Boaties found after four days missing at sea: ‘It was rough, it was rocky but we weren’t lost’
“I had no idea until this morning and then we realised everyone was looking for us.” The largest maritime search in SA history gave him and his mate up for dead – now Derek Robinson tells what happened.
SA News
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Two men who vanished at sea, sparking the largest maritime search in South Australian history, say they weren’t lost and did not know a huge rescue operation had been launched to save them.
A text message to police late on Wednesday night was the first contact Derek Robinson, 48, and Tony Higgins, 57, made to the mainland after disappearing off the Eyre Peninsula four days earlier.
The men were found on their waterlogged jarrah wood boat at Salt Creek on the Coorong on Thursday morning. A phone they were using became inundated with messages after coming into contact with a phone tower.
“I had no idea until this morning (about the search) and then we realised everyone was looking for us,” said Mr Robinson, moments after embracing friends and family at Encounter Bay boat ramp on Thursday afternoon.
With a bourbon and cola can in his hand, the father said: “It was just rough, it was rocky. I felt isolated and that the world didn’t exist because we were out in the middle of nowhere.”
“There were a couple of hairy, scary moments – when you see big waves coming at you, you hope they don’t break on you or broadside the boat and tip us over. It’s all part of the adventure.
“We had enough food to keep us going another day or two. (I just wanted to) get away, (a) change of scenery. I knew I’d see (my family) again, I just didn’t know when.”
Mr Robinson said the vessel’s skipper, Mr Higgins, tried to fix the boat after hitting a turtle or rock with the propeller near Kangaroo Island on Friday night. The pair purchased the 33ft double-ender fishing boat on Thursday and were sailing from Coffin Bay to Goolwa.
Mr Higgins said he and his deckhand weren’t worried about their situation.
“We knew where we were going, we were just trying to get here,” he said.
“I wouldn’t mind actually just f...ing back off out there again actually after this.
“I don’t like being famous at all.”
Mr Higgins hopes to stay on the boat until the vessel is fully repaired.
Fleurieu Peninsula Superintendent Mark Fairny said the friends were lucky to be alive.
“They didn’t believe that they were in danger. But looking at a few factors, such as the age and condition of the boat, the lack of adequate safety equipment, it is very much a surprise they were able to travel the distance that they did,” he said.
“These men are extremely lucky.”
Superintendent Fairny said the massive search effort was the largest in SA maritime history and covered about 104,000sq km before it was called off Wednesday night.
The men had not been heard from since Friday night, when they called a friend to say they were experiencing difficulty with the propeller.
“It’s only by chance they got back into mobile phone range,” Superintendent Fairny said
“So there’s somewhat of a degree of surprise from the men that people have been making such a fuss trying to find them.”
On Thursday morning, the men were towed back to Victor Harbor by police boat Investigator 2.
Water Operations police officers inspected the anchored vessel about 100m off Granite Island jetty.
After some time, Mr Robinson was placed on the police boat to be reunited with loved ones waiting ashore. Mr Higgins stayed with his vessel, which had become waterlogged.
Superintendent Fairny said the boat had multiple safety and licensing issues.
Mr Higgins was fined $1000 for having insufficient safety equipment and no operator’s licence.
The vessel had an out-of-date EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) and out-of-date flares, and police said Mr Higgins did not hold an appropriate recreational boat licence.
Mr Robinson’s brother, Ian Robinson, said the family was “over the moon” to discover the men had survived and were uninjured.
“I’ve never been happier, my brother is alive,” he said.
“I am happy as a pig in sh*t. I was losing the plot for the last couple of days.
“(But) I was not giving up until there was a body, debris, or a boat.
“The anxiety and pain you go through, I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. It’s been emotional.”
While waiting for his father to reach dry land, Ashley Robinson said he hadn’t been able to stop crying for two days.
“I’ve been devastated,” he said.
“(I’m) quite close with my dad. Over the last few years we’ve been distanced a bit but I love him. He’s my dad.
“I’m feeling really happy and overwhelmed he’s been found.”