This probably doesn't help the general SUP situation....
Surf skier blown out to sea....
Fairly strong SE winds yesterday....
It would have become relatively rough 8km off shore too !!

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www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/out-to-sea-without-a-paddle-20101201-18fmu.html

Out to sea without a paddle
Megan Levy
December 1, 2010 - 6:42AM
It was a case of out to sea without a paddle yesterday for a Melbourne woman, who celebrated her birthday with a dramatic rescue on Port Phillip Bay.

The woman, 46, had received a surf ski as a birthday present and decided to test out her new toy off Mount Martha beach late yesterday afternoon.

But soon after she set out with her husband the woman lost her paddle and was blown about eight kilometres off shore.

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The woman's husband paddled back to the shore and raised the alarm. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police units were called to the Mount Marth Yacht Club about 7pm. At that time, the woman's husband said he had not seen his wife since about 5pm when they became separated on the water.

Intensive care flight paramedic Shaun Ryan was on board an air ambulance helicopter called to search for the missing woman, and spotted her bright orange surf ski.

He said strong currents and wind had blown her far out into the bay.

''We did a sweep of the beach from the sky then within five minutes I could see her orange ski sticking out of the water,'' he said.

''I was winched down and dropped into the water where I was able to hook her into a rescue harness and we pulled her up to safety.

''She was a bit cold and distressed after her ordeal so we wrapped her in warm blankets and comforted her.''

The air ambulance helicopter dropped the woman at nearby Ferrero Reserve, where she was reunited with her husband.

''Luckily she was uninjured and didn't require transport to hospital,'' Mr Ryan said.

PAD said...

buuuuuuut ....................... did she get her goat boat back?

I was wondering the same thing actually !
Sounds like it might be at either Indented Head, or Werribee by now.

Lucky it wasn't a north easter or she would have been half way to Tasmania before the helicopter was called. The SE at least blew her back inside the bay.

It's a good question "stupid"!

In this instance, she seems to be just a rank beginner, lost her paddle, and blown out. Hubby must have been a fraction inept too (sorry hubby, just telling it like it looks!).

Firstly, major bay crossings should have water support, and planning.

We also have a good reliable course in Corio Bay, suited to anything from W to SW, and by checking wind directions and strengths at Colac, Aireys, Port Campbell, Camperdown, and Portland, etc.... and if they are all saying similar things, it gives quite an amount of confidence that the wind direction will stay true. Also, with this particular course, you can get lined up as you head out, and it is also very shallow at the end, so worst case, you get off and walk. No shipping channels crossed either....

Or if you were wildly off course, you would be able to make it to shore at Avalon Beach.

We usually have trusty Phill on land support, a marine radio, and visual contact (unless a windy rain squall comes through, but they make it all the more fun !! ), plus this course would be considered a "short course" at just 6.0km (OK, maybe a medium length course for some).

Stupidstupid said...

Do any Downwinders out there have a backup plan in case something like this happens

Look for the nearest channel marker buoy and hang on until you're rescued.

Most of the decent downwinders in WA are parallel to the coast or even slightly on shore so for one thing you are usually pretty close to land and if it all goes pear shaped you will be blown to the beach.