Another bar crossing fatality

[JonD]

Unfortunately another life lost and one in hospital after capsizing in the bar yesterday.

At the ramp is a large led light warning sign stating wave height, yesterday it was 1.1m. Im not sure exactly where the wave height is calculated from but having crossed the bar myself with three onboard just before the accident, I can assure people some of those waves were double, if not three times that size. 

I can see how some people might see the warnings and think 1.1m waves are small, which most small boats could perhaps handle. However the reality for us was waiting for a lull then full throttle to the first wave then backing off as we drove up the face then full throttle to the next again and again until through. 

Coming back later in the day from 500m in front of the bar I paused to allow a set of full breaking swell across the bar before picking my wave and committing. I do like how responsive my 445 is in such conditions picking through chop and pressure waves. Once through a quick glance back revealed a wall of white breaking waves which was easy to see how the boat had gone over. 

This was a 1.1m day at the bar. I feel inexperienced boaters will picture in there mind a tape measure with 1.1m on it and simply have no idea what that means in bar crossing conditions. Even parking up and heading out onto the break wall can be very misleading for people, firstly looking down from high up on a break wall makes the waves look smaller. Time periods with waves can be very misleading too.

I headed onto the break wall and watched several boats big and small head in, with what looked like nothing more than chop. I also saw the large police boat come in where the nose went down low and keeled over a fair amount. On their run out they had to pull back on a couple of waves which certainly woke the people onboard up.

1.1m waves, I feel I have to keep saying it as people simply don't get what that means. The day my daughter lost a person overboard was 1.8m and conditions much like the past few days where there were 20-30mins of good water followed by nasty stuff. 

As far as the fishing went, couldn't fit anymore good sized dolphin fish in the cooler bag and boats all around were into the marlin.

 

Police boat sitting pretty.

 

 

Sitting not as pretty.

 

My daughter bringing her charter in behind the police boat.




Police turned back around to head straight back out.

 

 

 

 

I called a friend I often fish with who's boys were also out wide in a larger boat advising them to consider Bermagui harbour over ours, which Im pleased to say they took the advice and the dad happily drove the trailer down to the safer harbour to pick them up. Its always good to have enough fuel for an alternative escape plan.

Stay safe people and remember this is just 1.1m.

Edited April 5, 2023 by JonD

[Rebel]

Top report.

Great photos.

[bessell1955]

It looks pretty choppy out there.

[dirvin21]

One of the issues with trusting a sign rather than trusting your own observations 

Feel for the family of tte lost boater

[Green Hornet]

Sad to hear.  
I guess regarding the sign, this is one example where it’s better overestimate the wave size rather than underestimate. As a long time surfer I understand the power of the ocean that many others just don’t realize.

[big Neil]

This is really sad Jon. Do you think there is enough education of skippers who obtain a normal boat license? Many don't even do any practical demonstration of their capabilities to control their vessel. I believe there is a shortfall in establishing whether skippers of trailer-sized boats know enough about the possible conditions that may be encountered. Not much point trying to learn the safe handling of a vessel when conditions have been misinterpreted.... it may well be too late by this time.

bn

39 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Sad to hear.  
I guess regarding the sign, this is one example where it’s better overestimate the wave size rather than underestimate. As a long time surfer I understand the power of the ocean that many others just don’t realize.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the comments I have made above GH. Cheers, bn

[HOOLIGAN2]

VERY SAD NEWS!!! 

 

i must say ive doing going to forster for the last 12 years and many of time ive watched the bar and nver been out unitl the last to 2 years , it can be very scary if you havent been through one and i must say we have to recpect the bar it can change in a blink of an eye !!! 

great report but sad ...

[Green Hornet]

32 minutes ago, big Neil said:

This is really sad Jon. Do you think there is enough education of skippers who obtain a normal boat license? Many don't even do any practical demonstration of their capabilities to control their vessel. I believe there is a shortfall in establishing whether skippers of trailer-sized boats know enough about the possible conditions that may be encountered. Not much point trying to learn the safe handling of a vessel when conditions have been misinterpreted.... it may well be too late by this time.

bn

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the comments I have made above GH. Cheers, bn

Agree with you 100% BN. There’s only so much you can learn in a classroom and without substantial practical experience it can be an accident waiting to happen, as in this case, though learning to read the ocean is something that can take years.
Caravans are another thing that comes to mind in the same regard. The amount of near misses I’ve experienced or seen are scary to say the least on our narrow, regional roads.
 

 

[Bryant fish]

I’ve been boating for over 25 years amd never had to do a proper bar crossing I wouldn’t really know what to do

[JonD]

32 minutes ago, Bryant fish said:

I’ve been boating for over 25 years amd never had to do a proper bar crossing I wouldn’t really know what to do

It can be like boating and riding a moto x bike at the same time. Everything is happening fast, so you need to react quickly and know how the boat handles in a constantly changing situation. You can have wind waves from one direction, swell from another and tidal pressure waves all thrown into the mix. Simply waiting a while for an incoming tide direction change can completely change the bar to being far safer. Engine power plays a big part as you need to constantly work the throttle, adding a 4 blade prop can also help with grip and keeping the stern from bogging in to much. 

[JonD]

2 hours ago, big Neil said:

This is really sad Jon. Do you think there is enough education of skippers who obtain a normal boat license? Many don't even do any practical demonstration of their capabilities to control their vessel. I believe there is a shortfall in establishing whether skippers of trailer-sized boats know enough about the possible conditions that may be encountered. Not much point trying to learn the safe handling of a vessel when conditions have been misinterpreted.... it may well be too late by this time.

bn

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the comments I have made above GH. Cheers, bn

I think bar crossings would be a tricky thing actually get good experience of from a course. I remember water police coming here a few years ago to get their bar crossings endorsements . They had picked a weather period where the bar was flat but in and out they went over several days, they would of experienced far worse wash from boats in Sydney or Botany Bay.
Rescue training from what Ive ever seen is also in pretty flat conditions and I believe the rescue boats dont go out if the swell is above 2m, it then becomes a rescues from the safer harbours north or south of us.

The best experience is going out on boats with people who have gained lots of experience but even that can be tricky as some people who have done it for years also get in trouble and lose their lives. Im amazed how many people head out in the dark in order to get live bait or reach the best spots first. Its rare for me to head through the bar before 9am, by that time the word is out how sketchy the crossing was.

I must admit though that I like rough conditions, it just seems to do something to me which I enjoy about being at sea, maybe its just adrenalin.

Edited April 6, 2023 by JonD

[Bryant fish]

I’ve stayed out for just 1more fish too many times and scared the crap out of myself bloody stupid i am in my 50s should know better . Some of the wash from big boats is bad enough but some of those bars are scary glad i dont have to do them

[JonD]

57 minutes ago, Bryant fish said:

I’ve stayed out for just 1more fish too many times and scared the crap out of myself bloody stupid i am in my 50s should know better . Some of the wash from big boats is bad enough but some of those bars are scary glad i dont have to do them

Yes Im very close to 60 now and still messing out in little boats trying to keep the prop in the water for at least half the trip!!!!!....suffering today with my back and neck though.

[dunc333]

sad to hear of the deceased down there mother nature can be cruel you have to respect her even crook haven was sketchy yesterday looked fine but was far from it take care out there over easter and stay safe .a fish is not worth your life cheers dunc333

[ahn]

which river.

[dunc333]

narooma bar 

[Hoods]

Should be called Notorious Bar so more people get the message.

[Marky mark]

Yeah its a bit of a skill and local knowledge helps a lot too. I used to run a 14 foot tinny with 30hp out of Port Macquarie for many years till finally had one particularly close call and had to get something a bit bigger and with more power. Knowing your bar, what it does in different tides and wind conditions and where the best exit line is that week all make a big difference. Going out is scary but had my biggest puckering whilst coming in against a run out tide after a fair bit of rain so lots of water running. Timed my run in between breakers ok but then hit a standing wave right at the mouth of the bar and came to a near full stop as the breaker behind was chasing me in. That was the day I decided to get a bigger boat with a bit more power! 

[JonD]

On 4/24/2023 at 2:30 PM, Marky mark said:

Yeah its a bit of a skill and local knowledge helps a lot too. I used to run a 14 foot tinny with 30hp out of Port Macquarie for many years till finally had one particularly close call and had to get something a bit bigger and with more power. Knowing your bar, what it does in different tides and wind conditions and where the best exit line is that week all make a big difference. Going out is scary but had my biggest puckering whilst coming in against a run out tide after a fair bit of rain so lots of water running. Timed my run in between breakers ok but then hit a standing wave right at the mouth of the bar and came to a near full stop as the breaker behind was chasing me in. That was the day I decided to get a bigger boat with a bit more power! 

 

 

First thing I see on the bigger black boat is the foil on the engine, which looks much like the se sport design, something Ive personally found to be extremely dangerous on three boats Ive owned on bar crossings. I've bought boats with them fitted and soon taken them off and changed to 4 blade props instead. Im not alone in regards to people having issues in very rough seas with these very wide fins. Ive found they can hold the boat side on where it would of normally right its self almost immediately without one. Ive had to do instant turns with the waves to stop my boat going over, boats such as Haines signature, cruise craft and quitrex. Doing these hard turns down the face of a wave can be extremely dangerous in the confined space crossing bars. 

Narooma Bar now has the reputation of the most dangerous on the east coast https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-19/narooma-bar-deadliest-crossing-in-nsw/102239844#:~:text=on east coast-,Data shows Narooma Bar on NSW Far South Coast,tidal crossing on east coast&text=New data has revealed the,crossing on Australia's east coast.

[Marky mark]

Good eye there Jon, the boat came from the NT and the console was too far aft making it tail heavy, probably not an issue running around in rivers but definitely not ideal in a decent head sea. The foil was a band aid. I lifted the floor, moved the fuel tank and console forward and took the foil off which made it a much nicer boat!