Moreton Bay fishing expert calls for more weather beacons in popular fishing spots
The two fisherman killed when their boat capsized off the Brisbane coast this week have been identified.
Southeast
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A well-known Maryborough businessman has been identified as one of two men killed in a boating tragedy off the Brisbane coast on Wednesday.
Darryl Francis, 75, from Tinana in Maryborough, and Merv Meade, 70, from Alexandra Hills in Redland City, died after their vessel capsized.
It is understood Darryl Francis, 75, from Tinana in Maryborough, was fishing with his cousin when their 4.3m dinghy capsized between Green Island and Moreton Island.
Mr Francis operated a mobile welding business in Maryborough before he retired.
Moreton Bay experts have put out a desperate call for more weather precautions to warn boaties about dangerous conditions following the deaths of the two rmen.
Spero Kartanos, a local fisherman with decades of experience in the waters where the men were found yesterday, believed now was the perfect time to place additional weather and wind reading beacons in the bay’s most popular fishing spots.
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Mr Kartanos said the measures would help lessen the alarming amount of boaties finding themselves in trouble after listening to weather forecasts, which end up being false more often than not.
“A new weather beacon in the bay near the Wynnum Manly area, where obviously the biggest marina is and probably the most used part of the bay for smaller boats, has been badly needed for a long time,” he said.
“The weather beacons at the moment are in the waters east of the airport, the spitfire channel, which is west of Tangalooma and the other one is south of Peel Island.
“So there are no beacons from Mud Island to north of Peel, which as mentioned is one of the most used fishing and recreational areas of the bay.
“Personally we have an area that would be perfect – the Hope Banks beacon would be ideal as there is already one could be turned into a weather and wind reading beacon.
“In my opinion it would be a fantastic safety feature for small and medium boats to be able to
see the actual wind speed and direction in the area and just might stop these tragedies from happening.
Mr Kartanos said he had been thinking of this for years and believed the additional precautionary measures would at least it would give boaties an extra and accurate reading in the area.
“We have now lost four people in the same time of the year with westerly winds and rough seas,” he said.
A Brisbane Coast Guard spokesman said there had been more police call outs in Moreton Bay in recent months than ever before.
The spokesman agreed with Mr Kartanos, saying any extra safety equipment would be beneficial but did not think it would stop some boaties from venturing out into the bay in rough conditions.
“The more safety precautions we have the better,” he said.
“But the water is like the road, there are tonnes of Slow Down for Sam signs on the road, tonnes of police but still people speed and do those types of things, which end up in tragedy.
“People need to just be a lot more cautious and even if the weather forecast says it will be OK, if you get down to the bay and it’s windy, lumpy or rough, forget about it.
“The water is dangerous and it can kill you.”