2011 Wauchope Bonny Hills Rescue of the Month
On 29th January 2011, Chalkie Bob Smith and Gilbert Olzomer were contacted and alerted to an incident that had occurred at Grant’s Head. A rock fisherman had been washed into the sea and needed immediate assistance.
Chalkie Bob and Gilbert proceeded to launch the IRB in rapidly fading light from the Wauchope-Bonny Hills SLSC and made their way to the rock fisherman who was approximately 2.5 kilometers from the surf club. The crew had to negotiate a heavy shore break and swell around the rocky coast before they were able to reach the spot where the rock fisherman was located.
Once the IRB crew had arrived at the location they were assisted by Police on the cliff above in locating the exact position of the rock fisherman by shining torches on the man’s position. The fisherman was exhausted by this stage as he had been in the water for approximately 60 minutes holding onto a lifebuoy that had been thrown to him by a colleague. The crew in the IRB were able to rescue the man approximately 15 meters from the cliff face and rock platform by negotiating in the dark between heavy swells.
Club members meanwhile had called for an Ambulance and set up their car’s headlights to provide a safely lit direction back to the beach for the IRB crew and their patient. Upon reaching the beach the patient was administered oxygen therapy and treated for shock by club members.
The Ambulance arrived a short time later and proceeded to take the man to the hospital where he was treated for exhaustion, shock and water on his lungs. The man has now made a full recovery.
The brave actions of Chalkie Bob and Gilbert on this day prevented a tragedy from occurring.