Busy day - all good learning

We planned to start training on Sunday at 1300. On the boat at 1300, and because of parking shortage we picked some crew up at the wharf. While waiting we heard a boat just off Challenger Island that had problems getting their engine started talking with ops.

With all on board we left the wharf only to immediately get the callout on the radio tasking us to Challenger Island.

The boat engine wasn’t starting and had two people on board who unfortunately weren’t Coastguard members. When we arrived, it became apparent that they had swapped fuel tanks and the engine wouldn’t start. We checked petrol in the can, that fuel was pumped through, and hoses were ok. Then we put on our jump pack to turn the boat over and nothing was happening. We pumped up the petrol again and turned over a bit to see if there was an air lock, no, nothing. So, we hooked them up for a relatively short tow to Martins Bay.

Note: I recommend again, join Coastguard, pay $150 pa and get our services for free. Otherwise the operations people charge us out at $350 per hour. For this job it was around $700. Not for just for fuel but for the costs of the whole organisation.

Once they were dropped off, we went off to do some training in South Cove. An hour or so later we were just going home and at the mouth of the Matakana River we received another Tasking from Ops. The position was almost the same as the last job off Challenger Island but this time was to a jet ski out from Orewa.

When we arrived, we found the jet ski and its driver had stopped for a fish but when he tried to restart, his battery was flat.

We managed to find the very small battery and get the jump pack on; immediately we got the engine running. We watched him dash off and followed for a couple of minutes but it was obvious all was fine. Off back home into the setting sun with fingers crossed that we made it.

Back home just as it was getting dark.

Once they were dropped off, we went off to do some training in South Cove. An hour or so later we were just going home and at the mouth of the Matakana River we received another tasking from Ops. The position was almost the same as the last job off Challenger Island but this time was to a jet ski out from Orewa.

When we arrived, we found the jet ski and its driver had stopped for a fish but when he tried to restart, his battery was flat. We managed to find the very small battery and get the jump pack on; immediately we got the engine running. We watched him dash off and followed for a couple of minutes but it was obvious all was fine.

Off back home into the setting sun with fingers crossed that everyone made it.

Washed down with thanks to Dave, Neale, Dan, Michael, Nick and Dan. Some training done and some experience built.