Man Dies After Swept Off Rocks

[mrmoshe]

A KOREAN national on a church group trip has died after being washed off rocks while fishing on the New South Wales south coast.

The 25-year-old man was swept away at Mullimburra Point, south of Moruya, when a big wave broke over the rock fishing platform about 9am (AEST) today, police said.

Emergency crews were unable to reach the man, who was later found floating face down in the water.

A police spokesman said the man had been in Australia on a two-year work visa.

He had been living in Canberra and had travelled to the south coast with a church group.

Dangerous surf had prevented rescuers from retrieving the man's body but further attempts would be made once the swell had subsided, the spokesman said

[MarlinMadness]

Such a shame but when are people going to learn that fishing off the rocks is a risk!

You really need to know what too look for and also be well equipped ie: correct shoes etc.

Deepest sympathy to his family.

[femalefisho]

Such a shame but when are people going to learn that fishing off the rocks is a risk!

You really need to know what too look for and also be well equipped ie: correct shoes etc.

Deepest sympathy to his family.

I am sick of hearing people loosing their lives for an activity that is supposed to be

relaxing and fun. The state government really needs to spend some of the money

that they collect in publically educating people about risks. Government endorced

tv commercials are aired for free. Something really needs to be done.

Condolances to the persons family.

[mrsswordfisherman]

female fisho>> the goverment has done something about it. At the end of 2005 I was part of a project together with the department of sport and rec, Recreational fishing alliance, ANSA and SSAFA (fishing club) to do a number of rock fishing safety awareness programs. Of these, we held rock fishing safety seminars with korean and vietnamese communities where they were taught all the do's and don'ts of rock fishing and even taken to the ocean and shown what to do. Pamplets and leaflets in a number of different languages were made available at all fishing shops and in Korean, vietnamese and other asian communities. Presentations were done on asian radio stations. At the end of 2005, we produced a Rock Fishing Safety DVD that was on the front of March issue of fishing world. get a copy of it and let me no what you think. Articles were also done in the magazine about it. Angel rings are constantly being installed by ANSA. How much more does both government and non government organisations have to do? at some point blame must be put ont he individual!

Absolutely agree there Dutchie. The individual must take responsibility for their actions. Sounds like an excellent campaign was launched by the authorities and directed at the ethnic communities involved

Cheers mrsswordfisherman

[Guest Jewel]

Unfortunately the sea cuts no-one any slack.

Black, white, green, yellow, horns or wings you make a mistake and she takes you as her own.

I do believe that many of our friends from other countries may not have grown up with a culture that needed to respect the sea (be they from a landlocked place or somewhere with calmer conditions) and as such more suseptible to an underestimation of conditions or safety. There are some good education programs in place and it should stay that way.

Additionally some folks are just plain stupid and get themselves removed from the gene pool by their own foolish actions............... in animals known as survival of the fittest, in some circles called evolution.

You cant protect anyone from themseves.

[FiSHBoY]

Im asian, vietnamese to be exact, ive only been rock fishing once before cause my mum wont let me go, and only recently, a friend of mine who is in my scout group had his father pass away, and the reason why, cause he was rock fishing. He was reported missing for a copule of days, and his car was found near Port kembla, they found his body last week.

I was told by my friend that his dad had invited friends to come along but no one was free that night so he headed of by himself in the middle of the night, i dont think it was on the news but it was on some of the local vietnamese newspapers, very sad indeed. He hasnt spoken a word to anyone since the passing of his father.

So now, rock fishing to me is out of my list and i dont think that i will be trying it soon.

[Beach Fisho]

Dutchie.

I HEAR YOU.

I've had a similar upbringing, with most of my experience down south on our weekly camping trips with my old man during my early to late teens. Long hour walks around beaches till you get to the ledges. On go the rock hoppers and off come the cold weather gear. Sit up top watching the swell, waves and horizon for a good 45 minutes to see all sets and waiting to see that 'Freak Wave' you hear so much about. There's nothing 'freak' about it, just that most people don't expect it, but sit and watch for 45 minutes, you'll see it.

I remember one day i was waiting, watching with my old man (Before i really realised the safety thing), i found my spot and ran down as i was very impatient. Dad called me back and i returned reluctantly. He sat me next to him and said "See where you were standing, now watch this wave coming in after this set') when that wave hit the 4-5 foot whitewash covered the ledge I was standing on. From that day, i was a new man/kid.

There's nothing like the sound, smell and adrenaline you get from fishing the stones. I really feel like another predator out there when I’m on the ledges; your senses are working overtime, getting in the mind of the fish. It’s a style of fishing where you can’t relax, similar to driving a car I reckon, got to be looking out in front of you rather than watching the rod tip.

I too have had some hairy moments, i remember when my old man got swept out, he didn't go far (Admittedly it was one of the safer ledges), I remembered my old man saying ("Don't jump in after me, just find something to pull me in, or throw something to hold"), I threw out safety rope and got him right on the button, Lucky.

Makes me think what might have happened if I wasn't there, or if I just happened to miss a few fishing session with the old man, things might not have been the same.

Safe fishing all!!

BJ

Edited April 21, 2006 by Beach Fisho

[Bashir]

You have to have a lot of experience before you start rockfishing seriously, I've also been fishing the rocks since about 7 or 8, although I'm not dumb enough to fish yellow rock anymore, I still remember climbing down the cliffs at dover heights when I was 10. I still don't consider myself to be a gun rock fisho and take plenty of care because a few seconds mad judgement can mean death, simple as that even if you know the way the water works and wear wetties and rock plates, cracking your skull after getting knocked over by a wave is too easy to happen.

Dutchie fished greenie on the weekend and it was perfect conditions, but still care has to be taken no matter where you are, moved to little greenie and then the blessings for a few blackfish, pretty slow day. PS...tell dean to unblock me on msn otherwise I'm gonna slash his tires.

[neilm]

quick comment on the DVD - it's good! It would be worth distributing to every tackle shop - every fisho can't help watching a video or DVD if it has fishing action in it...

Cheers,

Neil