Long service awards were presented this week from Coastguard NZ to 5 professional volunteers from our Unit following 3 years of service to Coastguard, namely founding father JAY BERRIMAN, LYN HAMILTON, TIM BUCKLEY, BRAD GUTSCHLAG AND CARL PORTEGYS.  Absolutely Awesome achievement – very proud of these volunteers, and we are (like the rest of the community) grateful to the time, energy and commitment they have put into establishing and progressing a 7/365 dedicated marine search & rescue service for all of the Wakatipu community and all those who visit here and use the lake. Well deserved!

Coastguard Queenston had a busy two days last week when we were called to the assistance of an upturned barge on Lake Wakatipu. The barge got into difficulty when it’s load shifted in heavy chop. The result was a capsize and the Coastguard was called to assist with towing the vessel to safe water.

refloating the barge

Barge under tow

The Queenstown Unit has recently begun it winter training schedule and has at least 16 active crew on the books. We’ve been working closely with Coastguard Southern Region using the tried and tested Coastguard Training Modules which our first unduction of trainees have already completed.

New volunteers are always welcome and for more info you can contact the unit: volunteer@coastguardqueenstown.co.nz

Thanks to all who helped crew on the GY Windsurf contest. It was a long day but very worth while as we got to do hands on rescue training as some of the Windsurfers got into trouble. We will continue to support these types of events in the future, so if you

Coastguard Queenstown volunteers more than met their promise to save lives on the water with 67 people assisted in the eight months since July 2008.

Responding to 22 assistance calls and 7 Police initiated search and rescue events the 18 Professional Volunteers who make up Coastguard Queenstown have averaged 297 hours per person during this period.

Incidents responded to include

• Paraflight on the lake in difficulty
• Transporting Police to an incident at Walter Peak Station
• Searching for a intoxicated person believed to be gone swimming in the lake on New Years eve night
• Assisting for the search for people on the Kawarau River after an accident
• Called to assist a Kayaker in difficulty on the lake
• Called by Police to assist with a search for people missing on the Dart River
• Searching for girl suspected missing in Kawarau River
• Searching for a missing windsurfer

Training plays a big part in the Coastguard Queenstown volunteer hours, with 2,088 spent in training activities since July 2008.