News - Coastguard Central Region

If you're on the Kapiti Coast this weekend (4-5 Feb) and have yet to get your Coastguard Lottery tickets, Coastguard Kapiti Coast will be at the Paraparaumu Mitre10 Mega Store with lots of tickets, the lottery prize boat on display along with an indoor display of the prizes Mitre10 are providing to the lottery.

This is a great way to support your local Coastguard Unit as by buying your ticket direct means $7 from every $10 ticket sold goes directly back to the Unit to help them continue doing what they do best – Saving Lives at Sea.

If your in New Plymouth this weekend pop down to the Coastguard Taranaki Open Day on Sunday 29 January 2012 between 11.30am - 5.30pm. It is at Fitzroy Yachts, Marine Parade NP. You will be able to take a look at a 50m Super Yacht, 37m ex Inshore Patrol vessel Kahu, Port Taranaki's Pilot boat Westgate and Coastguard Taranaki's Westgate Rescue.

There will also be static displays from local sea kayakers and the Surf Life Savers, along with helicopters rides, BBQ, sausage sizzle, coffee and icecream stalls.

Admission is $4.00 per adult, $2.00 per child under 15 or $10.00 for a family of four or more.

All proceeds going to Coastguard Taranaki's new rescue vessel project. Head down and support this great community project.

Today (21 January 2012) Coastguard Kapiti Coast were called out to a broken down boat with three people on board south of Kapiti Island.

Coastguard Taranaki to order new rescue boat. Well done to the Fundraising Team! A great community asset which will assist the Coastguard Taranaki Team to continue saving lives at sea in the 'naki!

Coastguard Wanganui will be launching its Lighting the Way project at the annual Wanganui-Manawatu Sea Fishing competition held over the weekend 21-23 February 2012.

Coastguard Mana were called out Saturday 14 January 2012 to assist in a search at Titahi Bay. The search continues today.

Last night (13 Jan) Coastguard Marlborough did a Good Samaritan job. A boat had beached itself on Burney's Beach, Arapara Island. The crew got a line on the boat and waited for the tide to lift it and moved it off the beach to a nearby mooring.

Coastguard South Taranaki were called out this afternoon after a boat sunk crossing the Patea River Bar. Two men in hospital as a result of their ordeal.

Coastguard Marlborough were called out overnight after a woman jumped off a Blue Bridge ferry just inside the Tory Channel entrance. She was found alive onshore about an hour and a half later.

Coastguard Marlborough had a quieter Festive Season with less callouts...while other Central Region Units were busier....

Coastguard Wanganui were also called out 2 January 2012 for a woman clinging to a log in the Whanganui River.

The Coastguard Wanganui Team were also called out this morning (4 January 2012) for a vessel with gear box problems. The crew on the rescue boat accompanied the vessel back to Wanganui as it was able to make way under its own steam.

Coastguard Marlborough were called out to Tory Channel today for a medivac. Coastguard Manawatu werealso called out for a search but were later stood down however a boat then needed assistance with a flat battery.

Coastguard Manawatu Volunteer for 27 years, Volunteer Fireman for 36 years and Chief Fire Officer for 15 years, Rodney Caldow was awarded a QSM for his service to the the NZ Fire Service in the 2011 New Years Honours.

Coastguard Manawatu was called out late yesterday afternoon (30 Dec 2011) to a vessel which had brokendown but was able to make its way back to the Manawatu River Entrance on its auxilliary engine. With 5 people and a dog on board they sought the assistance of Coastguard Manawatu to make sure they crossed the River Bar safely.

Well done in getting back to the River Entrance safely and calling on Coastguard Manawatu to make sure they crossed safely!

Coastguard Marlborough is out and about in the Sounds today (30 December 2011) putting in place more reflectorised signage on jetty's etc. The signs are uniquely numbered to identify properties and locations which assist Coastguard and other services to quickly identify locations in emergencies - particularly at night.

Over the Christmas period Coastguard Volunteers in the Central Region have been very busy with over a dozen jobs. Most of which have been for broken down vessels which needed assistance. As a result our Volunteers have assisted over 25 people to safety.

If you are a kayaker / canoeist who heads out onto our seas, lakes and rivers there are a few simple things you can do to make yourself safer while out there enjoying your time on the water – Check out the Maritime NZ Safety Tips for canoeists and kayakers before you head out.

Coastguard Wanganui, Coastguard South Taranaki and Coastguard Kapiti Coast were called out over the weekend for broken down vessels. The four vessels and their occupants we all towed to safety.

Before putting to sea over the summer Coastguard recommends making the following vessel checks:

Checking batteries to see if they need replacing or charging
Replacing old or stale fuel
Check the fuel filters for water
Ensure safety and communication equipment is up to date, functional and has not been misplaced. This includes flares, lifejackets, torches, locator beacons and a working marine VHF radio

Coastguard also recommends that skippers always log a trip report via VHF radio and carry a charged cell phone kept in a waterproof bag for backup.

Always check the marine weather forecast before heading out and when out on the water, continue to monitor this using Coastguard’s NowCasting service which provides up-to date marine, wind strength and marine weather forecasts via VHF radio across most of New Zealand. Coastguard NowCasting Locations & Channels.

And if you want to upskill and complete a boatong course such as practical powerboat training, day skipper courses and marine VHF radio training; check out the courses available by visiting www.cbes.org.nz

Over the previous weekend Coastguard Manawatu hosted the Canteen Kids Christmas Party with fun in and on the water followed up with a BBQ - A great time was had by all.

Over the weekend Coastguard Nelson is to take delivery of a 8.5m Naiad which has seen Coastguard service with Coastguard Whakatane. The vessel is on its way and will become operational with Coastguard Nelson soon. More on that in the future.

Coastguard Boating Education (CBES) hosted its national conference on Saturday October 29th at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron in Auckland providing an opportunity for their large contingent of tutors and examiners to engage on new developments, and to share ideas. The theme was ‘Staying Relevant in Changing Times’.

Presentations and workshops centred on how widespread adoption of the internet and new technology was changing behaviour and having an impact on learner expectations and their access to education. Anticipating more change in the future, CBES was adding blended learning to its programme that will see tutors helping students to learn in an online environment.

The highlight of the conference is always the Awards dinner where the organisation and its stakeholders take great pleasure in celebrating and recognising achievement across a variety of categories. These award winners have demonstrated a tremendous contribution to water safety in addition to being dedicated, inspirational and passionate in the promotion of boating safety within their respective communities.

The Outstanding Contribution to Maritime Safety was awarded to Graham Cowling. This award is given to someone who has demonstrated dedication and leadership in the promotion of boating safety within their local community. Graham teaches a range of CBES core and SAR (Search & Rescue) courses. He is currently the president of Coastguard Taranaki which exemplifies his commitment to the safety sector.

Coastguard Marlborough co-ordinator Richard Chapman said it was amazing how many people had gone to the rescue. "Without the public we're all in trouble. We all help each other when something is wrong, and their help definitely affects the outcome of these situations. It makes our job a lot easier," he said.

Coastguard Marlborough was called out to assist when two vessels collided in the Marlborough Sounds on Wednesday 26 October 2011.

Coastguard Manawatu, Coastguard Kapiti Coast, Coastguard Kapiti Coast Air Patrol and Coastguard Wanganui assisted in the search off Foxton over Labour Weekend.

Coastguard Wellington and Trish Huisman from Coastguard Manawatu were the winners at a ceremony held Saturday by Coastguard Central Region to present the Region’s 2011 Rescue of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards.

The awards were presented at Coastguard Central Region’s Annual General Meeting in recognition of the volunteers’ efforts in helping to keep New Zealanders safe at sea.

Coastguard Wellington were recognised for their part in a multi-agency search and rescue off the Wellington South coast on 30 December 2010 when three people were reported overdue from a fishing and diving trip. The search continued into the following day, requiring the Unit to plan and provide multiple rescue vessel crews so that their rescue vessel could remain in the search over an extended period of time.

Photograph: Coastguard Wellington Vice President Vicki Rowland receives the Coastguard Central Region Rescue of the Year Award from Coastguard Central Region Chairman Keith Bastin.

As a result, two people were found alive by a rescue helicopter and both the Police vessel Lady Elizabeth IV and the Coastguard Wellington rescue vessel Spirit of Wellington were tasked to retrieve them from the water. They were found to be in a critical condition by Police and Coastguard crew who worked together to bring them safely to Wellington Hospital where they fully recovered.

Keith Bastin, Coastguard Central Region Board Chairman, took great joy in presenting the awards and said, “While this rescue was a team effort across a number of SAR agencies, this award acknowledges the combined efforts of the Coastguard Wellington team who rotated a number of crews over a six hour search and certainly reflected Coastguard’s core function of saving lives at sea.”

Trish Huisman of Coastguard Manawatu received the Volunteer of the Year awa

rd for her commitment to going that extra mile in her many and various roles within the Unit.

Trish works in a number of positions in the Unit and manages various projects while also fully supporting other volunteers, including her husband, in their commitment to the Unit. She also attends most training events and always expresses a keen interest in experiencing new opportunities in training and is always one of the first to step up to take on commitments in the Unit.

“We must recognise the efforts that our people put into Coastguard and this is one of those awards that is well deserved. It is a great pleasure to award Trish today and thank her for all her dedication and hard work,” says Mr Bastin.

Photograph: Coastguard Manawatu President Leighton Judd receives the Coastguard Central Region Volunteer of the Year Award on Trish Huisman's behalf, from Coastguard Central Region Chairman Keith Bastin.

Do you want to become a Coastguard Volunteer. Click on the link to read more and download an application form.

Click on the link to view the video which featured on TV1's Close Up programme 11 May 2011.