A very tragic and sad day at the passage at Caloundra bar.
A sailboarder possibly, suffered equipment failure and drowned in the spin cycle at the bar today.
Firstly condolences to the family who were there today from all of us @ Shunshine Coast
Conditions were extreme with big dumping surf and 6knots+ outgoing tide.
People understand that if you are anywhere that is new or you aren't familiar with
ask a local!!!!!!!!!!
It can mean the difference!!

Press couldn't be bothered getting their story right.

ABC were the only ones to check the facts.

It was very disturbing to watch the heroic volunteers on the beach trying to resuscitate this poor man for over 30 minutes.

Condolences to the family who lost their windsurfer father and husband.

If you want to sail or kite at Happy Valley- please have a safety plan and don't go beyond your ability. The bar has no mercy. Even the most experienced among us have been rescued lately.

What kind of equipment failure was it? Did anybody see his gear?

mtcan said...

It sounds like overkill, but to carry a flare might be the answer. It is only good fortune that more have not drowned.

Sounds like a good way to set somebody's kite on fire.

Heyyyyyyy.....

mate if ya kite up no need for stress

Blownaway said...

echostorm said...

Dave you can offer any advice on what action to take when caught in the washing machine?

Ditch all your gear and swim out the back off the waves,diving under the breaking waves, go with the current an swim across it then make your way back in when you are out of the current,if you think this is beyond your ability? DONT GO OUT in these conditions !

Condolences to the family an friends of the sailboarder......sad tragedy.

Good call BW... In these conditions an impact vest can literally be the difference between life and death... like stated in the windsurfer forum, the waves peak much higher out at the bar due to the reverse force of the current. The current tries to take you out to sea while the waves try to push you back in. When I was a clubbie I took a rescue tube out in a monster swell once, got stuck 200m out off coolum on a 1m deep sand bar, even with all that extra flotaion and no tidal flow I really got the wind knocked out of me trying to keep my head above the foamy water.

Like I said earlier the best advice at Caloundra is to just keep swimming north, conserve you energy but be consistant, remain calm, and never kite further then what you would swim. The biggest killer in this situation is panic. Panic is the one thing that can make a smart man dumber then an ape and burn most of your oxygen needed to fuel your escape. To avoid panic, try and not drink coffee anytime before a session... and ironically one of the biggest contributors to a panic attack is the fear of panic itself (well for me anyway).

I swim laps at the local swimming pool and combined with surfing I know my physical limits and times my body can sustain the heavy energy involved in staying afloat. When swimming laps I dont hold onto the side or touch the bottom until I have finished my 1km. This reinforces your brain of your capabilities and in a hectic situation you can think back to this training as a mental barrier to prevent panic and keep in control. Sincere condolences to this mans wife and son, I sincerely hope that your life lost is one saved through the lessons of your misfortune.

Peace...

Horrific News, RIP.... not be discrespectful but at least he was doing what he loved.

There is a something to learn from this, its not the first time for that bitch of a bar.

Easter 2001or2? exact same conditions,, 14 of us were rescued on one day!!
7 by helipcopter! My rescuerers and boat also got smashed...and they had to get rescued also..countless boards/sails lost,,,but no lives, although I do remember 1 guy getting CPR on the beach when the helicopter landed.

I have sailed Margeret river had sails/masts smashed, remote nth WA Ganarloo etc, smashed by big sets at Coolum.....but Nothing is as scarry as being swallowed up by yellow monsters at the Caloundra River mouth, they will suck you backwards even when on the plane,and the churn you in and out and under without mercy with no let up....if your caught out the back you are history...there is no way out....and energy sapping like nothing....
The Surf Life savers there all earn their keep...we bought them all beer the year we were all rescued, we should continue to buy them beer, just so they keep an eye over us at that bitch of river mouth.
Don't sail/kite there on a King tide, sailing in particular as if you drop your sail in that current there is no getting it back up again.