Coastguard – Gearing up for summer

The weather is starting to play ball for us boaties which means our Coastguard unit is starting to get busier and busier. Murphy’s law is in play where the weekdays are sunny and calm, which increases the activity on the Hauraki Gulf during the week. We have had five call outs in the last week where our volunteers have dropped what they are doing to ensure that these people get home safely. 

The activity in our unit is not only on the water but also off the water as we attend community events like the Ōrewa Santa Parade and with the launch of the Coastguard Lottery. We are out there selling tickets, fundraising to keep our rescue vessels on the water. 

On Saturday November 16, at 9pm we were paged to a vessel at Little Barrier Island. A smallish open type of vessel had left Omaha at approximately 7am for some diving and fishing. The wind was peaking at 40+ knots south-westerly and the seas were rough. It took us an hour to reach the vessel, which had tried to get back to Omaha but turned around because of the rough sea and wind.  

Two of the three people on board did not have life jackets and did not have the correct clothing, so were wet and cold and feeling extremely sick. We proceeded to get those two people onboard our vessel and turn the heating up as mild hyperthermia had kicked in. The skipper of the vessel was happy to proceed back to Omaha while we shadowed him into the bay. 

It is about 13 nautical miles from Omaha to Little Barrier, and the sea in a rough state meant our speed was limited to around 10 knots, which makes it a long hour until they hit the shelter of land. The two crew were sufficiently warmed up and transferred back onto their own vessel to make their way into Omaha for a hot shower. This incident highlights the need to be prepared for every eventuality – this could have ended in disaster but lucky enough it had the ending we strive for.

It’s time for your annual life jacket check 

The benefits of inflatable life jackets are clear – lightweight, comfortable and compact. Therefore, more and more of these jackets are finding their way into the market as boaties and fisherman are realising they can happily wear one all day. However, what a lot of these people do not realise is that the mechanisms that trigger these jackets to inflate need to be checked each year to ensure everything is operational. All it involves is a couple of simple steps to make sure your inflatable is up to scratch and will work when you need it to most.

Before you get on the water this summer, check all zips, buckles, waist belts and all other fastening mechanisms and devices for excessive wear, cracking, fraying corrosion or anything to indicate possible loss of strength.

Check that the lifejacket has not been previously activated as the cylinder can only be used once, so check that the green or red clip is in place and that the cylinder does not have a hole pierced in the top and if it does – replace the cylinder. Replacement cylinders can be purchased from most marine supply shops. 

It is the skipper’s responsibility to carry enough lifejackets of the right size and type for everyone on board. We recommend that life jackets are worn at all times when underway, especially by children and non-swimmers. Life jackets must also be worn in any situation where there is an increased risk to safety. You will notice our volunteers wear the Hutchwilco 170N inflatables all day, every day we are onboard either of our vessels.

Your inflatable lifejacket is a life saving device. Care for it as though your life depended on it. One day, it just might. Safe boating!