Family Swims To Shore After Boat Swamped By Wave

An Invercargill family had to swim for 45 minutes to shore from Bluff harbour to the wharf last week, after their catamaran became swamped with water.

Autoplex owner Daniel Blain said the family had borrowed some life jackets from him and were going to take their boat out to give it a run when it became submerged by a big wave.

The family with two adult children made a video call to him for help on January 1 when they were swimming to shore - the cellphone was inside their chilly bin which they had used as a floating device.

“They said we are sinking what do we do?”

The family were all linked together by rope and managed to make it to the wharf - the father was in his 70s and absolutely exhausted by the time he got there, Daniel said.

He emphasised the importance of staying with your boat and said the family were not sure of the right communication channels to alert authorities.

Had they been a member of the Bluff Fishermen’s Ship to Shore Radio service they could’ve been picked up quickly by another boat.

Operated by Meri Leask for the past 40 years, the service receives dozens of calls by boaties in the area - all recording their movements at sea for safety. 

Meri said on January 2 she received 89 calls and on a good day that could increase up to 150.

She said it wasn’t often that people abandon their boats, because all it takes is a quick call and another local boatie can go and help them.

“Otherwise it’s Coastguard.  There’s no mucking around out there,” she said.