The upturned 6m boat was found amongst the breakers thanks to a Coastguard volunteer spotting from a high vantage point. Photo / Coastguard
The upturned 6m boat was found amongst the breakers thanks to a Coastguard volunteer spotting from a high vantage point. Photo / Coastguard
Three people whose boat was swamped by a wave on Hokianga bar on Sunday would have died had it not been for life jackets, good communication and keen observations from Coastguard volunteers.
“If they did not have their life jackets on they would’ve been dead now. If they hadn’t called they would be dead.”
The drama started about 11.30am when a Hokianga man, with two teenagers on board, decided to cross the bar in his 6m aluminium hard-top boat to go fishing.
The boat’s VHF radio was playing up, but the skipper knew to contact Coastguard radio operator Linda Pattinson by mobile phone, issuing a trip report before the bar crossing, Cramp said.
Pattinson and husband John, also a Coastguard Hokianga skipper, decided to go for a walk on Signal Station Rd — a high spot that overlooks the bar — to watch the boat make its journey.
Cramp said this was a fortunate decision, as the couple were watching when the boat was swamped by a breaking wave, which slammed the three people onto the deck and flooded the engine.
While the Pattinsons contacted Coastguard crew members, the skipper also called Coastguard to say the boat was in trouble, stuck in the breakers with no power.
Linda Pattinson stayed up on the vantage point while John Pattinson drove to the Coastguard station at Opononi, launching the boat with Cramp and two other volunteers at 11.50am.
As the breaking waves on the bar were treacherous, the Coastguard rescue boat had to go past the accident scene and out to sea before attempting any rescue, Cramp said.
Coastguard Hokianga president Jeff Cramp says the trio would have drowned in the breakers had they not been wearing life jackets. Photo / NZME
By this time, 12.10pm, the boat had capsized but directions from Linda Pattinson helped the crew locate the overturned hull, with the three people about 20m from the boat.
“We could see three bright yellow life jackets,” he said.
The hardest part of the rescue came next, as the crew were still helpless to help the trio in the breakers without putting their own boat at risk, Cramp said.
“We had to sit and watch, which was probably the hardest thing to do. We had to watch these three getting washed by these breakers.”
The value of the life jackets to keep the three afloat was clearly demonstrated, especially with one of the trio taking on so much salt water he was sick, he said.
“Quite honestly, if there were no life jackets, they would’ve drowned — 100% the three of them would’ve drowned. The life jackets are what kept them afloat and pushed them up from the breakers.”
Hokianga bar is hard to see from sea level, so it was lucky the spotters had a good vantage point, Jeff Cramp says.
The outgoing tide pushed the trio out past the breakers and the Coastguard crew was able to throw them life rings for extra flotation, before picking them up in a couple of passes.
Cramp, who was recently awarded Coastguard’s Supreme Volunteer of the Year and Outstanding Leadership Award, said it was gratifying to get such a good result.
“It was right on the edge of what we would consider to be our safe zone for a rescue but the saving grace of the day was the boat owner telling someone where they were going, calling to tell Coastguard when they were in trouble, and Linda and John being on-site to see it happen.
“I’ve done a number of roll-overs on the bar and some haven’t ended up with such a happy outcome.”
Observe the bar: Monitor wave behaviour carefully. If conditions look rough, avoid crossing and wait for better tides or weather.
Secure everything: Stow loose equipment and secure all hatches to prevent gear shifting during the crossing.
Brief your crew: Ensure everyone is positioned centrally for stability and assign someone to watch for trailing waves.
Wear life jackets: Life jackets save lives. Wear them at all times when crossing a bar.
Make a bar crossing report: Contact your local Coastguard via VHF radio or dial *500. Inform them of your plans so they can monitor your crossing.
Have your VHF and personal locator beacons (PLBs) ready: Ensure waterproof handheld radios, PLBs, or EPIRBs are accessible in case of an emergency.
Bar crossings are inherently risky, and the Coastguard urges all boaties to take every precaution to keep themselves and their crew safe to ensure a safe summer on the water.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
