Surfer dies after being struck by a boat in bar

[tugger]

A man was struck by a boat while surfing and died in currumbin ck bar while the boat was trying to navigate through the breakers i have seen this many times and cannot see a single solution to avoid this again. The bar is popular for both surfies and boaties trying to get to close by reefs maybe caution signs need to be erected so surfers watch boats appraoching with more interest. What else could you do?

[Abureelman]

Yeh Mark, like you say tragic just hope the solution isn't restriction of boat access.

[ellicat]

Logical thing to do would be to ban surfing there on the weekends and public holidays to reduce the chances of further tragedy.

There is only one way for a boat to get out of the river, but a whole coastline to surf at.

[Davo_Dinkum]

as i see it the only option is to ban surfing in that area.

pity someone has to die before anything gets done .

[Guest]

as i see it the only option is to ban surfing in that area.

pity someone has to die before anything gets done .

I have noticed that a life has to be lossed before anything is done in this world

My heart goes out to his family @ friends

R.I.P Mate

[daveylad]

when we went out one late afternoon Mark on the seaway there were surfers crossing the seaway in the near dark, in the daytime they were all over the place, maybe a crossing area could or marked for them to cross, sounds a bit crazy but not impossible.

[eg_vtec]

saw this on the news just before. very sad with the surfer leaving behind two kids

[madmullet]

Logical thing to do would be to ban surfing there on the weekends and public holidays to reduce the chances of further tragedy.

There is only one way for a boat to get out of the river, but a whole coastline to surf at.

agreed but should be 500m each way of the bar.

[madmullet]

this happens at every bar just about. we nearly hit 2 surfers when they were paddling out thrugh the seaway. it should be banned

[Guest]

this happens at every bar just about. we nearly hit 2 surfers when they were paddling out thrugh the seaway. it should be banned

I also have seen some near misses in the seaway this is a big problem :dry:

[Greenmachine]

A very unfortunate accident. No one is to blame really. Surfers have as much right to be there as boaties and vice versa. Kinda simalar situation as when a sunbather gets run over by a 4wd at fraser / double island etc. Wouldnt be fair to not allow 4wds on beach or to not allow sunbathing. guess thats why its called an accident. Dredging the bar would help though but council dont want to pay for it.

[Greenmachine]

this happens at every bar just about. we nearly hit 2 surfers when they were paddling out thrugh the seaway. it should be banned

If they do get hit, Me and you should get the shark rods out. great berley!

[Scope]

It is a real shame to see this kind of thing happen. I feel for the family of the guy who died, also for the poor boatie, not sure if he was in the wrong but either way he'll have to live with that for the rest of his life. It would be a hell of a burden to carry....

[marty]

A very unfortunate accident. No one is to blame really. Surfers have as much right to be there as boaties and vice versa. Kinda simalar situation as when a sunbather gets run over by a 4wd at fraser / double island etc. Wouldnt be fair to not allow 4wds on beach or to not allow sunbathing. guess thats why its called an accident. Dredging the bar would help though but council dont want to pay for it.

I agree that surfers have as much right as boaties - no easy solution jumps to mind. I have surfed at the Alley and also crossed that bar in a boat so can see it from both sides of the coin.

The dredging issue is a little more complex than that. The council is only allowed to dredge to the mouth (as they do at least once a year), but from the mouth out is considered "state" responsibly. Of course the state government do not recognise Currumbin as a navigable bar so they refuse to dredge it. This "blame game" has been going for years down here. There are more than 10,000 recreational boating trips cross the Currumbin Bar each year (as of 2004) - not bad for bar that is not navigable!

Marty

[kmcrosby78]

Yeah I was down there earlier this year and on my way back through the bar I was absolutely amazed at the number of people doing all sorts of different water activities. I at that stage was still pretty brand new to driving the boat (although had my experienced uncle in with me) and must say I was a bit nervous about having to concentrate on timing it right with the waves AND weave a path through all the people.

Not sure what the solution is and as others have said it's always a shame when someone loses their life in any sort of tragedy. Perhaps more public education on what crossing a bar entails for boaties and the need to give them a wide berth (ie. we can't always just go in a nice straight line to avoid them).

[rosstralia46]

this is a real tragedy for the boatie and the surfer i agree with madmullet a 500m zone where they cross away from the bar this would make things alot safer but trules are only there to be broken and there will be still hundreds that dont abide by this unfortunataley there isnt much solving this problem

[woody1]

A real tragedy. I am not a surfer and have never crossed that bar so will leave the blame game to others, but I really hope the boatie doesn't get charged. Presuming he wasnt drunk or doing anything stupid, would hate to see him get locked up on manslaughter, he would have been through enough thats for sure

[ellicat]

They don't let pedestrians on the SE Freeway or Busways for their own protection. I see similarities.

[tugger]

I'm not 1 to want to see the surfers excluded but have them educated at spots like these for boat traffic as i would not want boaties excluded as well

[madmullet]

this happens at every bar just about. we nearly hit 2 surfers when they were paddling out thrugh the seaway. it should be banned

If they do get hit, Me and you should get the shark rods out. great berley!

second that lol

[planetfonz]

the problem is that the waves are so freaking consistently good on south straddie. check some of the gopro hd surfing vids to see for yourself there..

i'll admit theres definitely problems that exist there in the seaway and so forth.

as a fisherman i was always struck at how many freaks paddled across... then the surfing side of me used to think while paddling over that theres a lot of fisherman and i hope that boat see's me here. being of the lighter hair variety of folk and unable to tan, i stuck out like a beacon aww yeah...

calling for it to be banned is a bit amusing, what with fishing people not wanting their sport banned and all!

for all we know the surfer at currumbin knew full well the risks involved and was prepared for the thrill of the wave

and to answer tuggers original question of what could be done, artificial reefs/designed breaks would help greatly to spread the crowd out. however with the gccc it will take eons to get anything in the way of a sensible solution happening

[ellicat]

Unless the artificial reef is inside the creek/river I don't see how it could be of assistance

A no go zone for the surfers at certain times is the only logical way of enforcing a risk limiter. Otherwise the surfers have to accept the higher risk. Something a responsible father of two may have avoided if time was repeated.

[Do$tylz]

Maybe its not so much what the governement or council can do but what can each individual do to minimise the risk? I feel like sometimes we can be quite hypocritical about demanding the government/council to do something about something, then on the other hand cry about being a nanny state when they take away some things that we feel we should be free to do.

Maybe surfers utilising these waterways that are frequented by boats should wear some high vis colours?? It wouldn't exactly be the fashion statement of the year but who cares if you look like Brad Pitt but get run over by a boat??

Its sort of like the yakkers were talking about carrying air-horns on board as a mechanism to alert bigger boaties.

Is there something boaties can do to minimise the risk on their part?? Apart from being vigilant and watching the water??

[Gad]

How can these tragedies be prevented,they can`t be.

Man has something that no other creature on earth has…self will…it means that you decide for yourself whether you will or will not take that risk.

The equation of : possibility + probability comes into play with choices one makes.

This usually works out as: yes there is that possibility But the probability is…. if it happens…it will be someone else and not Me.

I feel for those who have lost a loved one, this death is a tragedy for all those involved,but this tragedy has been in the making for a long time.

My reasoning of an “accident’ is a happening that is largely unforeseeable and uncontrollable occurring.

Tragedies occur when the foreseeable risk factors join together to make a tragic event.

Over the years at this place and at other places, that surfers cross, where there is frequent boat traffic, near misses have occurred and this will continue to occur,with an occasional death.

Another area of foreseeable tragedies waiting to happen that I see when I have the occasional night fish, up the S/shine coast or down the GC, is the number of Tupperware fishers out on the waterways with no lights/reflector tape etc, moving around in the dark dressed in dark clothing,blissfully waiting to be run over by some poor bugger in a boat who`s doing the right thing.

[ellicat]

Maybe its not so much what the governement or council can do but what can each individual do to minimise the risk? I feel like sometimes we can be quite hypocritical about demanding the government/council to do something about something, then on the other hand cry about being a nanny state when they take away some things that we feel we should be free to do.

Maybe surfers utilising these waterways that are frequented by boats should wear some high vis colours?? It wouldn't exactly be the fashion statement of the year but who cares if you look like Brad Pitt but get run over by a boat??

Its sort of like the yakkers were talking about carrying air-horns on board as a mechanism to alert bigger boaties.

Is there something boaties can do to minimise the risk on their part?? Apart from being vigilant and watching the water??

Yep agree. I couldn't care less if they do anything or not. Don't have any loved ones that surf or boat there. My responses are an answer to tugger's question. As I see things, logically there is little else that could be done to prevent the inevitable.

Boaties could wear thermal imaging goggles I guess.

[tugger]

Henry on the way back in if the swell is big enough you don't see the surfer paddling out and pushing the board through the wave until they pop out the back side of it and it is to late by then. What the surfer could do is wait if they see a boat approaching the bar as boats have little they can do once committed to the bar , turning around in a bar is a disaster you just don't do it. So you can see the surfies heading out but coming back in is the problem and like i said once committed you must keep going for safety of you and your crew

[bootyinblue]

A very unfortunate accident. No one is to blame really. Surfers have as much right to be there as boaties and vice versa.

I cant 100% agree with you there about having equal rights to be there. Dont get me wrong I love a surf and have surfed in similar places.

But compare that situation to a motorway or other fast traffic flow area. There are certain vehicles (some of who pay registration/taxes and some that dont) that are specifically excluded from the area to minimise risk and harm.

Do you think that boats (some of who pay registration/taxes and some that SHOULD be registered) should have access to areas of water such as bars like this and that board riders etc should be excluded to minimise risk and harm?

[tomca]

I'm surprised the fatality occured at Currumbin, not the seaway.

With Currumbin and Tally and Tweed, etc bars I can't see a problem with making it a no surfer zone. They can park their car either side of the bar. Seaway a bit different, but is a break worth getting run over for?

[Do$tylz]

Booty (not trying to single you out bud, ur just the last one to use this analogy)- I dont think that using cars and motorways is comparing apples. Roads were built for cars in mind. The ocean is for all regardless of who pays for rego.

I dont feel that just coz we pay rego doesn't mean we should have a stronger hand in this.

Unless our rego fees went directly to that bar crossing somehow.

[Greenmachine]

I think you could definatly compare the seaway to a busy highway and there are much safer choices to get to straddie. Currumbin is and always has been one of the very few places where you get a huge amount of people enjoying allsorts of water activity. Down at The Pass at Byron they have a boat ramp on the beach.

I would compare the amount of boat traffic coming in and out of there to Currumbin and what they do there is sound an air horn upon going out and coming in and the surfers create a path for the boats. Maybe a simalar system could work at Currumbin. Seems to work pretty good down there though sometimes the surfers do need a little bit of extra coaxing.

[Gcarj]

Never been there myself to see the problem but im guessing something can always be done to prevent this terrible tragedy happening again. In saying that either the boatie or surfie will lose out somewhere, but for the sake of a life............its worth doing something.

Feel sick in the guts for the family of the poor bloke who died and equally for the boatie who's life will forever be affected.

As Kiwiboy said R.I.P Mate

[ellicat]

Booty (not trying to single you out bud, ur just the last one to use this analogy)- I dont think that using cars and motorways is comparing apples. Roads were built for cars in mind. The ocean is for all regardless of who pays for rego.

I dont feel that just coz we pay rego doesn't mean we should have a stronger hand in this.

Unless our rego fees went directly to that bar crossing somehow.

I don't think they built the bar (groins) for the surfers to get out.

[Greenmachine]

Booty (not trying to single you out bud, ur just the last one to use this analogy)- I dont think that using cars and motorways is comparing apples. Roads were built for cars in mind. The ocean is for all regardless of who pays for rego.

I dont feel that just coz we pay rego doesn't mean we should have a stronger hand in this.

Unless our rego fees went directly to that bar crossing somehow.

I don't think they built the bar (groins) for the surfers to get out.

Hey ellicate have you paid your pedestrian rego? better not go walking/ stand on any roads then :whistle: :kiss: :silly:

[marty]

I'm with Do$tylz - I don't think you can compare a highway to a bar crossing.

Correct me if I am wrong, but does a pedestrian have right of way over a car? In the same logic, does a surfer have right of way over a powerboat?

A powerboat has to give way to a sailing boat based on the logic of a powerboat having more manoeuvrability...does that also apply to powerboats and surfers?

And if surfers are to be banned from coastal bars to make it safer for boats to cross them, are we also going to ban people from fishing the Seaway from a boat as they too block easy access to crossing the bar?

Blaming one party over another, and putting restrictions on one group and not the other is not the way forward. I don't have the answer but I haven't seen anyone put forward a decent one yet either.

Just my opinion, and we all know about opinions...

[Greenmachine]

I'm with Do$tylz - I don't think you can compare a highway to a bar crossing.

Correct me if I am wrong, but does a pedestrian have right of way over a car? In the same logic, does a surfer have right of way over a powerboat?

A powerboat has to give way to a sailing boat based on the logic of a powerboat having more manoeuvrability...does that also apply to powerboats and surfers?

And if surfers are to be banned from coastal bars to make it safer for boats to cross them, are we also going to ban people from fishing the Seaway from a boat as they too block easy access to crossing the bar?

Blaming one party over another, and putting restrictions on one group and not the other is not the way forward. I don't have the answer but I haven't seen anyone put forward a decent one yet either.

Just my opinion, and we all know about opinions...

Some great points there marty

[ellicat]

The question tugger posed is about Currumbin specifically I thought. As stated earlier I couldn't care less if nothing is done. Hell it wouldn't bother me if 10 a day were killed as long as it's not affecting me. It is their right to put themselves in harms way isn't it ?

I'm just stating the bleeding obvious that if surfers don't want to end up like the fella the other day and they can't fathom it for themselves then the only logical way to protect them is to stop them.

Blaming one party over another, and putting restrictions on one group and not the other is keeping the status quo which obviously didn't work out too good for a few people on the weekend, so maybe it is the way to go....if you want to improve things.

Greenmachine, yep I have footpaths named after me from the rates I pay, roads named after me for the car and trailer regos I pay, rivers named after me for the boat rego I pay, but no surfing spots named after me because I've never claimed the dole :ohmy:

[Greenmachine]

The question tugger posed is about Currumbin specifically I thought. As stated earlier I couldn't care less if nothing is done. Hell it wouldn't bother me if 10 a day were killed as long as it's not affecting me. It is their right to put themselves in harms way isn't it ?

I'm just stating the bleeding obvious that if surfers don't want to end up like the fella the other day and they can't fathom it for themselves then the only logical way to protect them is to stop them.

Blaming one party over another, and putting restrictions on one group and not the other is keeping the status quo which obviously didn't work out too good for a few people on the weekend, so maybe it is the way to go....if you want to improve things.

Greenmachine, yep I have footpaths named after me from the rates I pay, roads named after me for the car and trailer regos I pay, rivers named after me for the boat rego I pay, but no surfing spots named after me because I've never claimed the dole :ohmy:

You sound like a really nice guy :whistle:

[ellicat]

You sound like a goose trying to pick a fight you wont win.

I'm just being honest. My life is not affected by pseudo pity and emotion.

There would be little societal advancement in the world if it was full of bleeding hearts.

[Malcolm]

The two times I have came back in through Tallebudgera Bar was with Tugger and both times there was Surfers.

The Surfers saw us coming and got out of the way.

They new if they kept out of the deeper water they would be ok.

I believe a surfer would always sea a boat coming back in as they are watching the sets of waves approaching the bar.

I have Surfed a bit and would not surf on a bar entrance for more reasons than boats.

For the guys with enough experience and fitness it would not be a problem most of the time.

There is always circumstances that change every thing but more laws will make it worse IMO

[Funfisher]

It is a tragedy and i feel for all partys invoilved. I surf that bar regularly and also cross quite a few bars in my boat.. i personaly only surf that bar around an hour before to an hour after low tide as it is so shallow there you should not coming in or going out of there at that stage of the tide and very few boaties do.... There are also sighns in the carpark warning about boats crossing the bar and other various. Truth be told it is a shocking shallow bar and if it was me i would launch at the seaway and travel along the coast to palmy reef ect.