VMR Whitsundays skippers seeing ‘50% increase’ in jobs year-to-date

VMR skipper Mal Priday says his squadron has recorded a 50 per cent rise in call outs year-to-date and from sinking boats to medevacs, they are doing it all. Check out their latest missions here.

VMR Whitsundays skipper Mal Priday says his squadron has recorded a 50 per cent increase in calls outs year-to-date, but adds he and his fellow volunteers are “doing OK” under the pressure.

“Generally, if someone needs assistance, we are there,” he said.

“We are now the fifth busiest VMR squadron in the state.”

The other four are located in the Southeast corner of the state.

Mr Priday added VMR Whitsundays had recorded a 30 per cent increase in jobs in 2021.

“So in two years it has basically doubled,” he said.

Volunteer Marine Rescue Whitsunday skipper Mal Priday is excited about whale season but has some advice for boaties. Picture: Contributed.

Providing a marine safety net for the Whitsundays is not an easy job for the all-volunteer crews, despite the coast’s image of clear blue skies and perfect islands.

“It goes from being absolutely gorgeous to quite scary because we are out in all conditions,” he said.

He said the crew on occasion confronted 3m seas which were “not very nice at all.”

The past week illustrates the variety of jobs the VMR skippers take on.

On June 1, VMR1 helped a vessel that had run aground on Langford Reef in what Mr Priday called a comparatively easy job.

“Beautiful conditions and beautiful weather,” he said.

“It (the vessel) had fallen into the trap of steering to clear the south cardinal beacon at the southern side of the reef, but had missed the fact that the reef protruded a long way past the beacon to beacon transit, with the inevitable result.

“Not a good thing to happen on the first day of your holiday.”

On the same day, VMR volunteers helped with a medevac from Hamilton Island.

“It was successful,” Mr Priday said.

“We have paramedics on board for every medevac.”

On May 30, VMR skipper Ken Bryce received a call out for a sinking catamaran.

VMR Skipper Ken Bryce assisted a sinking catamaran on May 30. The crew began to tow the catamaran in but the vessel ultimately sunk and was salvaged the next day. Picture: Facebook

He and his crew began to tow it in, but to no avail.

“I noticed that the bow was going very low in the water, even though we had a short tow on her,” he said.

“Then there was a loud bang and the tow line was free.

“Their bridle had broken.”

The catamaran sunk but was salvaged the next day.

Mr Priday said whale season had arrived early in the Whitsundays and he had some clear advice for boaties navigating the massive creatures.

A whale in the Whitsundays from 2018. Picture: Sharon Smallwood.

“Just stay clear,” he said.

“They are fascinating creatures, they are quite inquisitive.

“If they are coming towards you, go to neutral, stop the boat.”

Mr Priday said whale season generally ran from July to September, but the 2022 season looked like it would run from June to October.

“I’ve been on the water 22 years in the Whitsundays and I’m still fascinated when I see whales,” he said.

“It is just absolutely stunning.”