Marine Rescue busy on Valentine's Day

Several calls of assistance were made to Marine Rescue NSW Central Coast on Valentine's Day.

Acting publicity officer for Marine Rescue Central Coast, Ms Shea Wicks, said: "An eventful mix of valentines and vessels created much demand for the Central Coast team of Marine Rescue over the weekend of February 13 and 14.

"Valentine's Day seemed to open the floodgates with calls of assistance from up to six pleasure craft."

The first call came from a stranded 18-foot runabout with an overheated engine and four people aboard.

It was towed from Ettalong to Davistown by skipper Mr Jim Robertson and crew member Mr Paul Oliver in the vessel Central Coast 21.

Simultaneously, Central Coast 22 with skipper Mr Al Howes and crew members Mr Paul Hanlon and Mr Karl Leipa towed a bowrider with five people aboard from Woy Woy Point to Gosford boat ramp.

As these missions were being completed, a call for help came from a vessel at Flint and Steel Beach requiring a tow to Empire Bay.

This resulted in a joint effort: Marine Rescue Cottage Point 30 towed the vessel to Half Tide Rocks where the tow was handed over to Central Coast 21 which delivered the craft safely to Empire Bay.

Several other rescues took place on the day.

A craft was towed from Saratoga to Lions Park.

A 40-foot yacht ws removed from a mud-flat in Brisbane Water, and a five-metre runabout was towed from Booker Bay to Blackwall.

The first day of the weekend was somewhat quieter.

The first call for help came from a jet-ski rider needing a tow from Wagstaffe to St Hubert's Island.

Central Coast 21 completed the tow without incident.

Later in the day, skipper Mr Terry Reynolds, with crew members Mr Paul Oliver, Mr Karl Liepa and Mr Duncan Coles, answered a call and towed a yacht, which had lost its auxiliary motor, from Yattalunga to Gosford.

Media release, 15 Feb 2016

Shea Wicks, Marine Rescue NSW Central Coast