03/04/2026
Last Sunday morning our Training Officer had a planned training exercise ready to go, when a call to the Bat Phone created a sudden change of priorities.
A young lady called, saying her boyfriend and three others had gone to the Reef fishing early Saturday, but had not returned at the end of the day. There was no answer from the mobile phones on the boat, and by 6 am on Sunday she was extremely worried. We met up with her and her parents at Lucinda, to get as much information as we could, but this is where we drew a blank.
No one knew where exactly the boat was going. The Great Barrier Reef runs north / South for 100 kilometres in our area of operation, and is up to 40 kilometres wide.
No one initially knew what boat they were in, what size, what colour, what registration. They didn't know if it had a marine radio.
In short, we had no idea of where to go to search for them, and our radio calls went unanswered.
We launched our primary vessel "Snow Stafford", with 4 crew members, with instructions to head towards Bramble Reef, because it is the nearest reef to Lucinda. Just as they were heading out across the bar, the rather distraught young lady's phone rang, and it was the boyfriend.
It turned out that the wind, swell and tide had created really bad conditions on their way back the afternoon before, so they had to run with the swell, eventually finding refuge in Zoe Bay, and spent the night on the beach.
Unfortunately there is no phone or radio reception in Zoe Bay, so they couldn't call home, until after daylight when the boyfriend managed to get to Hillock Point, and got through.
In consultation with Townsville Water Police, we diverted our vessel over to Zoe, transferred two of the people to our vessel, while the other two drove their boat back to the Dungeness ramp with our vessel following to make sure they got home safely.
The message is clear: if you are going to sea, make sure beforehand that someone knows where you are going, has all of the boat details, and knows when you are due back.
We can't find you, if we don't know where you are.
Join our Marine Assist Membership, it's free, and we will have your boat and trailer details at hand, along with personal contacts. Also, you can text your trip details to our Bat Phone at any time on 0429 778 110 or call us on marine radio channels 16 or 81 on weekends and public holidays from 8am to 5pm.
Save your loved ones a lot of grief, and stay safe on the water.
