Moreton Bay Sea Rescue

Conditions at this time of year, delivering prolonged NE conditions make Moreton Bay and Moreton Island off the coast of Brisbane, a gorgeous place for boaties. A truly popular spot is Tangalooma with is nice sandy beach and wrecks to dive on. Sailing past on a fine warm Saturday, its popularity was plain to see. 4WD vehicles  and quad bikes driving up and down the beach, tour boats, dive boats, power boats, para-sailors, yachts etc. Mayhem actually. We'll visit midweek when its quieter.

We terminated our Mooloolaba passage 6 nm further south of Tangalooma at 'The Sand Hills' anchorage. It had been a brilliant run down the coast averaging 6 knots and The Bloke helmed all the way. Nice to end up somewhere restful after a long day and the forecast looked like we could stay a few days. Perfect!

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon and we were preparing for a visit from Spiky Mikey for sundowners. The Bloke was taking in the scene. Just looking, looking, looking as he does. He's the one who notices everything in our surroundings. My trusty sentinel. Whether it's dolphins, dugongs or kids adrift in dinghies, The Bloke seems to spot the lot!

Our Irish Mermaid and partner waiting for the paramedics to arrive.

Derek is smiling. Naomi is actually NOT smiling but in pain. She was such a champion.

 

Recognizing the boat profile of Spikey Mikey's yacht Isabella on the near horizon, my birthday binoculars were called to duty. A sweep of the horizon also revealed a jetski zapping along. The next pass of the lenses and the jetski was in one location and the driver and pillion in the water some distance away and separated from one another. NOT GOOD. Not even waiting for me to toss him the portable VHF radio or a phone, The Bloke leaped into Marilyn (the tender) and sped off calling out over his shoulder as he did, to keep the glasses trained on him as he was headed 1,000m into the bay.

It was some while before he raced back with instructions to call the coast guard immediately as the lady pillion had suspected broken ribs and possible internal juries. The riders had hit the smallest of waves and the jetski flipped both off, injuring the pillion. She couldn't swim - even without broken ribs, and could only float on her back. Her PFD saved her life. It was newly purchased that day so you could say it just paid for itself! The driver was attempting to swim after the jetski but even a fit man can't  match the wind and tide especially when hampered by a life jacket. The Bloke retrieved the jetski providing the option of riding it back 5nm to the mainland but it was clear this had become a medical emergency and hardly an option.

We called Coast Guard Brisbane immediately. Yes, they responded and eventually help came. It took 3 hours for the medical evacuation from The Sand Hills anchorage off Moreton Island. The Water Police arrived ahead of the Coast Guard boat carrying the paramedics. They began assessing, breathalizing etc. It's clear there will be some fines - no mandated flares or V sheet! But more importantly, no paramedics yet! Where were the paramedics? The lady was in great pain, and after a time we were struggling to keep her conscious. (All the First Aide lessons kicked in).

Our Irish Mermaid finally being assessed and administered some 'joy serum' to manage the pain

We were 6nm south of Tangalooma in Moreton Bay and hardly in a 'remote' location relative to the 3rd biggest city in Australia! We gave our exact GPS and had our AIS transmitter on but in the end  we flashed our spotlight to guide the responders in - my other 'birthday money' acquisition. We'd never imagined that my birthday money that would fund the new X10 magnification binoculars and 1,000 lumen spotlight would be so helpful.

 

  

Our anchoring was properly tested. 

At one point we had a tender, a jetski, a Police RIB and the Coast Guard vessel all rafted up to Zofia.

With our Irish Mermaid made comfortable, at last on a stretcher and relatively pain free, we put some clothes on Derek and arranged to care for the jetski until he could get back to collect it.

So what is the acquired wisdom from today?

If you should ever have to be involved in an emergency and are in phone range, based on today's experience ring 000 FIRST (or whatever your emergency service number is) not VMR/Coast Guard! This is not a criticism of the Coast Guard but they have to call the emergency services anyway plus don't have teams assembled and on standby, they have to be called in. This just created delay.

And that Folks, is how we came to have a jetski hanging out with Marilyn!

After the rescue boat's lights receded over the horizon, we both had a few nips of something strong - for medicinal purposes of course!