Volunteers from Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage completed a delicate six-hour response yesterday to assist a boater whose vessel suffered engine failure on Two Mile Lake in the Myall Lakes National Park.
Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage Unit Commander David Aselford said just before 11am (Sunday 3 March) volunteers received a call for assistance from a skipper with two teenagers on board his seven-metre ski boat.
“Marine Rescue NSW vessel Lemon Tree Passage 30 was dispatched to assist with the rescue.
“After a long and slow trip up the very shallow and windy Myall River, the Marine Rescue NSW crew arrived and towed the vessel all the way through to the southern end of Myall Lake which is quite torturous through an S-bend turn and very shallow waters.
“Today’s mission was about a 60 nautical mile (approx 120km) round trip, which took about six hours to complete.
“The male skipper of the disabled vessel and the teenagers were very grateful for the assistance provided by our volunteer crew” he said.
Unit Commander Aselford said rescue vessel Lemon Tree Passage 30 is a versatile boat capable of both shallow operations in enclosed waters and offshore up to 30 kilometres.
“LT 30 can navigate the very windy and shallow areas of the Myall River and Karuah River to Allworth and up to the northern end of Myall Lake,” he said.
Yesterday’s marathon rescue was the Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage unit’s second in as many weeks.
“Only two weeks ago, we actually went further north into Myall Lake to rescue a vessel and tow it all the way back to Lemon Tree Passage,” Unit Commander Aselford said.
“This trip was in excess of eight hours because of the very slow return path trying to tow a large vessel around the bends in the Myall River,” he said.
Unit Commander Aselford said the Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage unit covers an area over 1,000 square kilometres and is reminding boaters of the importance of Logging On with Marine Rescue NSW.
“Logging On via the free Marine Rescue app or VHF channel 16 ensures our volunteers keep watch over a boater’s safe return.
“When a boater doesn’t return from their trip as planned we begin trying to locate them immediately.
“Logging On can save vital time in the event of emergency,” he said.
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