SEALINK FERRY IN DRAMATIC BAY RESCUE
Passengers on the 10.45 am ferry from Russell Island to the mainland on Sunday April 23 just happened to be involved in a dramatic bay rescue.
Skipper Joe Smeets made an announcement when he suddenly slowed the passenger ferry just north of PannikIn Island: “There are people floating in the water ahead”.
The weather was foul after a week of strong winds with the bay extremely choppy.
Macleay Island residents Robert Zander and Adrian Grey were treading water as Joe moved the ferry into close proximity.
A passenger sprang into action and grabbed a Lifebuoy and, with the deckie, helped the dripping two aboard.
Robert and Adrian told The Friendly Bay Islander they had been aboard their runabout heading to Redland Bay trailing an earlier passenger ferry.
“We were in the wash when a rogue wave hit us, and we were flipped over,” Robert said.
Their small boat went straight to the bottom and they started treading water until Joe and his ferry came along to save the day.
The two were dripping wet but had huge smiles on their faces when hauled aboard.
Their co-ordinates were passed onto the Volunteer Coast Guard at Redland Bay at they went out in search of the sunken vessel.
They had no luck in finding the sunken boat. It may be located in calmer seas.
• A dripping Robert and Adrian after being hauled aboard!
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