Lengthy survival ordeal for boatie
It was the call that no parent wanted to get.
‘‘Dad, I’m sinking’’ – before the line went dead.
About 10am on Waitangi Day, all Sam Heaphy’s father Pat knew was his son was in trouble somewhere between Nelson and French Pass.
It took a combined effort from the Coastguard, harbourmaster, Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, Heaphy’s own survival skills and a sharp-eyed spotter to ensure his three-hour ordeal did not become a tragedy.
Heaphy was bringing brother Charles’ Pelin Topaz wooden launch back to Nelson from the Marlborough Sounds following a family holiday last week.
Sam – an experienced boatie – said the 1-2 metre swells and around 30 knot winds were not of great concern as he headed off around 9am on Wednesday.
However, halfway through the voyage the boat took on water after hitting an object near Pepin Island.
‘‘Instead of the normal thud you hear on ply boat it was just a bit of a sharper noise – and I didn’t think much of it, but then the boat started taking on water . . . I turned around and the whole back was filled up.’’
He initially tried to call for assistance on Maritime Radio Channel 16 only to find the radio not working.
He was able to use his cellphone to make a brief phone call to his father in Nelson before the reception cut him off.
‘‘Dad said to me the next day ‘the urgency in your voice was enough to tell me you were going down’ he got straight off the phone and called the police.’’
Heaphy’s radio eventually allowed him to put a mayday call out. He then made the call to abandon the vessel and swim to shore.
‘‘I couldn’t stay on the line for very long because by that stage the water was up to the top of the boat and I was worried it was going to roll over and take me with it.’’
Heaphy, who was wearing a life jacket, had managed to take a grab bag containing survival equipment before leaving the boat, which included flares.
At the same time, the realisation also hit that he had incorrectly given his position as Cape Soucis – 12 miles away from Pepin Island – on his mayday call.
As a result, Coastguard and the rescue helicopter had struggled to locate him, despite efforts to attract their attention.
‘‘The tab on the first flare just ripped off in my hand – it was no good . . . when I saw the helicopter coming towards me I sent the parachute flare up – as it came towards me I thought ‘yes!’ but then it turned and went back up the coast – that’s when I really thought I was screwed.’’
A turning point came when a friend of Sam’s niece spotted him from a lookout position on a nearby hillside.
A boat returning from a fishing trip – the Windhawk – was also in the vicinity and had seen the parachute flare.
The rescue helicopter was alerted to Heaphy’s position and was able to hover above him until the Windhawk was able to bring him on board.
Minutes later, Port Nelson deputy harbourmaster Amanda Kerr and Nelson Coastguard personnel arrived in the harbourmaster vessel to transfer a cold but relatively unharmed Heaphy back to Nelson to a relieved family.
‘‘My sister said it was the best and worst day of her life,’’ Heaphy said.
He said apart from the location error in his mayday call, his only regret was not taking an emergency position-indicating radio beacon station (EPIRB) with him.
‘‘The feeling of being in the water, especially when I knew I’d given my position wrong, was something that I never want to go through, especially when you think they probably won’t find you – if you’ve got an EPIRB at least people can get to you.’’
Kerr said the incident was ‘‘a humbling experience’’ and demonstrated the ability of the wider maritime community and rescue services to ensure a successful outcome.
Nelson harbourmaster Dave Duncan said having the necessary safety equipment on-board had prevented a tragic outcome. ‘‘The one thing I’d encourage people to do would be to stay with the boat – other that that he’s done an amazing job.’’
The boat was recovered on Friday near Adele Island on the other side of Tasman Bay