Trio rescued from Lake Wanaka

Three men rescued from a broken down, waterlogged boat in strong winds on Lake Wanaka on 25th January are planing on saying a special thank you to Coastguard Wanaka Lakes.

 

Jared Clarke who is now going to make it to his engagement party, along with his future brother-in-law and grooms-man John Totty, and his best man Adam Faulks were retruning from a three day hunting and water-skiing camp at Stoney Creek, near Mt Burke, about 9.30pm when their borrowed 5.8m Crestacraft boat developed engine problems and became inundated by rolling white-capped waves.

 

The Coastguard launched two boats and seven volunteers at 11.10pm that night, and found the trio at 12.30am.  They returned them to shore by 1.30am.  

 

Coastguard Wanaka Lakes president Jim Talboys said the rescue was a major achievement.  Volunteer Graeme Vallance described conditions as ‘terrible’ while Mr Faulk’s stepfather, Trevory Campbell, said the lake was ‘like and ocean’.

 

“We are really grateful to the Coastguard for coming and picking us up in the middle of the night,” Mr Clarke said.  ”Were planning an appropriate thank you for them”.

 

The men, who were wearing life jackets and had cellphones, personal locator beacons and torches with them, removed heavier clothing and got ready to swim, feeling confident they could make the 50-100m distance to shore.  But they decided if they left the boat, they would have no control over where it went.  ”We got organised for all the bad things.  We had plans A, B and C,” Mr Clarke said.

 

The attempted to anchor and checked the points, oil and fuel again, but drifted several kilometres back towards Mou Waho Island, narrowly avoiding a reef to the east of it.  With intermittent cellphone coverage, it took some time to contact Mr Campbell, who alerted the Coastguard at 10.30pm.

 

(Otago Daily Times – thanks for the great article)