A survaval story at Sunshine Coast

Gail Forrer-Arnold of Sunshine Coast Daily reported yesterday this fisherman's survival story after he was encountered a freaque wave that rolled his boat over:

The adventure began on Tuesday night when the avid fisherman went to Noosa River to check his crab pots.

“But it was such a lovely night, I thought I would just duck out and head up the beach. It was beautiful, really flat.”

Following his heart and led by his line, Andrew boated down the river, over the bar and across to Teewah.

“I was about 100 metres off shore from the beach, and I had my back to the shore,” he said. “I was fishing in the gutter off the beach.”

A rogue wave gave little warning of its 9pm arrival.

“I just sort of heard the noise of the wave starting to break – I had the motor running.”

The wave rolled the boat over.

“Instead of going into shore, I was sucked out to sea,” he said.

He swam under the boat to get his lifejacket, found the V cover and wrapped his legs in it to stay warm.

“I lashed my hand to the front of the boat – just in case I passed out or fell asleep. And I had my legs tucked up into the front of the boat.

“I could have climbed on top of the boat, but the chill factor stopped me.

“I was warmer in the water.”

When the sun rose he watched as a trawler, helicopter and light planes passed by him.

Except for the trawler, he said he was not panicked.

“The only time I was a bit worried, was when I saw the trawler,” he said.

“I used to work on trawlers in the Bass Strait, so I know sharks follow trawlers looking for scraps.”

By 9am, Mr Taylor had decided he could not wait any longer for a rescue.

“There wasn’t anyone on the beach,” he said. “I decided I’d had enough.

“I’m not fit, but I’m determined, so I just swam in.

“Going through the surf break was the hardest.”

Mr Taylor said it was well after lunch when he reached home ground and phoned Noosa Coast Guard.

This is a very tough fisherman who made his survival sounds easy. But it was most definitely not easy at all. That was a calm night, "beautiful, really flat" as he tells it, which must accounts for his easy survival. He heard the noise the wave made before the encounter. So freaque waves must making some sound -- but so far no one in the academic world pay attention to the sound effect yet!

What I would suggest is that he should have his life jacket on all the time out there instead of swam under the boat to fetch it.

Other than that I just wish to congratulate him for his lucky survival.