Rower tow led to ‘waste of resources’
A miscommunication has been blamed for a “waste of resources” during the rescue of two British rowers last week.
Both Geraldton Volunteer Sea Rescue and Abrolhos Island Charters went to the aid of the two rowers, who were attempting to set a world record by rowing from Geraldton to Mauritius.
Cancer survivor Ashley Wilson and full-time adventurer James Ketchell set off from the Batavia Coast Marina on Monday on their 5800km trip entitled “Nothing’s Impossible”.
Less than 24 hours into their journey, the pair contacted the Geraldton Yacht Club for assistance because of a “major technical failure” in which the vessel did not deploy its Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.
Geraldton Volunteer Sea Rescue sent four volunteers aboard a rescue vessel at 4pm on Tuesday, but they were unable to locate the British rowers at the co-ordinates provided.
GVSR member Delma Shuttleworth said the volunteers made unsuccessful attempts to contact the rowers via their satellite phone and returned to Geraldton at 10.30pm.
She said it was a shame sea rescue had gone all that way and “come up empty”.
About 300 litres of fuel was used in the return journey.
In the interim, the rowers had contacted Abrolhos Island Charters at 2.50pm and organised for the private charter company to tow the custom-built carbon fibre boat back to Geraldton.
Abrolhos Island Charters had to abandon a private charter and offload its clients to go to the assistance of the rowers.
Owner Kim Wright said the situation was “not ideal”.
“I explained the situation to them, that we were in the middle of a charter with a boatload of customers, but they wanted us to come and get them, ” he said.
“They weren’t in any danger, they were drifting.”
Mr Wright said the charter boat located the vessel about 60km from Geraldton at 5pm, and returned to port at 5.30am on Wednesday.
Abrolhos Island Charters was paid for its services.
Mr Wright said it had been an inconvenience to both his company and GVSR.
“It was a waste of resources, ” he said.
Mr Wilson said there appeared to have been some miscommunication and they had not been aware GVSR was coming to offer assistance.
He said they would be reimbursing GVSR for its fuel.
The rowers spent several unsuccessful hours attempting to repair the navigation system at sea.
Mr Ketchell said nobody could foresee such an event.
The pair is expected to remain in Geraldton for the next fortnight until a replacement navigation system arrives from the UK.
They will then make a second attempt to become the fastest pair to make the crossing to Mauritius by completing their journey in less than 85 days.
