Yacht rescued by fishermen before hitting Forster Tuncurry bridge in bad weather

As powerful swells lash the Mid-North Coast fishermen stepped in to rescue a yacht ripped from its mooring before it crashed into a major traffic bridge.

Local fishermen help rescue a yacht pulled from its mooring at Forster.

As powerful swells lash the coast fishermen at Forster were the first on hand to rescue a yacht ripped from its mooring before it crashed into the town’s main traffic bridge.

The skipper made an urgent call to the Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry unit late on Monday afternoon after the wild weather, combined with a strong incoming tide, at Cape Hawke Harbour got him into a tricky situation.

With the anchor tangled around the yacht’s propeller the vessel was being blown closer to the busy Forster Tuncurry bridge which connects the twin towns.

The yacht was secured at the fish co-op at Tuncurry by the time the local Marine Rescue brigade arrived.

The yacht being towed back into the harbour at Forster Tuncurry.

Local photographer Merryl Kemp captured a kneeboarder making the most of the powerful swell near Forster.

Before Marine Rescue volunteers could get there, members of the Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-op came to the rescue with Isaac Bowland and his crew holding the yacht off from smashing into the bridge.

Members of the Gogerly family, well known in local fishing circles, were then able to tow the ailing yacht back to the safety of a mooring on the Tuncurry side.

A Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry spokesperson thanked the local fishermen praising their bravery given the “urgency of the callout”.

A low pressure system is currently generating strong south to southwesterly winds and large powerful southerly swells along the coast.
The system is forecast to be slow moving over the coming days before weakening later in the week.

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