Monday, 17th February 2020
February saw a select group listen to Rod Keller, Deputy Flotilla Commander – Australian Volunteer Coastguard.
Rod spoke about the relationship between the Coastguard and the Water police and the “powers” of the coastguard to act.
He then showed slides of their rescue boats and some of the training exercises before rounding off with a number of examples of their more interesting and unusual rescues.
Of their 1400 rescues per year, one included the rescue of a man who threw himself and his anchor overboard in the middle of the bay and clung to a channel marker for three hours before being rescued in a hypothermic state.
In gratitude this person joined the coastguard and is the current Flotilla Commander.
Rod also talked about paying his way through University as a bikini Beach Inspector at Terrigal, hardly relevant but amusing.