8.5m Naiad RIB ‘NZAS Rescue’

We don’t do this to be rewarded

Coastguard Bluff professional volunteers are skilled and highly trained in search and rescue techniques.

In the twelve months to 30 June 2010 the 23 professional volunteers of Coastguard Bluff

• gave 1,920 hours of service, 50% up on last year
• spent 50 hours in search & rescue operations and 517 in training activities
• answered 12 calls for assistance from the public
• responded to 8 Police initiated search & rescue operations, a 100% increase over last year
• rescued 31 people

Since July 2010

Our Volunteers have

• gave 117 hours of service
• spent 19 hours  in training activities

Keeping our Community Promise – Saving lives at sea

Coastguard Bluff concentrates on regular patrols on weekends, on hand for the increasing number of recreational boaties in the area. Recent Search & Rescue operations involving Coastguard Bluff are

Fishing Trip Tragedy

May 2010: A man’s body was found by a helicopter in Foveaux Strait after the boat he was in capsized when it was hit by a freak wave.  Two men were fishing off the east coast of Dog Island, 5km from Bluff, when the 4.7m boat they were in capsized about 2.30pm.  The boat was spotted by passing fisherman who realised it was a man sitting on top of the boat.   The man on the upturned boat, who was wearing a lifejacket, told the fisherman the boat had been hit by a freak wave about 2.30pm and he and the 50-year-old man he was fishing with had climbed on top of the boat. But the 50-year-old man got cold quickly, slipped off the boat and decided to try to swim to Dog Island.

Coastguard volunteer crews from Riverton and Bluff searched along with a local helicopter. The boat was found about 1.5km to the northeast of Dog Island and the man’s body was spotted by one of the helicopters about 500m off the island about 8.50pm.  Coastguard Riverton recovered the man’s body and took him to Bluff

Sinking vessel

9 August while out on regular patrol in NZAS Rescue Coastguard Bluff professional volunteers heard a Mayday call  on the VHF radio.  4 people out diving in their ‘runabout’ noticed that the boat was taking on water.  Obtaining a general descripiton of the location they were able to find the vessel which was listing badly.  Discussing with the boat owner what he would like to do i.e. take the vessel under tow back to port or take it to shore, he asked that Coastguard take it under tow and elected to stay on his boat.  Shortly after Coastguard took the vessel under tow it became apparent that it was going to sink and the 4 people were taken on board NZAS Rescue.  The boat sank shortly afterwards in around 6 metres of water.

Lost in Fog

A boat with two people on board radioed the shore station they were lost in fog and unsure of location, and their engine was not operating. The position given by the skipper was checked by Coastguard Bluff who could not fin them at location. Further radio contact with the stricken boat and their rescuers realized that the skipper was reading GPS incorrectly and was giving location of curser on screen, not location of boat. The correct location was ascertained and NZAS Rescue proceeded at speed to the location. A small runabout was found close to shore and in imminent danger of grounding. Coastguard took it under tow and returned the boat and its occupants safely to Bluff.

A classic case of not being fully conversant with electronic equipment on board, another reason to complete a Coastguard Boating Education course on VHF, GPS and Radar.

Drifting out of Fuel

A radio call logged by shore station in the late afternoon revealed a small inflatable was drifting 2km off Waikawa coast, out of fuel. NZAS Rescue was dispatched with additional fuel on board. They found vessel drifting offshore and took it under tow to the nearest safe haven, Waikawa Harbour.

Volunteer with Coastguard Bluff

Saving lives creates a special camaraderie that is unique to those who have experienced it. But in typical Kiwi fashion, our crew’s prefer to remain humble about it. If you are prepared to put in the time and effort to be a Coastguard Professional Volunteer contact us by email.

We don’t do this alone

Coastguard Bluff could not operate without the continued, generous support of New Zealanders.

Two special supporters are

• New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited
• Kaye’s

To make a donation and join our team in saving lives at sea please use the ‘Donate Now’ button above to access our donations page and indicate Coastguard Bluff in the message section. Thank you for your support.

Where we come from

Coastguard Bluff was officially started in 1998 under the name ‘Southern Volunteer Coastguard Inc” by a local group of commercial fishermen to assist vessels the Foveaux Strait area. In 2001 a benefactor in Auckland donated a 12.5m rayglass protector vessel which was renamed NZAS Rescue in acknowledgement of the generous sponsorship of NZ Aluminium Smelters based at Tiwai Point. The vessel was repowered with new outboard engines, the electronics upgraded and a modified enclosed wheelhouse and cabin heater added to suit local conditions.  In Novermber 2009 the rayglass was replaced with a 8.5m Naiad with assistance from Coastguard New Zealand.  This vessel will be used temporarily until plans for a new ‘fit for purpose’ rescue vessel suit to conditions in Foveaux Strait come to fruition.