CLIENT: Gold Youth Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20240629
FROM: Cairns To: Townsville
DATE: 4 July 2024
POSITION: Hinchinbrook Is
REPORT: Sailing Master
On Thursday 4th July, at about 2:30pm South Passage was contacted by Marine Rescue Queensland. Two kayakers were in trouble off the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island and had set off their PLB’s. When you are at sea and you hear a distress call you act and that is just what the crew and young adult passengers of South Passage did.
The call went out, “All Hands On Deck!”
The three watches took their positions. The sails were dropped, and South Passage was turned around. She proceeded to follow the beacon signal until the kayakers were located.
A woman had been knocked out of her kayak and was unable to get back in and a gentleman was becoming tired trying to tow the extra kayak and the woman back to shore. The rescue itself was performed by the more experienced crew, but getting the couple onboard was only stage one.
Strong arms were needed to use ropes to haul the kayaks onto the deck and then a helicopter arrived to take the exhausted woman to Townsville hospital. VMR Cardwell met South Passage as she headed to the mainland to take the man and the kayaks.