Coast Guard Cairns

06/06/2026

🚤 Jim’s Rescue Round-Up ⚓

Another night-time assist for Rotary Spirit recently saw our volunteer crew spend hours patiently monitoring a stranded vessel before safely towing it home.

Crew: David Baume (Skipper), Jim Bramich and Barrie Lamb.

The vessel involved was a 5.3m runabout with one person on board. After experiencing depth sounder issues, the vessel ran aground on Oyster Reef, damaging the motor. Fortunately, the hull remained intact and the skipper was uninjured.

Rotary Spirit departed the marina at 4:30pm and arrived near the vessel around 5:30pm. The runabout was approximately 150 metres inside Oyster Reef in very shallow water just after low tide. Due to the conditions, Rotary Spirit was unable to safely approach and remained in deeper water while assessing the safest course of action.

With a light northerly breeze blowing, the decision was made for the runabout to raise its anchor and allow the wind and tide to slowly drift it clear of the reef. The Rotary Spirit crew then maintained a watch throughout the evening, keeping the vessel in sight, monitoring its position by radar and receiving regular position reports from the skipper.

The wait was long, but the crew were rewarded with a spectacular tropical sunset followed by a beautiful moonrise over the reef.

It wasn’t until 9:30pm—four hours later—that the vessel finally drifted into deeper water near the southern end of Oyster Reef. Rotary Spirit was then able to safely approach, establish a tow at 9:40pm and return the vessel to the Fearnley Street Boat Ramp at 11:50pm. The crew arrived back at their berth just after midnight.

📍 Mission Statistics
• 47 nautical miles travelled
• 190 litres of fuel used
• 5 engine hours
• Returned to berth at 12:05am

A great example of patience, seamanship and teamwork helping achieve a safe outcome on the water.

👏 Well done to David, Jim and Barrie for their dedication and commitment to keeping our boating community safe.

🙏 A special thank you to Jim Bramich for another excellent update and for sharing these behind-the-scenes stories from the water. We know our followers enjoy hearing about the real work our volunteers do to keep local boaters safe.

06/06/2026

Fresh south-easterly winds of 15–20 knots are expected across Cairns Waters this weekend, with choppy conditions likely in exposed areas. Check the latest marine forecast, plan your trip accordingly, and stay safe on the water.

05/06/2026

⚠️ Boaties, please be aware this Saturday! ⚠️

The Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge (GBROC) will be taking place on Saturday 6 June, with paddlers travelling from Yorkeys K**b to Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas in a 45km open-water race. The event is expected to start at 9:30am, with competitors on the water for several hours.

Participants will paddle north from Yorkeys K**b, passing Haycock Island (Scout’s Hat) and Double Island before continuing offshore towards Port Douglas. Mariners operating between Cairns’ Northern Beaches and Port Douglas should keep a sharp lookout for outriggers, ocean skis, SUPs and support vessels along the course.
👊🏻Hekili Outrigger Canoe Club 🙌🏻

🚤 Please:
• Maintain a safe distance from competitors and support boats
• Reduce wash where practical when passing paddlers
• Keep a good lookout, particularly off the Northern Beaches coastline
• Follow all directions from race officials and support vessels

We wish all competitors a safe and enjoyable race and thank the boating community for helping keep everyone safe on the water.

**b

04/06/2026

While most of Cairns was asleep, our volunteers were out on the water helping fellow boaties return home safely.

Last night, Rotary Spirit responded to a call from a 7-metre cabin cruiser with 2 people on board experiencing fuel issues approximately 2 nautical miles east of Fitzroy Island.

Crew aboard Rotary Spirit were Jim Bramich, Steve Carpenter and Peter Curran.

Departing Marlin Marina at 10:55pm, the crew were en route when the vessel advised they had managed to jury-rig their fuel system and get the engine running again. However, concerns remained about engine vibration, so Rotary Spirit stood by near Cape Grafton in case further assistance was required.

As the situation developed, it became apparent the vessel was also experiencing navigation difficulties and was struggling to find its way back to Cairns. Using the vessel’s reported position and the help of an extremely bright spotlight, Rotary Spirit located the cruiser and escorted it safely back to shore.

Both vessels arrived safely at the Tingira Street Boat Ramp at 2:30am, where crew were able to discuss the incident with the boaties. It appears a GPS setting or alignment issue may have contributed to their navigation problems.

Rotary Spirit then returned to Marlin Marina, arriving at 3:00am after a long night on the water.

📍 Distance travelled: 32.6 nautical miles
⛽ Fuel used: 101 litres
⏱️ Engine hours: 3.9

A great example of why carrying reliable navigation equipment, understanding how to use it, and having a backup plan are so important when heading offshore.

👏 A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers who answered the call and ensured two boaties made it home safely.

03/06/2026

Yesterday, our volunteer crew aboard CS31 responded to assist a disabled jetski at Green Island after it experienced engine problems.

The crew — Jim Bramich, Steve Carpenter and Col Perkins — departed Marlin Marina at 12:30pm and arrived at Green Island at 1:20pm, where the jetski was safely beached.

With the owner requesting transport to the Yorkeys K**b Boat Ramp, the team quickly assessed the situation. The disabled jetski did not have a tow tap fitted, which is required to safely tow a personal watercraft at speed without risking engine damage. To overcome this, the crew fitted an Emergency Personal Watercraft Skin (EPWCS), allowing the jetski to be safely towed at approximately 14 knots.

The jetski was delivered safely to the Yorkeys K**b Ramp at 2:55pm before CS31 refuelled and returned to Marlin Marina.

📍 Mission Summary

* Distance travelled: 40.7 nautical miles
* Fuel used: 105 litres
* Engine hours: 3.2 hours

Fantastic job QF9👊🏻

02/06/2026

🎉 Welcome Aboard! ⚓

At last night’s meeting, Coast Guard Cairns officially welcomed two new volunteers to our operational crews.

David Peart – Boat Crew, A Crew
Chris Bloomer – Boat Crew, B Crew

David and Chris have volunteered their time to help keep our local boating community safe and will be joining our dedicated team of marine rescue volunteers.

Starting their marine rescue journey means plenty of training, teamwork, and time on the water as they develop the skills needed to assist mariners in need across Far North Queensland.

💙 Please join us in welcoming David and Chris to the Coast Guard family by giving this post a like and leaving a message of support in the comments!

Welcome aboard, gentlemen — we look forward to seeing you on the water soon! 🚤⚓

01/06/2026

On Saturday 30 May, Rotary Spirit and our C Crew responded to a request for assistance from a 6-metre runabout experiencing engine problems just north of the beach at Green Island.

With 3 people on board, the vessel was unable to continue safely, so our crew quickly got underway from Marlin Marina and arrived on scene to assess the situation. The vessel was then taken under tow and safely delivered to the Fearnley Street Boat Ramp.

👏 A big thank you to the crew:
⚓ Mark McCombie (Skipper)
⚓ Kathryn
⚓ Rob Cooper
⚓ Jim Bramich

Mission Summary
📍 Green Island (north beach)
⏰ Departed Marlin Marina: 7:55am
⏰ Arrived on scene: 8:45am
⏰ Tow completed: 10:10am
⏰ Returned to berth: 10:25am

📊 Mission Statistics:
🔹 34.5 nautical miles travelled
🔹 2.5 engine hours
🔹 161 litres of fuel used

Whether it’s mechanical failure, running out of fuel, or unexpected trouble on the water, our volunteers are ready to help keep boaters safe and get them home.

Remember: Before heading out, always check your vessel, safety equipment, weather conditions and ensure someone knows your trip plan.

31/05/2026

🚤 Another Safe Return to Shore 🚤

On 29 May, our volunteer crew aboard Rotary Spirit responded to assist an 8-metre cabin cruiser with three people on board after the vessel experienced sterndrive overheating south of Double Island.

Crew members Jim Bramich, Mark Suttie and Steve Carpenter departed Marlin Marina at 3:15pm and arrived on scene at 3:55pm. After assessing the situation, the vessel was taken safely under tow and delivered back to its pen at Yorkeys K**b Marina by 5:00pm.

Following the successful tow, Rotary Spirit refuelled at Yorkeys K**b before returning to Marlin Marina, arriving back at berth at 6:00pm.

📍 30 nautical miles travelled
⛽ 123 litres of fuel used
⏱️ 2.3 engine hours

While many were finishing their workday, our volunteers were on the water helping fellow boaties get home safely. A big thank you to Jim Bramich, Mark Suttie and Steve Carpenter for another professional and efficient response.

If you’re heading out on the water, make sure your vessel is well maintained and always log on with the Coast Guard before you leave.

31/05/2026

09/05/2026

🚨 Training Day for “Ruth Lee” 🚨

Today our crew put the SOS Rescue Ladder to the test during a water recovery exercise featuring our very patient training mannequin, Ruth Lee 😄

C Crew worked through rescue and recovery techniques using the ladder system, building confidence and sharpening skills that could one day help save a real life. From teamwork and communication to safe recovery procedures, the crew did an outstanding job learning new techniques on the water!

We’re happy to report that Ruth Lee was successfully rescued… yet again 😅

A huge effort by everyone involved today — training like this keeps our crews ready for when the real call comes in.