How waterproof phone saved family after boat flipped in freak gust of wind
Teenagers are often chastised for taking their phones everywhere with them, but for one Brisbane family it turned out to be a life-saver.
The Graham family told Seven News how a waterproof phone saved them when their trimaran boat capsized in Moreton Bay.
They were able to call for help, but still had a nervous wait clinging to their upturned hull, desperately holding on and hoping that someone would come to their rescue.
The Grahams were sailing near Mud Island when a gust of wind flipped their trimaran.
"A bullet of wind hit us and before we could react the boat was up on one hull and over she went," Ken Graham said.
It happened so fast that Ken fell into the cockpit.
His daughters Jade and Alice, and Alice's boyfriend, were trapped in the cabin.
"Everything was upside down and water started to come in," Jade Graham said.
Somehow in the chaos they managed to swim free, with Alice still clutching her waterproof phone.
"I was thinking to myself, 'it's waterproof, we've got to contact someone'," Alice Graham said.
They did, sending a message to mum Linda after poor reception meant they couldn't reach 000.
"Saying, 'If you get this call 000, we've capsized', I was a bit shocked," Linda Graham said.
Shortly afterwards, rescue crews headed their way.
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Emergency services say if the teenager didn't have her waterproof phone they may have never been able to find the family.
"Extremely lucky," coast guard Steve Flemming said. "The communications were only by that phone."
Ken's 10-metre pride and joy, called Rush 3, also made it back and can be repaired.
A story at sea worth writing home about - and a future tale to tell the grandkids.
