.

Above: This yacht is securely anchored awaiting the incoming tide to re-float.

Above: Boats running aground in the Great Sandy Strait will usually float off with the next high tide. Skippers should exercise patience.


Every Thursday morning around 7.00am the dedicated maintenance crew at QF6 arrive to carry out checks and maintenance of the flotilla’s three vessels. Thursday 18 April was no different and by 9.00am most jobs had been completed when the radio operator informed us that he had an urgent call for assistance from a vessel that

reported it was sinking due to a cracked hull approximately twenty miles ENE of Mooloolaba.Being on the job we were quickly able to put a crew together and put to sea within a few minutes of the call.

The vessel was a 7 metre fibreglass runabout with three people on board and they indicated they were considering abandoning the vessel and getting into a small Zodiac inflatable that they fortunately had aboard.

The radio room then received a call from the naval patrol vessel HMAS Bundaberg, which was on route from Cairns to Brisbane, advising that they were only ten miles from the position of this vessel and would we like them to assist. We of course accepted their help as they were able to get there well before we could. The weather was fine with only light to moderate winds and swell as we headed for the position at 22 knots, knowing that the situation was now a little less urgent due to HMAS Bundaberg’s presence.

On arrival at the sinking vessel, Bundaberg launched its RIB with pumps aboard and by the time we arrived they had pumped most of the water from the stricken vessel which enabled the occupants to remain aboard and not get into the small inflatable that they had launched and was tied astern. The white-faced and severely shaken crew were no doubt very happy with all the help they were getting, but I could see their anxiety levels would not go down until they were standing on dry ground again. I asked if they thought they could keep the water level down with buckets while we towed them in and they thought they could so we thanked Bundaberg for their timely help.

HMAS Bundaberg’s crew put an article in a Navy magazine, reporting that they “...launched one of Bundaberg’s RIB’s, sending three Navy personnel, tool bag and pump to the rescue. .... pumped water out of the sinking vessel’s hull and waited until the Volunteer Coast Guard arrived to tow the small boat ashore. One of the fishermen had never been offshore on a boat before, so needless to say he was very happy to see us.”

Setting off for Mooloolaba with the distressed vessel in tow, speed meant less time bailing but had to be weighed against how this impacted on the water intake. We had good radio communication with the vessel as we gradually increased speed to eight knots, but soon received nervous calls saying this was causing the water to come in too fast, so we reduced speed to six knots for the very long tow home.

Not long afterwards we encountered the Police vessel George Doyle which had also been alerted and put to sea. The media had also become aware of this somewhat involved drama and we soon had a news helicopter circling overhead as well. The radio room advised us that they were being besieged by media questions and did we want to call in someone to help on our arrival but we did not think this would be necessary.

The three and a half hour tow back to the public pontoon near QF6 base was completed without further problems and the skipper of the damaged vessel, no doubt relieved to be safely back on land was now happy to relate stories of circling sharks, his mates’ abilities to bail, reflections on life and other embellishments for the waiting media. When finally back on its trailer, water gushed out from the long split between the hull and keel to indicate just what had occurred.

This particular call for assistance received considerable media attention, no doubt due to the involvement of Navy and Police as well as Coast Guard, but was really little different to many calls for assistance that our crews are called on to attend, sometimes well into the night; a fact few people are aware of. The close cooperation of all services and the boating public that “go down to the sea in ships” has always been a feature of those with a love of the sea.

Meanwhile, when buying a raffle ticket or supporting the Coast Guard in any way, be assured that the contribution is very worthwhile if you are ever contemplating a trip on the water.

“Sea Patrol”to the RescueThe TV drama series Sea Patrol portrayed a RAN patrol boat in some fairly hair-raising - albeit poetically licenced - maritime operations, but QF6 Skipper, Rod Ashlin, reports on a real life drama at sea that took inter-agency cooperation to a new level ...


QF5 News

QF5 HITS THE WEB!Coast Guard Noosa has delved into the virtual world. A quick Google search of “Noosa Coast Guard Facebook” will lead you to straight to QF5’s new Facebook site. Alternatively, you can type this address directly into your URL bar: https://www.facebook.com/Noosa.Coast.Guard

Information about QF5, a weekly report of assists, course dates and prices, contact information and lots of photographs are on the site ready for people to navigate through. If you have a Facebook account be sure to head over and like the page. If you don’t have an account then please have a look at the new site anyway, you certainly don’t need a Facebook account to look at the content on there. Let us know what you think!

AN A-TEAM WEEKENDOn Saturday, June 1st we arrived at the Munna Point base to discover there was an assist already on the cards. A professional fisherman had broken down about 4km off the Noosa bar.

We took the John Waddams out to find him and when we arrived we discovered his gearbox was broken and he was in need of a tow. We hooked up a line and towed him back to his mooring. We found out that he had just bought the boat second-hand and that it was his first time taking it out for a fish. He was very happy with our service, but not so much with his new purchase.

We stopped in at Munna for a quick bite of breakfast, before heading upriver to the Noosa River to the Reef Family Fishing Classic with Davo’s Rescue and the John Waddams. We remained there on and off for most of the weekend, as we showed people at the event through our two main rescue vessels.

The rest of the week remained fairly quiet until Friday afternoon when we carried out an escort for a sailing cat at around 1830hrs.

Wally ConwayA-Team Section Leader

Top: Davo’s Rescue and John Waddams at the Fishing Classic.Above: Escorting a sailing catamaran across the Noosa Bar.

Above: Towing in the broken down fishing vessel.

https://www.facebook.com/Noosa.Coast.Guard

https://www.facebook.com/Noosa.Coast.Guard


AN EVENTFUL DUTY WEEKEND FOR G-FORCESaturday April 27 dawned bright and clear, providing perfect weather for boating and other river activities. Early on Saturday morning, an Assist Call came in as a request to re-float a houseboat in Woods Bay. Its hull was full of water and it was sitting half submerged as it rested up on the bank. On first inspection this looked to be a fairly straightforward task. All we had to do was pump the water out and tow the craft to deeper water. How hard could it be?

Davo’s Rescue and crew were dispatched with a fire pump, hoses and extra fuel. Bartender Patrol and crew were in support for a short while and then returned to Base. Two fire pumps were in operation as it quickly became evident that more water was coming into the hull than was being expelled.

The owner produced a large airbag and, with great difficultly, attempted to lay it under the bow. It appeared, for a short while, that we were beginning to slightly win the battle but alas ... we then discovered a metre-long rusty cavity just under the deck. This was turning out to be a frustrating exercise with no chance of success so, after discussions with the owner, Davo’s Rescue returned to base. The remainder of the day saw basic training for most of the crew.

Sunday began with an Assist Call at 0200 hours. A tinny with one person on board had rolled over on the Noosa bar. The Water Police had extracted the Skipper from the water and he was suffering from mild hypothermia. The tinny was nowhere to be seen, so a warning was then issued to all craft in the area of the hazard around the Noosa bar.

At first light, Davo’s Rescue and crew found the vessel at sea off the Noosa North Shore area with its bow just protruding from the water. A towline was attached, the vessel surfaced and it was then towed back to base at Munna Point to the delight of a relieved owner.

The day continued to be challenging with the added complication of the closure of all roads leading to the base between 0500 and 1200 hours for a running event. Because of the road closures, participants in the ‘Elements of Shipboard Safety’ Course, which had commenced the previous day, had to be collected from Harbour Town at around 0900 hours. They also had to be returned there later in the day.

A radio call was then received from an Associate Member who reported that an unmanned and unnamed tinny was drifting in the ‘Frying Pan’ area and that he had anchored it. Bartender Patrol and crew were dispatched and after an initially fruitless search, the tinny was finally located in the river opposite the new rock wall and sandbags.

The owner of the houseboat called again on Monday afternoon and requested that we assist him again as he had pumped out the hull and now had 2 airbags under the bow. We arrived in John Waddams to find the water level still too high in the hull so we suggested to the owner that he plug the hole. He did so with about 6 towels and the hull was finally pumped out. A towrope was attached and a successful retrieval was finally achieved. The vessel was towed out into deeper water and re-anchored. The owner was ecstatic and left us with a promise of a sizable donation.

One week later the vessel could be seen still afloat and moving freely on its new mooring.

Alan MorleyG-Force Team Member

QF5 News

Top: G-Force crew and Davo’s Rescue pumping out the houseboat.Above: ESS course participants.


Commander’s Log

Welcome to the second edition of our new magazine. We hope you enjoyed the initial one, which, judging from feedback was a great success.

Many of you would be aware of our recent incident where one of our rescue vessels had both fuel lines cut. This was a very serious incident, which put the vessel and three of our crew members at risk. As a result, we are now installing CCTV cameras and recording footage of our jetty and building surrounds. Thanks to the two Noosa Lions clubs who between them covered our costs.

I would like to welcome Alan Hall as Deputy Commander to the executive team. Alan was recently elected by the flotilla members to this position and brings with him valuable business experience.

Our radio room refurbishment is well under way with cabinetwork started and equipment for electronic logging ordered. Once this system is installed and commissioned it will add another layer of security for vessels which have logged on with us as it will automatically advise radio operators of vessels who are outside their estimated time of return for follow up by operators.

This is an opportune moment to remind all boaties to log on and off with us whenever they cross the bar and on their safe return. Remember that relying on a mobile phone as your only method of communication means you that you rely on signal coverage and battery life and limits your contact to only one recipient at a time. Marine radio allows many to hear your call should you require assistance.

Finally, I would like to thank our outgoing Deputy Commander Terry Waldock for his great assistance in the past two years. Terry will continue to assist our executive team with fundraising and management of our Eumundi raffle activities.

Safe boatingJohn MillandCommander QF5


RADIO OPEERATIONS -THE VITAL COMMUNICATIONS LINK

And then the phone goes ...As a 24-hour station, Coast Guard Noosa is ready to go when the call comes in. Whether the call is

via the radio or the phone, our Radio Operators are trained to respond to various types of routine, urgent or emergency situations. However responses on the night shift might take a little longer.

The call in many instances, such as flat batteries, engine failures and rollovers, will usually be via the phone. It is fortunate that many public-spirited beach goers phone in when we have a rollover on the bar. The most important issue to address when the call comes in, be it by phone or radio, is to take control of the situation. Often callers are anxious or even embarrassed about the predicament they find themselves in.

Our Assist Log provides a good checklist to make sure we get all the required information from the caller, in particularly the location of the vessel, the nature of the problem and if there are any injuries.

The Radio Operator becomes the vital link between the caller and the duty crew on callout, feeding information in both directions and helping to stabilise the situation. Stabilising the situation becomes very important if there are injuries. This might include advice about stopping any bleeding and to be alert to symptoms of shock in order to prevent further deterioration of the patient until the crew arrives on the scene.

At this point it’s all about the flow of information. Making sure the duty crew have what they need and keeping those requiring our assistance informed of our progress is vital.

When a call for assistance comes in, the next call is almost always to the Duty Skipper. This call is the catalyst for the response as it determines what action will be taken, what boat to take out and which crewmembers will be called in.

The Radio Operator’s job doesn’t stop there. While the crew are on their way in, there are other calls to make. The Commander and the PR Officer need to know what is going on and depending on the circumstances, the Water Police and MSQ may need to be involved. If there is any injuries onboard the distressed vessel, the ambulance service needs to be alerted and, depending on the severity of the injuries, a paramedic may need to be transported to the site.

The Noosa River is also home to a large number of houseboats. Inevitably, some of these break-loose when strong winds or large tides are present. Loose boats in the river pose a significant navigational hazard and a danger to others on the river. This is where the Water Police and MSQ are the main contacts. There is nothing much for us to do if we don’t have the owner’s permission to board and re-anchoring is not possible until we are authorised to do so by either the owners, Water Police or MSQ.

While daytime assists can have their moments, night assists always pose different hurdles. In a recent example, a vessel rolled on the Noosa River Bar at around 0200. The fishermen that had been in the tinny were able to make it safely to the Noosa North Shore and alert a group of campers who let them borrow a mobile phone.

The Noosa North Shore Car Ferry normally begins operating at around 0500, which made a land-based evacuation of the fisherman impossible as in this case there were serious injuries.

While the crew were on their way out, the Radio Operator kept the fishermen on the phone and was able update them on the situation and let them know that help was on the way. The crew, aided by the flashing torchlight, made the recovery quickly and returned to Munna where the paramedics were waiting to take the injured fishermen to hospital.

The Radio Operator is the vital link between our duty crew and the external agencies. Any information from the crew on an assist can be provided to the Ambulance or the Police or any other party involved. The flow of information and the timeliness of that information is a vital part of the overall effort to make sure Coast Guard runs smoothly and efficiently.

In the case of the stranded fisherman and their overturned boat, the result was a good one. The injured fisherman received medical care as quickly as possible and all others got home safe and sound. Wet and cold yes, but safe and sound.

Rob DeavinRadio Officer, QF5

From the Radio Room

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SUNSHINE COASTand help support your local

Coast GuardCall 5474 3695


ActivationsDATE CREW RESCUE VESSEL ACTION TAKEN05-03-13 G-Force Bartender Patrol Towed vessel from Lake Cooroibah to Tewantin boat ramp06-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Repositioned drifting house boat, re-anchored06-03-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Assisted John Waddams in repositioning houseboat07-03-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Escorted vessel across Noosa Bar08-03-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Towed houseboat to new mooring08-03-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Escorted vessel across Noosa Bar09-03-13 A-Team Davo’s Rescue Towed vessel from Lake Cooroibah to Davo’s ramp11-03-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Towed vessel from 1st ski run to Davo’s ramp17-03-13 Sea Lions Bartender Patrol Towed vessel from the river mouth to Tewantin ramp17-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Towed sailing catamaran off a sandbank in the river mouth23-03-13 Sea Hawks John Waddams Transferred passengers from fishing charter to Tewantin23-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Towed fishing charter vessel across the Noosa Bar23-03-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Towed vessel from Lake Cooroibah to Tewantin ramp24-03-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Assisted John Waddams with towing of a vessel24-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Towed sailing catamaran from 1st ski run to slipway24-03-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Towed party pontoon from river into Noosa Waters27-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Towed trawler to new anchorage in the river30-03-13 G-Force Davo’s Rescue Attempted to re-float submerged vessel in the river31-03-13 ‘’ John Waddams Escorted vessel out over the Noosa Bar01-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Pulled grounded vessel of a sandbank02-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Escorted vessel through the river03-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Towed fishing charter to Harbour Town09-04-13 A-Team John Waddams Towed vessel from Yacht Club to Tewantin11-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Towed vessel from the river mouth to Munna Point15-04-13 Sea Lions Davo’s Rescue Towed vessel from Laguna Bay to Davo’s ramp17-04-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Towed vessel from North Reef to Tewantin ramp17-04-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Towed vessel from the Yacht Club to Tewantin21-04-13 Sea Hawks Davo’s Rescue Escorted vessel in over the Noosa Bar24-04-13 ‘’ John Waddams Participated in exercise with AGL helicopter24-04-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Participated in exercise with AGL helicopter26-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Escorted vessel across the Noosa Bar27-04-13 G-Force Davo’s Rescue Pumped out houseboat in the river28-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Recovered drifting vessel and re-anchored28-04-13 ‘’ Bartender Patrol Located rolled vessel on the Noosa Bar28-04-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Located second overturned vessel on the Noosa Bar29-04-13 ‘’ John Waddams Re-floated houseboat in Woods bay09-05-13 A-Team Bartender Patrol Towed broken down vessel to Davo’s ramp27-05-13 G-Force Davo’s Rescue Escorted sailing catamaran over the Noosa Bar01-06-13 A-Team John Waddams Towed vessel in over the Noosa Bar to Tewantin ramp08-06-13 Sea Lions John Waddams Escorted vessel over the Noosa Bar14-06-13 ‘’ Davo’s Rescue Jump-started vessel at North Reef17-06-13 Sea Hawks Bartender Patrol Towed vessel from the river mouth to Noosa Sound

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIESGain exposure for your business in Noosa and its surrounding Areas and help a good cause by becoming a Coast Guard Noosa sponsor. Opportunities are available on our boats, at our Munna Point Base and in this

magazine. For more information call 5474 3695


QF5 ACTIVATION STATISTICS:1 MARCH to 18 JUNE 2013

Type of activation:Police: .........................................................0Ambulance: ..............................................0QF5/Public: ...............................................41Total: .............................................. 41Purpose of activation:Medivac: ....................................................0Training: .....................................................159Miscellaneous: .........................................11SAR: .............................................................0Community Service: ..............................5Total: .............................................. 211Assisted Vessels:Number of vessel logged on: ............1319Number of Vessels assisted: ..............41Total number of persons assisted: ...81Approx. value of vessels assisted: ....$946,000Fuel:Diesel amount (L): ..................................1193.9LDiesel Cost: ...............................................$1852.85Petrol amount (L): ..................................2022.98LPetrol Cost: ...............................................$3079.61Total Cost: ..................................... $4932.46Miscellaneous:Total man-hours: ....................................11,627Public events attended: .......................31

QF5 RADIO STATISTICS:1 MARCH to 31 MAY 2013 MARCH APRIL MAY TOTAL27MHz 182 229 177 588VHF 982 1328 941 3251UHF 479 406 271 1156Landline 525 472 370 1367Seawatch 339 587 393 1319Assists 19 12 4 35TOTAL 2526 3034 2156 7716

CROSSING THE NOOSA BAR?The Noosa Bar can be dangerous. Remember to always log on with Coast Guard Noosa before you cross the bar. This can be done on VHF Ch16 or 22, 27MHz Ch88 or by phoning the base on 5474 3695 or 5449 7670. Remember to give your vessel name or registration and POB (number of persons on board).

Once you make a safe crossing, remember to call in and let us know. We’ll want to know your destination and estimated time of return (ETR). If you decide to change either of these, then just call us back and let us know so we don’t start worrying when your original ETR comes around. Remember, all this information is for your own safety – if you have an accident or emergency we’ll know where to look!

On your return, call us again to notify us that you’re crossing the bar. Once you’re safely across let us know and we’ll take you off our log. If you do forget to radio in and tell us you’re back safely, then please give us a call as soon as you remember - this will save us initiating a search to come and find you.

Coast GuardSafety By All Means


LET’S GO FISHING WITH DAVO’S!Fresh, crisp mornings and clear winter skies all point to three months of fantastic fishing. Noosa becomes a little quieter tourist-wise and this is the perfect time for the locals to get out on the water and take advantage of the more predictable weather patterns.

Cooler air temps and offshore winds tend to calm the ocean and with all the snapper out there, first stop has to be North Reef if the conditions allow. Chicko from Davo’s Compleat Angler Noosa says that this is his favourite time to get into the big pearl perch as Father’s Day approaches. A simple paternoster rig with one or two droppers baited with squid and pillies will do the job.

If you want to up the ante a bit, try tying on a Snapper Snatcher and you won’t look back (I promise!). Some good jew and cobia are still on the bite at North Reef so don’t be surprised if you hook up on one of these brutes. The bigger snapper prefer the leading edges of the reefs so use your sounder and find the prominent lumps and anchor directly up current and get the berley going. This is the place to use a lightly weighted ‘floater line’ baited with a whole pilchard that is allowed to drift back down to the point of the reef, hopefully straight to a nice big snapper.

Chardon’s Reef will be running hot with snapper by August, even though the bigger fish have already moved in now in late June. Expect cobia and jew here, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for the passing whales! Sunshine Reef will have smaller snapper in good numbers along with moses perch and provides an easier run home if the weather looks patchy.

If you’re more of a land-based angler it’s time to get the surf gear dusted off as the tailor move along the coast and take up residence at Teewah on the North Shore. Big green backs should be around by early August all along the North Shore and down to the Noosa River mouth on the high tides. Big bream and dart will also be on the bite here and over at Sunshine Beach, especially at the northern end. Early mornings are best for the bigger bream.

This time of year is also the best chance to target jew, especially after a bit of weather has been through and stirred up the beaches. Mullet fillet is the number one bait on the beach for jew and picking a good deep gutter before dark is the key to finding fish. Try anywhere from Sunshine Beach down to Coolum. There are also some nice deep gutters at Perigian Beach that are worth a look too.

In the river the bream should be in good numbers now around the channel edges at Tewantin and up into the ski run. There should also be big trevally along with the odd queenfish up between the lakes. Early mornings are the best time, try flicking around some soft plastic lures or trolling hard body lures for the more relaxed approach. Back towards the river mouth and there will be plenty of flathead off the car park rocks and over at the dog beach. Lightly weighted pilchards or white bait are best here and drifted along with the running tide.

The famous Woods Bays are still turning on the action for early morning anglers with trevally and tailor in good numbers. They are best fished with soft plastics on a running tide. Trolling small lures around the river this time of year not only covers a lot more ground, but can be very productive with any number of species available from flathead to tailor and the many species of trevally that inhabit our river.

If you want any tuition on what to use and how then drop into Davo’s and have a chat with one of the friendly team. For up-to-date info on all that is fishing in Noosa, go towww.fishingnoosa.com.au or drop into Davo’s Compleat Angler, the home of fishing in Noosa.

Tight lines and bent spines!!

Above: Zac McCrudden’s whiting won him a Davo’s Fish of the Week prize.(Photos by Bill Watson/Fishing Noosa)

Above: Jason Armstrong boated four snapper in the 4kg to 5kg range at North Reef using Z-Man soft plastics.

Above: Chris Arnold from Noosa River Fishing Safaris caught and released this trevally at the river mouth.

http://www.fishingnoosa.com.au


COAST GUARD NOOSA QF5

SAFETY BY ALL MEANS

FIRST AID ANDCPR COURSES

APPLY FIRST AID HLTFA311A1 day course - $95CPR HLTCPR211A

3 hours - $55

COMPLETE AN ACCREDITED FIRST AID OR CPR COURSE WITH A

COAST GUARD NOOSA NATION-ALLY ACCREDITED TRAINER

IDEAL FOR BOTH CORPORATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

NOT ONLY WILL YOU RECEIVE EXCELLENT TRAINING, BUT YOU

WILL BE HELPING THIS VITAL COMMUNITY SERVICE

For more informationPhone: 07 5474 3695

Email: [email protected]


The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard is a voluntary organisation committed to saving lives at sea by providing emergency assistance to vessels in need.

QF5’s Marine Rescue ServicesEach year, Coast Guard Noosa volunteers respond to numerous calls for assistance at sea. These calls include EPIRB and Mayday activations, search and rescue operations, medical evacuations, assisting sinking and grounded vessels, towing disabled vessels and providing assistance to vessels overturned on the Noosa Bar. Rescue Vessels & Areas of OperationWe operate three fully equipped rescue vessels to cover inshore and offshore operational areas extending from Double Island Point to Point Arkwright, including the Noosa River and associated lakes, and to 50nm seaward of the coast.Rescue Boat CrewThis is the “coal face” of our operations. If you’ve ever had to call for assistance, these are the people you’re glad to see. Rescue boat operations include deck hand duties, radio operations, navigation, helmsman duties and Search and Rescue operations.

Like all activities requiring training, you start at the bottom as a trainee and progress through the ratings starting as a Competent Crewman or woman. The sky’s the limit from there, and with commitment and ongoing training, you can achieve coxswain rating, skippering rescue vessels.

Whatever the rating, our volunteers train continuously to obtain and maintain a high standard of competency, both on and off the water, day and night, in all areas of operation.Radio CommunicationsThis is our “bread and butter” operation; it’s what we do 7 days a week, 365 days a year. A team of volunteer base radio operators maintain a “listening watch” on marine radio frequencies 24 hours a day. If a boatie calls for help, the radio operators are usually the first point of contact. Radio coverage extends to VHF, 27 MHz and phone. Fundraising ActivitiesThis is the “lifeblood” of our operation for, without funds, we could not continue to provide our rescue service to local boaties. We receive very little government funding - only $20,000 per year. The rest of our operating budget is earned through fundraising and donations, so the Fundraising Team is a vitally important part of our operations. Fundraising activities include selling tickets for our monthly raffle at the iconic Eumundi markets every Saturday and Wednesday. Tickets for special raffles are also sold at shopping centres. At Christmas, Easter and Queens Birthday Holidays we have Roadside Collections at the North Shore Ferry. It’s often said that “many hands make light work” and this is especially so of fundraising.AdministrationThese people are the “backbone” of our team, for without their leadership, guidance and support, the rest of the organisation would find it difficult to operate. Administration roles include general administration, operations, financial management, training, data entry, stores and provisioning, repairs and maintenance, Workplace Health and Safety, media relations and flotilla publications ... the list is not quite endless, but there are plenty of tasks for which volunteers are always required.

Coast GuardJoin the Team

RegularMembership

QF5 Coast GuardNoosa

Are you looking for a new challenge? Would you like to help your community?Would you like to learn new skills? Do you have spare time?If the answer is YES, Coast Guard Noosa needs YOU!

Being part of a team that saves lives at sea gives our volunteers an immense amount of satisfaction and a real sense of achievement. If you would like to be part of Coast Guard, call 5474 3695 or visit our Base at the Munna Point Caravan Park.


QF5 Coast Guard NoosaAssociate Membership

The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard is a voluntary organisation providing emergency and other assistance to vessels in need. In order to maintain our vessels and to continue providing this service, it is necessary for our organisation to raise the required funds by conducting fundraising events in the community.

Coast Guard Noosa operates three fully equipped rescue vessels. Our Aim is to promote safety in the operation of small craft in Noosa and its surrounding areas by guarding our coastline in the most effective way—initially by education, example and examination and finally by search and rescue.Each year Coast Guard Noosa volunteers make numerous rescues, including assisting sinking vessels, vessels that have run aground, towing broken-down vessels, escorting vessels across the Noosa Bar and assisting those who capsize on the bar.

Taking out an Associate Membership for an annual fee of $60.00 (including GST), will give you peace of mind for not only yourself, but also your boat.

Becoming an Associate Member entitles you to the following benefits:• A call sign (NSA number) identifying you as a

Noosa-based vessel• Membership sticker for your vessel• Recorded details of boat/trailer/home contacts• Radio coverage from all Coast Guard radio bases

around Australia• Support, rescue and assistance, training and

information on a wide range of topics• Opportunities to attend educational courses• Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast magazine

emailed to your inbox• One free assist/tow per yearWe look forward to your valued membership. Please contact the Base on 5474 3695 for more information.

We need your support today ...... you may need ours tomorrow

COAST GUARD MEMBERSHIP - REGULAR AND ASSOCIATEUpon receipt of your enquiry about membership, a membership application form for your membership type will be forwarded by post or email as soon as possible.

For Associate Membership, upon returning the completed form, you will receive your call sign (NSA number) and membership package.

For Regular Membership applications, upon returning the form, you will be contacted to arrange a time for an interview, after which your application will be processed.

We look forward to welcoming new Associate and Regular members to QF5 and hope it will be the start of a long and mutually satisfying association with a fully volunteer organisation providing a vital service supporting the boating public using our local waterways.

Coast Guard … Join the Team

Let Us Know When You Go

To apply for Regular or Associate Membership of Coast Guard Noosa, complete the enquiry form below and post to PO Box 274, Tewantin Qld 4565 or drop it in to the Base at Munna Point in the Caravan Park.

Name: ________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________

__________________________ P/Code: ____________

Telephone: ___________________________________

Email: _________________________________________

Please send me a Membership Application Form for:

REGULAR ASSOCIATE (Operational) (Non-Operational)


From the Ship’s GalleyKATHY GASPO’S EASY FRIED RICE

Ingredients• 2 tablespoons peanut oil• 150 grams rindless bacon rashers, cut crossways into long strips• 300 grams medium green prawns, peeled with the tails left on and deveined• 1 small red capsicum halved with seeds removed and finely chopped• 300 grams (2 cups) frozen peas (thawed following packet instructions)• 3 eggs, lightly whisked• 600 grams (4 cups) cooked long grain white rice• 65 grams (1 cup) bean sprouts• 2 tablespoons soy sauce• 2 green shallots trimmed diagonally and thinly sliced

Method1. First in a separate saucepan fry the

prawns in a mixture of olive oil, garlic and chilli until cooked and set aside.

2. Heat oil in electric saucepan on

high heat setting. Add the bacon and fry for two minutes.

3. Add the peas and the capsicum and fry for one minute.

4. Reduce heat to medium-high and pour the eggs into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to mix the mixture.

5. Add the cooked rice and prawns tossing the mixture until all the ingredients are well mixed.

6. Add the bean sprouts and soy sauce to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and stir in until well mixed.

7. Add the green shallots and serve.

First Aid TipsOne of the early problems a First Aider will encounter when dealing with a collapsed person is checking for a response.

The “C O W S“ technique will determine if someone is unconscious or responsive.

If the person is responsive, by using some of these signs, a First Aider can initially see if someone has had a stroke:• If by looking at someone’s face you notice the pupils of the eyes are unevenly dilated.• If they appear to have a slackened expression on one side of their face, a droopy eye or one side of the mouth is downturned.• If their speech is slurred.

with Bill AsherFirst Aid Trainer, QF6

CAN YOU HEAR ME?OPEN YOUR EYES!WHAT’S YOUR NAME?SQUEEZE MY HANDS!

• If when squeezing your hands there is a difference in pressure.

These are all signs of a stroke and urgent medical attention is required. Even if the person seems to recover fully, they need proper medical treatment.

Use the C.O.W.S. technique to determine if a person is conscious.


The Lighter Side of LifeA burglar broke into a boat one night and began shining his torch around, looking for valuables. He noticed a CD player and went over to place it in his sack when he heard a strange, disembodied-voice echoing in the dark: “Jesus is watching you.”

The burglar nearly jumped out of his skin and quickly clicked his torch off. He heard nothing more and after a while he was sure he had imagined it. He shook his head, promised himself a holiday after the next big score and then clicked the torch on and began searching for more valuables.

He saw a television and just as he pulled it out to disconnect the wires he heard it again: “Jesus is watching you.”

Freaked out, he shone his torch around frantically looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his torchlight came to rest on a parrot.

“Did you say that?” He hissed at the parrot.“Yep,” the parrot confessed.Then he squawked, “I’m just trying to warn you!”The burglar relaxed. “Warn me, huh? Who in the

world are you?”“Moses,” replied the bird.“Moses?” the burglar laughed.“What kind of person names their bird Moses?”“The same kind of person who named their

Rottweiler Jesus.”

NAVIGATION QUICK QUIZ - Answers:1. The latitude scale on the side of the chart closest to the distance being measured.2. 60 Nautical Miles.3. Mean High Water Spring.4. Microwave.5. West cardinal marker indicating pass to the Western side of the marker. It is lit with a white light with a sequence of Q(9) 15s - Nine (9) quick flashes in a cycle period of 15 seconds.

Just a ThoughtHave you ever wondered where all these sayings that we use in everyday life came from? A great number were coined to do with things on board ships of long ago - either jobs thathad to be done on board or objects and their significance to the working of the ship.Example: “The devil to pay”.Well, “the devil” is the seam between a wooden sailing ship’s side timbers and the deckplanking. “Pay” meant to seal the seam with oakum (hemp fibres) and tar. Thecomplete saying was “The devil to pay and no hot pitch”.

As it was difficult to get at this seam with a caulking iron and hot pitch, thephrase came into usage to describe a difficult task with no apparent means of solving it.Example: “Between the devil and the deep blue sea”.As there is only the thickness of the ship’s side timbers outboard of “the devil”, there’snot a lot of room to manoeuvre, so it became an expression to describe a difficult situationor decision. It also applied to “walking the plank”.

There are those that are given common usage such as:“Keeping on an even keel”“Giving someone or something a wide berth”“Knowing the ropes”“On the rocks”“Touch and go”“Sailing close to the wind” (meaning taking a risk) “Taking the wind out of his sails” etc. etc.A good one is “shake a leg”. This comes from the

good old days when women could share sailor’s bunkswhile the ship was in port. If the bunk was still occupiedafter the watch was called, the command would be givento see if the leg being shaken was female, thereforeindicating that her man was at his post! These days itmeans “get a move on”. Tony Taylor, QF5

callto:2%2060


QF21 SANDY STRAIT•

QF17 TIN CAN BAY•

QF5 NOOSA •

QF6 MOOLOOLABA •

QF4 CALOUNDRA •

QF4 CALOUNDRACommander: Tony Barker - 0439 913 533Deputy Commander: Peter Vaughn - 0439 913 522Base: Phone 07 5491 3533 | Fax 07 5491 7516Email: [email protected]: PO Box 150, Caloundra, QLD 4551Location: Tripcony Lane, Caloundra off Maloja AvenueHours of Operation: Weekdays 0530 - 1200 | Weekends/Public Holidays 0530 - 1700Radio Call Sign: VMR404 or Coast Guard CaloundraRadio Frequencies Monitored: VHF 16, 73 | 27MHz 88, 91Area of Operation: Offshore waters north to Point Cartwright, south to approximately halfway down Bribie Island and 40nm to seaward

QF5 NOOSACommander: John Milland - 0403 339 050Deputy Commander: Alan Hall - 0416 046 790Base: Phone - 07 5474 3695 | Emergencies - 07 5449 7670Email: [email protected]: PO Box 274, Tewantin, QLD 4565 Location: Russell St, Munna Point in the Noosa River Caravan ParkHours of Operation: 24/7 | 365 daysRadio Call Sign: VMR405 or Coast Guard NoosaRadio Frequencies Monitored: VHF 16, 22, 80 | 27MHz 88, 91Area of Operation: The entire Noosa River and its lakes; Offshore waters north to Double Island Point, south to Point Arkwright and 50nm to seaward.QF6 MOOLOOLABACommander: John Annabell - 0412 545 600Deputy Commander: Ian Hunt - 0411 351 001Base: Phone - 07 5444 3222 | Email: [email protected]: 65 Parkyn Parade, Mooloolaba, QLD 4557Location: In the boat ramp carpark, Parkyn Parade at 26° 41.1’ S / 153° 07.6’ EHours of Operation: 365 days 0600 - 2200 | 2200 - 0600 Night watch (CH 16)Administration Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 0800 - 1200Radio Call Sign: VMR406 or Coast Guard MooloolabaFrequencies Monitored: VHF 16, 67, 73, 80 | 27MHz 88, 90 | MF/HF 2182Area of Operation: North to Point Arkwright, south to Point Cartwright and 50 nm to seaward

QF17 TIN CAN BAYCommander: Colleen Johnson - 0402 037 319Deputy Commander: John Van Der Heijde - 0447 166 906Base: Phone - 07 5486 4290 | Fax - 07 5486 4568 | Mob - 0419 798 651Email: [email protected]: PO Box 35, Tin Can Bay, QLD 4580Location: In the boat ramp carpark, Norman Point at 25° 54’ S / 153° 00’ EHours of Operation: 0600 - 1800 dailyRadio Call Sign: VMR417 or Coast Guard Tin Can BayFrequencies Monitored: VHF 16, 67, 80, 82 | 27MHz 88, 90 | MF/HF 2182Area of Operation: Tin Can Inlet & adjacent creeks; Great Sandy Strait north to S38; Offshore waters north to Indian Head, south to Double Island Point & 50nm to seaward

QF21 SANDY STRAITCommander: Jukka Mantari - 0417 199 070Deputy Commander: Don Archer - (07) 4129 8803Base: Phone 07 4129 8141 | Fax 07 4129 8907Email: [email protected] | Operations - [email protected]: PO Box 341, Maryborough, QLD 4650Location: 126 Eckert Rd, BoonoorooHours of Operation: 0700 - 1800 daily | 1800 - 0700 Duty Skipper on callRadio Call Sign: VMR421 or Coast Guard Sandy StraitRadio Frequencies Monitored: VHF 16, 80, 82 | 27MHz 88, 90Area of Operation: Great Sandy Strait south to Kauri Creek and north to McKenzie’s Jetty; Mary River up to the Barrage

Squadron Contacts


John Waddams crossing theNoosa Bar.

Crew view as Davo’s Rescue takes one over the bow while crossing the Noosa Bar.

John Waddams rafting up to a grounded catamaran.

John Waddams getting up on the plane.

Skipper Wally Conway selling raffle tickets at Eumundi Markets.

Skipper Dick Patterson at the helm of Bar Tender Patrol in the Noosa River.


Documents

Coast Guard Rescue Sunshine Coast - QF5 Noosa Winter Edition