drowning

[rickmarlin62]

just read of another rock fisho drowning at bluefish..also another washed in at kurnell...they don't learn hey...rick

[Short]

Yeah terrible news and a very stupid or ignorant thing to do. You will only see this kind of swell event 3 or 4 times in a year and these blokes choose to go rock fishing at one of the most exposed ledges in Sydney. On top of that was a rising tide up to a big high. 

They will start legislating more on this going forwards I reckon - compulsory life jackets and maybe banning rock fishing from some spots. Can't outlaw stupidity unfortunately. I hope if they do bring in bans it will be selective - ie. if BOM states hazardous conditions, no rock fishing etc. then you cant go to open ledges... we will see.

[Oldfella]

Hi Rick;

Honestly what can you do???

Even down here in Tassie the forecasts for Sydney mention Strong winds ,big  seas etc  etc.

 

Before moving here I fished most of my life off the rocks on the Northern Beaches.

(Mona Vale ,Turrimetta, all along the peninsula.)

Bluefish in those conditions you would have to be nuts!!

There are (or were ) multi lingual signs there

Unfortunately there are certain ethnic  people that simply will not be told!

You find it at many spots.

The seas are dicey and you tell them it is too dangerous to fish and you are ignored or the language barrier goes up at supersonic speed .As Short has just posted you could not get a worse set of conditions to even think about fishing Bluefish.

I would think twice about fishing the edges of the platform at Mona Vale pool in that lot Just heard a second fella went in off Cape Solander.

Another Bastard of a spot in crook seas.

Unfortunately the noisy minority - handwringers will kick up a stink and make it harder for the regular experienced guys to put a line in.

I am afraid it comes down to the old saying.

"YOU CAN'T EDUCATE BILLYGOATS!!!"

Cheers.

Oldfella.

 

 

[rickmarlin62]

yeah guys..ive fished the rocks all my life..from blackfish to lbg and hs spinning..you just don't fish big seas if you have any brains but I suppose that speaks for itself with these muppets..two other guys with life jackets jumped in to help this guy that wasn't wearing one and had to be hospitalized for their trouble..makes some people wonder if your better off waving bye to them or risking your own life to try n save them..ive been in this position and its a HARD call...rick

[tyrone07]

Can't teach common sense 

[Fab1]

You'd be surprised how many people that rockfish from different ethnic backgrounds can't swim let alone save themselves when they end up in the drink.

  You wouldn't get me in a boat let alone go rock fishing if I couldn't swim.Then again I have common sense .

The family's and friends are the last ones left grieving when it's all said and done.

[MattGb1989]

Hey guys,

By no means do I consider myself a rock fisho, iv had a few goes at it will work mates but that's about it, having said that I have surfed alot of my life and have been swept off rocks whilst surfing. I can not fathem how these people can think it's a smart idea. I love the sea and it still scares the hell outta me. Hopefully one day in my life time these people will learn. 

[Short]

22 minutes ago, MattGb1989 said:

Hey guys,

By no means do I consider myself a rock fisho, iv had a few goes at it will work mates but that's about it, having said that I have surfed alot of my life and have been swept off rocks whilst surfing. I can not fathem how these people can think it's a smart idea. I love the sea and it still scares the hell outta me. Hopefully one day in my life time these people will learn. 

Even though you say you don't consider yourself a rock fisho, you probably know more about rock fishing safety than 95% of the punters that have ventured out to a ledge. You know the power of the ocean, know how unpredictable it is, know when to stay the hell away and know what a life changing pounding it can give you when you least expect it!!

Maybe the ticket for rock fishing should involve swimming out past the outside bank from any Sydney beach on a 3 foot day and back in again....would take out the vast majority I would say.

[rickmarlin62]

the saddest part is they aren't even catching any decent fish to make it worth risking their own life let alone the poor bastard fishing there that feels obliged to try and save some dickhead wearing thongs that cant swim.....I hope it doesn't happen in front of me again cause I have too much to live for...hard choices need to be made by higher powers cause common sense is out the door  multi lingual warning signs are everywhere..people are dying all the time and its on the news but these muppets still go to spots like bluefish and frazer park..moonie and catho sth and numerous other ledges that are wave traps...the plaques with names on them tell the story of the idiot that drowned but not what their families have to deal with after the tragedy..rick

[finin]

We were out from their this morning but noticed no commotion  over that way, only heard it over the 7am news.

 Accidents happen and it happens to all, doesnt matter how long you have done something for, you may be a great fighter but there is one always better than you. I used to decky for a pro who was a champion rock fisho, when we used to leave the heads hed show me places that they would fish, id.stare in amazement at some locations hed show me every rock and path to take. The scarriest the bottom of Maquarie light with no rope. He has fallen from the top of Bluefish, broke his leg. What stopped him fishing was fishing with a m8 at Cape Bailey, high ledge. Talking one minute looks away, ledge breaks .

 

Yes there are many here who have grown up rock hopping, surfing, surf club etc , many lucky to be taught by older blokes the ropes old school. Now take a step back for those who have grown up on a sea with no tide and minnimum wave height if any. Then come here. The results speak for themselves and all points expressed above are true in every aspect.

 So what does it take.. that is a huge question.

[PaddyT]

Its sad but can I point out that about 11-12 people a year die rockfishing but about another 250-280 drown doing other activities. Rockfishing deaths get blown out of all proportion by the press and the major causes of drowning- alcohol,drugs, rivers etc get ignored. I was taking some overseas visitors for a tourist drive on Saturday and the seas were huge, can I also point out tghat the vast majority of drownings are "Aussies" not overseas visitors.

[Great_White]

This IS a tragic and repeated story over and over each year, unfortunately.

I used to fish the rocks, well Beecroft Peninsula, back in the 80's to early 90's...

Anyone who has fished there, knows it is not a forgiving place to fish, let alone actually getting to your selected spot.

I remember, one spot, just south of the "Block House", it was nicknamed 3 Graves , by the time I had moved from the area, it was known as 9 graves... and that was just from ( how to put this nicely ) naive people thinking you can safely climb down the rocks using clothes line ropes, or none at all.!!!

Even here, in S.A, we have had non indigenous ( read immigrants ) people washed off harmless break waters and drowned.

Most because, in my opinion, no fear of the sea, as it is found as something "new and exciting" having never seen it before!

Yes, unfortunate, also preventable. But, as most , nearly all have said, you can not teach common sense . !!!

My condolences to the ones that are left behind, and even worse, when there is no body recovered to farewell with dignity!

 

Great_White

 

 

 

 

[tyrone07]

If anybody is interested the coroners findings into rockfishing deaths posted in 2015 is a very good read as to why the introduction of life jackets and reviews a number of rock fishing related drownings in NSW link is attached http://www.coroners.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Rock fishing Findings.pdf

[GoingFishing]

3 hours ago, tyrone07 said:

If anybody is interested the coroners findings into rockfishing deaths posted in 2015 is a very good read as to why the introduction of life jackets and reviews a number of rock fishing related drownings in NSW link is attached http://www.coroners.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Rock fishing Findings.pdf

Mate that was very useful.thank you

"rock fishing without a life jacket is like driving without a seatbelt" 

[tyrone07]

5 hours ago, GoingFishing said:

Mate that was very useful.thank you

"rock fishing without a life jacket is like driving without a seatbelt" 

Yeah it gives a bit more perspective to the reasoning behind compulsory life jackets. 

[JohnDory]

Raiders,

Know your Spot!

Know your seas!

Wear a Jacket!

Never fish alone!

Do your self a favour. One day jump into a wishy washy bit of water at a beach in the flags with a jacket.

Make sure it is with all clothes that you wear fishing Shoes/Cleats etc.

It is not fun and scary.

I went in many years ago at JulieAnne 5 people on the platform didnt see me missing for 4 or 5  waves later back out covered in claret. Very Lucky.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by Johndory

[Mr Mullit]

Pretty risky sport rock fishing. I watched my best mate drown at whale in 1991. We weren't fishing because of the conditions, he just got caught on a low ledge in transit.ALWAYS watch the ocean. As for compulsory life jackets(would've saved his life),rock fishing tickets and closed spots on rough days. F that! Nanny state in action again. My life, my choice. May as well make everyone wear floaties at the beach, speed limit all cars and ban motorbikes. 

Any death is a tragedy and I'm sorry for the victims and their famalies. But I'm not paying for anything more than signage and angel rings. Especially not with my(our) freedom. Know when to hold em/fold em. Sorry about the rant guys. Decision makers are usually under qualified.

Matt

[JonD]

Sorry for the lack of sympathy here but when you are warned and still take the risk then why should everyone else need to pay ( in one way or another).

Im thinking of heading off to run with the bulls, doesn't matter that my stuffed back and age pretty much stops me running as I'm sure there will be a governmeant handout in safety gear to cover my ignorance and stupidity  

[Mr Mullit]

Legislation takes common sense out of play and all of a sudden errors of jugdement become someone else's problem. As for paying for it. We already are as air/sea rescue are already on call and on the clock. Maybe you think they are just there to help people with s*** boats and stranded "solo round the world" clowns. They are there to help everyone including lowly rock fishos who made a poor call. As for fools who can't read signs. We still have rescue them once they go in the drink, life jacket or not. Risk is risk and people need to accept that sometimes people die. Life jackets will just be another nail in the coffin of fishing. A once simple and fun sport now being over legislated by cotton wooled city types. Blanket lock out zones, salt water fishing licenses (the god given right of all humans is to fish) and now this.

Good luck in spain mate. Make sure someone holds you're hand when you're crossing the street.

[Short]

Shouldn't be too bad in Spain - the attitude towards risk taking behavior by individuals in continental Europe and South America (and probably other 3rd world countries too for that matter) is completely different from UK/US/Canada and Australia.

Euros have the approach - "if you want to do something stupid or risky and you're not harming anyone else then go for it" US/Canada/Aus try to put fences up and legislate against and police this sort of risk taking behavior. Doesn't stop it happening however and never will.

 

[cossie]

On 13 March 2017 at 6:06 PM, GoingFishing said:

Mate that was very useful.thank you

"rock fishing without a life jacket is like driving without a seatbelt" 

My take on it is,if you need a life jacket you shouldn't be there!

Saturday was no day to be on any rock.

[wizza]

Does anyone know of Alf Kurtz? there was a bronze plaque for him on Coogee Island in the 70s/80s,since washed away.

 

[rickmarlin62]

out of 11 drownings in a 5 mile stretch locally 7 were of Asian descent  1 Canadian 1 yank  2 aussies 1 was my mates son in law  he tripped over casting between waves..big sea shouldn't have been there..all these people should not have been on the ocean rocks on those days...that's why we have lakes rivers and harbours...I don't have an answer to the problem  I just just put post up so raiders and other readers of this forum can read about the futility of these 'tragedies'   I just hope none of you smart people out there ever have to make the decision whether to risk your own life to save some muppet wearing thongs fishing on a dangerous low ledge...cause if you are smart you will be at home havin a beer not standin there to see this happen.....rick

[JohnDory]

12 minutes ago, rickmarlin62 said:

I just hope none of you smart people out there ever have to make the decision whether to risk your own life to save some muppet wearing thongs fishing on a dangerous low ledge...cause if you are smart you will be at home havin a beer not standin there to see this happen.....rick

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