Sealegs proving its value

Tauranga Coastguard's amphibious Sealegs is proving its worth, being dispatched to a range of rescues over a busy week that saw coastguard volunteers rack up 293 hours.

The hours are split between 162 hours on public relations events, including the annual golf match fundraiser, and 131 hours on rescues.


A long tow back to Tauranga on Saturday, November 14.

This isn't counting the hours spent by volunteers on radio watch, management, training and maintenance.

Friday 13th was a big public relations day for the Coastguard at their annual golf match fundraiser and the first day of the boat show.

Later that evening, TECT Rescue was needed to recover a vessel from Karewa Island.

Day two of the boatshow on the Saturday, and both TECT Rescue and the Sealegs were called to the aid of a sailor who was high and dry in the middle of the harbour.

He was from out of town, says Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker.

'We basically gave him some buoys basically left him there with the buoys to secure him, and left him there till the tide came back in.

'It was too shallow to drag him off with the Sealegs. When the tide came back in he got himself off.”

That evening, TECT rescue was despatched to tow a boat back to its marina berth.

On the Sunday there were no rescue calls, and it was a nice easy day at the boat show, says Simon.

Monday night saw Sealegs Rescue strapped onto its trailer and taken to Lake McLaren to assist with the police recovery operation.

Tuesday was a big night for Sealegs and her crew with a developing incident in the harbour, which turned out good for all involved.

Police were concerned for a person's safety and were called to bring the person and his boat back to the marina.

On Wednesday, Sealegs was called to find a horse that was thought to have gone swimming from near Matapihi. The coastguard found the horse happily cropping grass near the Whareroa Marae.

Friday, TECT Rescue had to battle its way through some less than ideal conditions to go to the assistance of a vessel whose electrics were fried and it was dragging its anchor.

There were three on the boat which was anchored near the southern end of Matapihi, says Simon.

'The island itself, not the knolls.

'There were three on board and a diver down. Maketu Coastguard was also dispatched to ensure the safety of the vessel and the diver, until TECT Rescue arrived from Tauranga.

'It was pretty lumpy seas. We got Maketu out there to make sure they were safe and the diver safe. Maketu sat with them till we got there,” says Simon.

'It was a four hour round trip to get him back to the berth. It was pretty slow, there were some big holes out there.”

Saturday rounded out the week with Coastguard supporting the Te Awanui Youth Trust in their Bluelight Take a kid fishing day.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.