Fishing trip ends in drama
Discussion
Man, this was from my home town... What a knob.
Map of area can be found at
www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/management/zoning/rap/rap/downloads/DraftZoning_mc_2603.pdf
Just look for mackay which is up near the top, and the islands are just off there.
Fishing trip ends in drama
19.12.2005
A JET SKIER who survived rough seas and a lonely night on two windswept islands 66 km off Mackay on Saturday says he owes his life to his EPIRB.
Jamie Evans, 32, of North Mackay, said he agreed with rescue crews that his newly purchased EPIRB probably saved his life.
Service crews from ausSAR, RACQ-CQ Rescue, VMR and Mackay police were involved in a search and rescue effort for 24 hours.
Mr Evans set out on his jet ski from Mackay Harbour at 6am Saturday to fish the waters in and around St Bees Island.
However, rough seas turned the trip into a nightmare.
Mr Evans said yesterday he set out with fishing equipment, a beach umbrella, a mobile phone and some water, but had no navigation tools.
At lunchtime I started to head back (from St Bees) but even then the swell was all chopped up,’’ he said.
‘‘I came down some waves and saw an island but I didn’t realise where I was until it was too late.’’
After becoming disoriented in the swell he landed at Double Island, east of Sarina, and realised he didn’t have enough fuel to return to Mackay.
He set off his emergency position-indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) and waited for help.
However, when he left his jet ski for 10 minutes to make a mobile phone call from a high point on the island he returned to find the 280 kg machine beached on the rocks by a rapidly out-going tide.
When the Volunteer Marine Rescue service arrived at Double Island at 7pm Mr Evans declined to return with them but had his jet ski refuelled.
Later, around midnight, the father of three said he set out for home under a full moon but the swell had worsened and he found himself battling waves up to 4.3 metres (14 feet).
‘‘The only time I was a little scared was when I was riding up the face and dropping down the other side of 12 to 14-foot waves.
‘‘You sort of hang on for dear life,’’ Mr Evans said.
He said he became disoriented and sought refuge on nearby Digby Island for the remainder of the night.
At 2am he activated the EPIRB again.
An RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter crew located him at 2am Sunday after they sighted his red distress flare.
‘‘The best thing was seeing that chopper,’’ Mr Evans said.
The RACQ-CQ Rescue crew returned at 7am after receiving instruction from Canberra’s Australian Search and Rescue service — ausSAR.
VMR deputy skipper Russell McLennan said Mr Evans was ‘‘a very happy chappy’’ when he arrived to take him and his jetski back to Mackay.
An exhausted Mr Evans arrived at Mackay Harbour at 12.30pm yesterday.
‘‘That EPIRB saved his life. If it wasn’t for that we’d have been looking for a body out there,’’ Mr McLennan said.
Map of area can be found at
www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/management/zoning/rap/rap/downloads/DraftZoning_mc_2603.pdf
Just look for mackay which is up near the top, and the islands are just off there.
Fishing trip ends in drama
19.12.2005
A JET SKIER who survived rough seas and a lonely night on two windswept islands 66 km off Mackay on Saturday says he owes his life to his EPIRB.
Jamie Evans, 32, of North Mackay, said he agreed with rescue crews that his newly purchased EPIRB probably saved his life.
Service crews from ausSAR, RACQ-CQ Rescue, VMR and Mackay police were involved in a search and rescue effort for 24 hours.
Mr Evans set out on his jet ski from Mackay Harbour at 6am Saturday to fish the waters in and around St Bees Island.
However, rough seas turned the trip into a nightmare.
Mr Evans said yesterday he set out with fishing equipment, a beach umbrella, a mobile phone and some water, but had no navigation tools.
At lunchtime I started to head back (from St Bees) but even then the swell was all chopped up,’’ he said.
‘‘I came down some waves and saw an island but I didn’t realise where I was until it was too late.’’
After becoming disoriented in the swell he landed at Double Island, east of Sarina, and realised he didn’t have enough fuel to return to Mackay.
He set off his emergency position-indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) and waited for help.
However, when he left his jet ski for 10 minutes to make a mobile phone call from a high point on the island he returned to find the 280 kg machine beached on the rocks by a rapidly out-going tide.
When the Volunteer Marine Rescue service arrived at Double Island at 7pm Mr Evans declined to return with them but had his jet ski refuelled.
Later, around midnight, the father of three said he set out for home under a full moon but the swell had worsened and he found himself battling waves up to 4.3 metres (14 feet).
‘‘The only time I was a little scared was when I was riding up the face and dropping down the other side of 12 to 14-foot waves.
‘‘You sort of hang on for dear life,’’ Mr Evans said.
He said he became disoriented and sought refuge on nearby Digby Island for the remainder of the night.
At 2am he activated the EPIRB again.
An RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter crew located him at 2am Sunday after they sighted his red distress flare.
‘‘The best thing was seeing that chopper,’’ Mr Evans said.
The RACQ-CQ Rescue crew returned at 7am after receiving instruction from Canberra’s Australian Search and Rescue service — ausSAR.
VMR deputy skipper Russell McLennan said Mr Evans was ‘‘a very happy chappy’’ when he arrived to take him and his jetski back to Mackay.
An exhausted Mr Evans arrived at Mackay Harbour at 12.30pm yesterday.
‘‘That EPIRB saved his life. If it wasn’t for that we’d have been looking for a body out there,’’ Mr McLennan said.
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