Volunteers battle rough seas in overnight tow of disabled yacht to Nelson Bay

newy.com.au – Volunteers from Marine Rescue Port Stephens spent the night towing a disabled yacht back to Nelson Bay after it lost steerage off Broughton Island during a voyage from Lord Howe Island late on Sunday 7 December 2025.

Marine Rescue NSW said the overnight operation unfolded in rough conditions and became more urgent when the yacht’s skipper suffered an eye injury while trying to fix the steering problem between Seal Rocks and Broughton Island.

Radio operators at Marine Rescue Sydney first took the skipper’s call for help before transferring communications to the Port Stephens base, where volunteers were tasked to respond.

Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Jane Shirriff said a crew was deployed on the rescue vessel Port Stephens 31 just after 11:15pm.

“Unfortunately, the skipper of the yacht suffered an eye injury while attempting to fix the issue, increasing the urgency of the response,” Inspector Shirriff said.

Port Stephens 31 reached the stricken 12–15 metre yacht seven nautical miles, or about 13 kilometres, north of Broughton Island and six nautical miles, or roughly 11 kilometres, offshore.

Shirriff said the Port Stephens crew first checked on the welfare of those on board before securing a tow line and starting the long return journey to Port Stephens.

“It was quite uncomfortable offshore, with 15–20 knot south-easterly winds and a 1.5–2 metre swell,” she said.

Conditions remained challenging throughout the tow, with the rescue vessel and disabled yacht taking several hours to make their way back towards Nelson Bay.

“It was tough going on the way back, with our crew experiencing choppy conditions, but they persevered and guided the disabled yacht safely into d’Albora Marina, Nelson Bay at 6:20am this morning [Monday 8 December],” Shirriff said.

The inspector praised the coordinated effort across three Marine Rescue NSW units, describing it as a strong example of the service’s volunteer network working together.

“This mission involved three Marine Rescue NSW units. Sydney managed the initial communications, a crew from Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry was on standby to assist if required, and the Radio Operators and crew at Port Stephens did a wonderful job in extremely fatiguing conditions,” she said.

The skipper’s injury was managed during the operation, with the focus on returning both the yacht and those on board safely to shore. No further details of the injury were provided.

Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit professional organisation that works to keep boaters safe on the water and support local communities, with Port Stephens, Sydney and Forster Tuncurry units among those providing round-the-clock coverage on the Hunter and Mid North Coast.