Shoalhaven Marine Rescue Association

Boat on the rocks - Crookhaven Heads

bill — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:24:04 +0000

About 1pm on Friday 26 December 2008 “The Pilot Station” at Crookhaven Heads received a call from a vessel with two men aboard broken down off the lighthouse at Crookhaven Heads. Before the rescue boat could be responded the broken down vessel was washed onto the rocks and swamped. The two crew recevied minor injuries in the accident and were able to reach dry land with their vessel upside down on the rocks. Shoalhaven Marine Rescue’s vessel “SA-24″ attended as did water Police from Nowra however the conditions were very rough and the vessel was in such a position that recovering it was too dangerous. Ambulance personnel attended to treat the injured crew members of the upturned vessel.

Windy evening in the Crookhaven River

bill — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:11:17 +0000

Around 1900hrs on Saturday 13 December 2008 Shoalhaven Marine Rescue was responded to a vessel aground at the Comerong Island Punt, SA-24, crewed by Bill Carter, Reno Magro and John Allerton got underway and pulled the large fibreglass vessel with around a dozen people aboard off the sandbank it was firmly stuck on. SA-24 was then tasked by Police from VKG Warilla to attend to a 30 ton yacht which had broken its moorings at Greenwell Point and was adrift in the moorings and at risk of colliding with other moored vessels. After some difficult maneuvering in the strong westerly winds which had gusted up to 50 knots during the day and the strong incoming tide the drew of SA-24 was able to raft up alongside the yacht and steer it to safety and place it on a temporary mooring. The evenings work was completed at 2200hrs and SA-24’s crew stood down.

SMRA Volunteers - Christmas Party & Awards

bill — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:30:57 +0000

On Saturday 6 December 2008 Shoalhaven Marine Rescue (Shoalhaven VRA) held its annual Christmas party as a thank you to the volunteers and their families who make up the manpower, heart and soul of the organisation. The party, commencing at 1200hrs and running for several hours was held at the Greenwell Point Bowling Club. The club is a strong supporter of Shoalhaven Marine Rescue in both assistance to the volunteers for events and in cash donations which have varied up to $5,000.00 per annum.

On hand for the party was Member for the State Seat of South Coast, Shelley Hancock who handed out awards to radio operators for their many thousands of hours radio duty in support of the organisation and the boating community Recognised for their efforts were Terry Watson, Les Cranney, Pat Welch, Fred Hawkes, John Elthrington, David Wolff and Robert Daly. Of special note was the award of the National Medal and First Clasp to Michael Ball who has been a member of Shoalhaven Marine Rescue Association for twenty years. This is the first National Medal awarded to a member of Shoalhaven Marine Rescue Association as a result of their service to the community. The National Medal is awarded for 15 years dedicated service and the First Clasp to the Medal is awarded for 25 years service. Michael Ball’s combined service in the Royal Australian Navy and Shoalhaven Marine Rescue earnt him the National Medal and First Clasp.

Yacht & Crew saved off Beecroft Peninsula

bill — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:53:09 +0000

About 11.30am on Monday 17 November Shoalhaven Marine Rescue received a call from the yacht “Coota-Tar” which was taking on water and in danger of foundering 2 nautical miles east of Beecroft Peninsula. The two man crew of the timber yacht were able to raise the alarm before the water submerged the engine and battery of the vessel. Shoalhaven’s fast response rescue vessel SA-24, crewed by Paul Klausen, Vince Ravesi and VRA Marine Training Coordinator John Murray was quickly underway and once at sea was able to maintain 20 knots in favourable sea conditions and cover the distance of about 9.5 nautical miles in a short space of time. On reaching the stricken vessel, with it’s dinghy now deployed ready for the crew to abandon ship, SA-24’s crew were able to get a high capacity electric bilge pump aboard and pump out the water and save the yacht and it’s crew. “Coota-Tar” was taken under tow and and towed north to the safety of the Crookhaven River with only one stop being made during the tow to pump more water out of the yacht. The rescue was completed at 3.30pm with “Coota-Tar” safely moored at Greenwell Point.

Shoalhaven Emergency Services Open Day

bill — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:21:29 +0000

On Sunday 16 November 2008 Shoalhaven Marine Rescue Association once again hosted our annual Emergency Services Open Day at Greenwell Point Park on the banks of the Crookhaven River. The event brought together paid and unpaid professional emergency service organisations from around the Shoalhaven with displays by the Rural Fire Service, N.S.W. Ambulance Service & Ambulance Rescue Squad, N.S.W. Police from the Nowra Highway Patrol, the State Emergency Service, NSW Maritime Authority, Shoalhaven Marine Rescue and the N.S.W. Fire Brigade as well as numerous community groups from Greenwell Point.

The Royal Australian Navy provided a display in the shape of historic Iriquois helicopter in RAN colours which drew much attention from many of the hundreds of people who attended the day. The high point of the day, apart from boat rides on our two rescue boats was the sight of the Navy Helicopter leaving and doing a slow graceful fly-past of the waterfront. The open day commenced at 10am and concluded around 2pm with very good attendance despite the overcast skies which threatened rain most of the day. Shoalhaven Marine Rescue Association would like to thank all of those volunteers and groups who came together to make the day such a great success.

Offshore Rescue - Jervis Bay Canyons

bill — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:57:26 +0000

Shortly after midday on Saturday 8 November Shoalhaven Marine Rescue received a distress call from a vessel with three crew onboard disabled 24 nautical miles south east of the Crookhaven River entrance and drifting south at one and a half knots. The area the vessel is disabled in is known locally as the Jervis Bay Canyons. Police were contacted to seek approval to exceed the 15 nautical mile accreditation limit, and once given Shoalhaven’s rescue vessel SA-24 was despatched. At 1.50pm the rescue vessel is off Culburra Beach and heading to the scene with its operations coordinated by the Pilot Station at Crookhaven Heads.

Fire Extinguisher Training

bill — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:03:01 +0000

Crew members from Shoalhaven Marine Rescue underwent training in the use of fire extinguishers courtesy of the Rural Fire Service at Greenwell Point. The evening commenced with theory on the safe handling and use of fire extinguishers and was then followed by practical training with extinguishers using the various types of extinguisher used on rescue vessels to put out a fuel fire. Pictured below are SMRA members handling the equipment and putting out fuel fires.

Unusual Rescue in the Crookhaven River

bill — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:54:02 +0000

Around 3pm on Thursday 24 July 2008 Shoalhaven Marine Rescue at Greenwell Point were called upon by local Police to help in the rescue of a 26 year old Orient Point man who had been pursued by Police from Bomaderry in his vehicle. The man abandoned his car on the banks of the Crookhaven River and attempted to swim some 350 metres across the river and escape Police. Unfortunately the cold water temperature soon saw the man in difficulty and he had to swim to a mooring buoy and hang on to save himself. Shoalhaven Marine Rescue’s 9.2 metre vessel “TSRV Crookhaven” was commandeered by Police and was quickly on the scene however the man had been plucked from the water by two 16 metre Police vessels that were operating in the vicinity. The man was arrested and conveyed from the scene by the Police and TSRV Crookhaven was stood down.

Early morning river search.

bill — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:51:51 +0000

Sunday 22 June 2008

In a repeat of an incident on the previous Thursday night Shoalhaven Marine Rescue are responded at 3am by Police after a vessel is reported by a member of the public to be broken down and being taken out to sea by the outgoing tide in the Crookhaven River at Orient Point. SA-24 was responded with two crew and was on scene within twenty minutes searching the river. SA-24 was stood down by Police thirty minutes later after the missing vessel and its two crew were located on shore.

River search at Nowra

bill — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:17:35 +0000

Thursday 19 June 2008

Shoalhaven Marine Rescue (Shoalhaven VRA) were called out at 8pm to search for a missing man who had failed to return in his small boat after a trip on the Shoalhaven River at Terara. The man was in a small 14 foot open runabout and had not made contact with family since 4.30pm that afternoon. Shoalhaven’s rescue vessel SA-24 with three crew aboard conducted a search of the Shoalhaven River from Shoalhaven Heads through to Terara however the search was called off around 10.30pm after the missing man returned to shore at the Nowra Boat Ramp. The man was subsequently arrested by Police and SA-24 towed the mans vessel to the Terara boat ramp and was then stood down. SA-24 and her crew returned to Greenwell Point at 11.30pm.