A tricky job for the Marine Rescue Wooli crew, given the need to stay home, or if called out, to keep the 1.5m distance from one another and from the people needing assistance.
Around 8am on Tuesday, April 28, a sailing vessel en route to Queensland, called for assistance after entering the Wooli Wooli River. The trimaran had run aground on a sandbank with its hull breached and was taking on water, exacerbated by a rising tide. The vessel’s batteries were flat due to pumps having been run all night.
The Marine Rescue Wooli rescue vessel, Wooli 30, was activated and attempted to pump the trimaran out sufficiently to locate the breach. Unsuccessful, Wooli 30 was to return on low tide to try again. However, the vessel again called for immediate assistance as the tide was falling fast and Wooli 30 returned with a more powerful Rural Fire Service pump. The pump out was partially successful and ceased when the breach point was located, leaving the skipper hopeful of repairing the split in the plywood at the keel before the change of tide.
The unit arranged and delivered food supplies from the local shop and took batteries to recharge. With the repairs unsuccessful and further attempts to refloat the vessel futile, it was up to the skipper to arrange salvage while MR Wooli ensured he was safe.
After almost a week grounded on a sandbank in the Wooli Wooli River, with a breached main hull, the morning high tide on May 5 gave sufficient water for the trimaran to float on its outer hulls. This provided the opportunity to move the vessel to a more suitable location for access and repairs.
For the first attempt, a local provided a dinghy with a 20hp outboard and towed the sailboat clear of the sandbank. However, once in the channel, the ebb tide took over, the dinghy lost control and both boats were being swept downstream towards the training walls. When the cry was heard, “I haven’t got an anchor”, the situation was assessed as serious, rescue not salvage and the rescue vessel was activated.
In the meantime, another local launched his jet boat and was able to hold the trimaran against the ebb tide until the rescue vessel arrived to take over the tow. A side tow was set up and the vessel towed upstream and then beached 150m north of the Wooli boat ramp. The owner now has the demanding task ahead to repair the vessel and ensure it is seaworthy to continue his voyage north.
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