Nelson’s Coastguard has had the busiest start to the holiday period in years with a 50 per cent increase of call outs on the same time last year.
Coastguard Nelson president Wayne Harrison says they have already responded to a range of call outs – including an impressive two-minute rescue where they happened to be in the right place at the right time.
“We were on our way out of The Cut to do some training when we spotted a windsurfer in trouble, so we nipped over to him, pulled him aboard and took him back to shore,” he says.
The biggest and most challenging was the search for the missing person in the water at the start of the holiday period, with five vessels on the water in the height of the search.
“It was a Friday evening with rough sea conditions and rain. It made trying to locate a person in the water very difficult,” says Wayne.
The person was eventually located after he swam in to shore.
“We had the Coastguard Nelson CRV, three vessels from Nelson Surf Life Saving Club and the Nelson Harbourmaster’s boat. The Westpac Helicopter was up and we had a Land SAR Team on Rabbit Island and Nelson Police spotting from Princes Drive. And not forgetting the brilliant team co-ordinating it all back at the Rescue Centre.”
But Wayne says the most common call out so far this summer have been Tow ins – due to engine failure or boats running out of fuel.
Wayne says that they always expect to be busier than normal during the holiday period, mainly due to there being more traffic on the water but reminds all boaties of the five simple rules to keep them safe in the water – life jackets, skipper responsibility, communications, marine weather and avoiding alcohol.
With 25 volunteers, Wayne says that they are always prepared for a call out – even in their family holiday time.
“All of the Coastguard Nelson team are volunteers and each one of us knows we can be called upon at any time and any day to go to the assistance of a boatie in need, it is what we train for,” he says.
“I include our families when I say Coastguard Nelson Team because without their fantastic support for our volunteers it would make our job so much harder.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our local community, we are fully aware that Coastguard Nelson wouldn’t exist without public support.”
