Copper Coast Flotilla: VMR 508
Call sign: “Sea Rescue Copper coast”
The Copper Coast Flotilla of the South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron is based at Wallaroo and covers the eastern coast of Spencer Gulf, from Port Broughton in the North, through to Cape Elizabeth in the South. With such a large area to cover, we need to use trailable vessels in order to reach a particular emergency in reasonable time.
Man saved after falling from jetty
AN Adelaide couple’s night could have ended in tragedy if not for the SA Sea Rescue Squadron Copper Coast flotilla. The couple was visiting the area and the wife was fishing on the Wallaroo jetty spur before 8pm on Tuesday, May 7. Her husband, a 67-year-old man, fell into the water as he tried looking over the side at the end of the spur. It was a cold and windy night, with rough seas. “The wife didn’t have her phone with her so she ran from the jetty all the way back to the sea rescue building where she ran into another couple here on holidays,” an SA Police spokesperson said. “He (the man) managed to hold onto a pylon and stand on one of the beams to wait for assistance.” The police called Sea Rescue just after 8pm and put them on alert. “They thought there was possibly someone in the water but they weren’t sure,” flotilla leader Ted Chapman said. “About 10 minutes after the call, we had the boat ready to go.” It was a challenging rescue for the crew, with seas reaching one to one and a half metres, making it tricky to get close to the man. “It was extremely difficult,” Mr Chapman said. “We had trouble getting near him and then trying to pull him onto the boat because he was exhausted and hypothermic. “We are happy to have been able to help him, that’s what we’re here for.” The SA Ambulance Service took the man to Wallaroo Hospital where he was kept overnight.
Left, Sam Jamieson, right Ted Chapman, our members responsible for saving the man’s life
Article and photo courtesy Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Our New Headquarters Final Progress Report !
Thanks to many willing and generous members we are now functioning in our new Operations Centre, with our first radio duty held last Wednesday the 19th Feb, and our first members meeting will be held tonight in our new meeting room and what a change it will be !
The images below captured by Graeme Brand show just what a marked contrast there is between the old radio base and our new Operations Centre, many thanks Graeme !
Copper Coast Flotilla 2019 Christmas lunch.
The flotilla celebrated Christmas together this year at the Weeroona Hotel, a great supporter of the Flotilla.
We had many of our members attend and booked out the whole dining room of the hotel for the occasion.
Part of the festivities were the presentation of certificates of appreciation to members and members of the community who contributed to the success of the Flotilla over the past year, among those who received certificates were:
Russell Peate CEO of the Copper Coast Council who, on behalf of the Mayor, Ros. Talbot, accepted a certificate of appreciation from Flotilla Leader Peter Sims, for the support the Council has provided to the Flotilla with the new operations Centre and the day to day running of the service we provide to the community.
Our Commodore Matt Curnow is seen in this image presenting hard earned In-shore Skippers Certificates to (from left to right) Alex Kokoti, Aaron Milford , and Adrian Ladner . These guys undertook a couple of weeks of intense study to qualify for this award and will complete the second half of their course in late January to obtain their Coxswains Certificate. Well done guys, much deserved.
A note of appreciation must also be given to Mike Shaw, our Operations Captain who organised this course at short notice with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard from Queensland who were brought to Adelaide by the Squadron to provide this training.
This means that the Flotilla will now not be short of skippers during the busiest time of the year, well done everyone!
Just some of the members enjoying a fantastic time at our christmas lunch
(photos courtesy Graeme Brand)
Sea Rescue Copper Coast rescues Kayaker from 2 metre seas.
This is a real incident with this short video clipped from a longer one made by the victim using a GoPro camera on his head.
It was a stormy day with the sea running 2 metres at the beach and we received a call asking if we would pick up a unattended floating kayak that was in Wallaroo Bay.
The caller was asked if they could see a person as a kayak would not be out there on its own. After looking around the caller then came back and said that he had seen a head like object go over a wave. A crew was called and with about 30 minutes of daylight left, SR04 was launched.
At the start of the video, the victim has already been in the water for about 30 minutes and has probably 30 minutes left before becoming hyperthermic. The only time the victim realises that all of his troubles are over is when he turns his head and sees SR04.
As the video starts you will see he has picked up a piece of wood that was floating past and is using it to try and get more purchase in the water. As a wave crashed over him, you will hear him cough as he takes in water.
Thanks to Sea Rescue Copper Coast for their skills and for the video
Contact Information
SA Sea Rescue Squadron CCF
PO Box 245
Wallaroo, SA 5556
Email: http://coppercoast-sec@sasearescue.org.au
EMERGENCY CONTACT:
Phone: (08) 8823 2468
Mobile: 0427 888 995
Drop in to see us at the radio base on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays & public holidays.
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