1976 - 2004 Royal Volunteer Coast Patrol - Port Albert Division
New headquarters opened 1 November 1986 - Boat storage and Radio Base
2004 - Chartered as Flotilla 19, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association Inc.
CG19 - 3100 Noosa Cat Powered by twin 320 HP Suzuki Outboards
CG219 - 6 metre Rigid Inflatable
SEARCH AND RESCUES CONDUCTED BY THE PORT ALBERT FLOTILLA
On the 22nd April at 1240 we received a phone call from the owner of the fishing boat “Albatross II”. He had been in touch with the crew of the vessel by sat-phone. They were on a trip from Flinders Island to Port Welshpool. They were taking on water and all electrics including the bilge pump were out. We notified Gippsland Water Police of the situation. Attempts to contact the vessel by sat-phone were unsuccessful. Gippsland Water Police requested Coast Guard to put to sea and render what assistance was necessary. CG19 departed Port Albert at 1400 and located the “Albatross II” at 38° 39’.0S 146°48’.4E at about 1500. Conditions were too rough to transfer a petrol driven pump we had on board. We offered to take the crew off but at the request of the skipper we escorted the vessel towards Port Albert.
At 1537 the “Albatross II” lost engine power due to flooding of the engine compartment. The crew were instructed to drop the anchor and to deploy a buoy on a long line to mark the position of the vessel. The crew were transferred to CG19 with considerable difficulty in the rough conditions. We arrived back at Port Albert at 1610. The “Albatross II” subsequently sank. The next day we took Gippsland Ports personnel out to the site of the sinking to examine the wreck as it posed a hazard to navigation.
At 1537 the “Albatross II” lost engine power due to flooding of the engine compartment. The crew were instructed to drop the anchor and to deploy a buoy on a long line to mark the position of the vessel. The crew were transferred to CG19 with considerable difficulty in the rough conditions. We arrived back at Port Albert at 1610. The “Albatross II” subsequently sank. The next day we took Gippsland Ports personnel out to the site of the sinking to examine the wreck as it posed a hazard to navigation.
The Port Albert Coast Guard, in the early hours of Tuesday 23rd Oct, responded to an urgent call from “Sea Magic” a 10 metre Catamaran, which had run aground on the bar at the entrance to Port Albert. The Catamaran had been holed and in danger of foundering.
A Coast Guard crew launched CG19 in effort to rescue those onboard - which proved difficult manoeuvring amongst 2 metre breakers, however their efforts payed off as they assisted the crew off the badly damaged vessel. With Sea Magic left to the elements, its crew were taken to a Coast Guard member’s home, where they were able to rest and contact relatives to confirm their well being
A Coast Guard Limited Coast Station had earlier been tracking progress of Sea Magic (on passage from Eden) via the newly established VHF Marine Repeater Network.
Members of the Woodside & Seaspray surf life saving clubs later assisted Coast Guard to return to the Vessel using their Rigid Inflatable Rescue Boat to board and recover valuable equipment off the Cat.
A Coast Guard crew launched CG19 in effort to rescue those onboard - which proved difficult manoeuvring amongst 2 metre breakers, however their efforts payed off as they assisted the crew off the badly damaged vessel. With Sea Magic left to the elements, its crew were taken to a Coast Guard member’s home, where they were able to rest and contact relatives to confirm their well being
A Coast Guard Limited Coast Station had earlier been tracking progress of Sea Magic (on passage from Eden) via the newly established VHF Marine Repeater Network.
Members of the Woodside & Seaspray surf life saving clubs later assisted Coast Guard to return to the Vessel using their Rigid Inflatable Rescue Boat to board and recover valuable equipment off the Cat.