Rodney Stevens
An elderly man was rescued from the Clarence River bar on Thursday afternoon after the catamaran he was sailing capsized.
Volunteers from Iluka Yamba Marine Rescue were called to the scene about 1.15pm after reports of a catamaran in distress.
The crew on board Iluka Yamba 30 assessed the condition of the catamaran while the man was rescued by a Surf Life Saving NSW jet ski and taken to shore to be assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
Iluka Yamba 30 skipper Mick Madden said the crew was exceptional in challenging conditions.
“The bar was very difficult and confused with a substantial cross swell running,” he said.
“We assessed the wreckage; it was in bits and pieces and continuing to break up.”
Mr Madden said the vessel was unsalvageable demonstrating the power of the bar.
“It was just outside the breaker line when we headed back to base,” he said.
“The wreckage was heading towards the beach about half-a-nautical mile south of Iluka Bluff.”
A ‘securite’ radio message has been issued to warn boaters of the navigational hazard.
Marine Rescue NSW urges boaters to check and monitor conditions and to Log On with Marine Rescue via VHF Channel 16 or the free Marine Rescue NSW app.
The rescue comes following the busiest season ever for Marine Rescue units in NSW, with 7472 boaters returned to shore during the season from October 2022 to Anzac Day 2023.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Alex Barrell said 48,379 Log Ons were recorded over the boating season.
“We’ve seen an increase of around 20% of boaters Logging On over VHF marine radio or through the Marine Rescue app.
“It’s really important that any boater that goes out and about particularly in the offshore environment takes the opportunity to Log On with Marine Rescue and that’s whether it’s over the VHF marine radio or through our free Marine Rescue app,” he said.
“The fact that you Log On and that Marine Rescue is tracking your voyage means that if you don’t return as planned rescue services will start looking for you.”
Marine Rescue NSW radio operators managed 156,244 radio calls over the season and of all activities being undertaken during the season’s 3,263 rescue missions, 46 per cent involved boaters either fishing or cruising.
Iluka Yamba Marine Rescue was the second busiest unit in the Northern Rivers during the boating season, performing 44 rescues.