Coastguard gets warm-up for summer
They’re keeping their skill levels up to speed, but Coastguard Nelson members say a busy Sunday has highlighted why a new boat needs to be rushed into service.
The organisation estimated that 16 on-call volunteers put in close to 300 hours last weekend, with three callouts within 30 minutes on Sunday morning to go with participation in a major exercise in Golden Bay.
President Pete Kara said the training exercise on Friday and Saturday involved resources from LandSAR, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Coastguard, the Tasman District harbourmaster, police and the local boating community.
Two scenarios played out on the Saturday, with the Takaka Fire Station used as a coordination centre, along with assets on the water around Port Tarakohe.
Kara said the two days of training had been ‘‘extremely useful’’, particularly in terms of increasing the response capabilities of Golden Bay locals in the event of a water rescue.
‘‘Trying to set up other units in smaller areas is actually quite difficult, because of requirements around maritime operators’ certificates and things like that.
‘‘We’ve been able to provide them with skills and knowledge to react and respond better, but also giving them more structure around responding and knowing where to go and get help.’’
Favourable boating conditions on Sunday meant Coastguard was alerted to help with three separate incidents over a 30-minute period.
The first callout involved a fivemetre boat with four people on board that had broken down off Stephens Island, north of of D’Urville Island.
Only minutes later, Coastguard was asked to assist with another breakdown, this time off the Boulder Bank, and another vessel having engine trouble near Okiwi Bay.
Kara said all three breakdowns were able to be resolved, with Coastguard
towing the Boulder Bank boat to safety, a local vessel able to reach the Stephens Island boat, and some radioed advice enabling the people on the Okiwi Bay boat to restart the engine and eventually make it back to shore.
‘‘We were lucky it was a nice day,’’ Kara said. ‘‘You only have to go back to Thursday night, when it was completely different. We had 40-knot winds gusting through the harbour, and we went out to get a yacht that had broken its mooring and got stuck under one of the piers.
‘‘That sort of gives an idea of how it can go from being a nice flat, warm, calm day to 50 knots in the bay – and it can change fairly rapidly.’’
Kara said both the training exercise
‘‘It can go from being a nice flat, warm, calm day to 50 knots in the bay – and it can change fairly rapidly . . . We’ll start to ramp up more with every warm weekend from here on in.’’ Peter Kara,
Nelson Coastguard president
and the busy Sunday highlighted the need to get Coastguard Nelson’s new $1.3 million vessel on the water as soon as possible.
As well as allowing searchers to spend more time on the water, and improved equipment, the new boat would be safer for all those involved in rescues, he said.
‘‘As the president, my responsibility is to not only rescue those who’ve got into difficulty, but also make sure my crew are safe and can come home as well.’’
The campaign for the new boat has reached $800,000, largely thanks to fundraising and help from major sponsors.
Kara said he hoped the wider community would dig deep to get the boat built.
‘‘It’s all about saving lives and bringing people home to their families – which is what we did on Sunday.’’
After last summer was one of Coastguard Nelson’s busiest for callouts, Kara said the mission count had quietened in recent months.
However, judging by last Sunday’s callouts and the queue of trailers at Port Nelson’s Akersten St boat ramp on Sunday, the lull was not expected to last.
‘‘That’s fairly typical for this time of year – we’ll start to ramp up more with every warm weekend from here on in.’’