About Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet

Address	30B Sussex Rd. South Sussex Inlet
Mail	PO Box 6025, Sussex Inlet, NSW. 2540
Telephone	02 4441 3555
Email	sussexinlet@marinerescuensw.com.au
Operational Hrs	24/7
Operational Area	Cape St. George in the North to Bendalong Point in the South, 7 Nautical to Sea, St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet.
Unit Commander	Karen Lowry - 0427 501 578
Deputy Unit Commander	Greg Tuffy

Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet can be contacted 24-7 and is one of 45 units of Volunteer Marine Rescue NSW, the state's official accredited volunteer marine rescue service for the NSW boating public and visiting boaters from interstate and overseas.

Marine Rescue NSW bases provide a modern, world-class standard of boating safety support including:

• - Search and Rescue responses for all boating incidents where help is needed - from minor inconveniences like mechanical failure or running aground in sheltered waters to major, life-threatening emergencies offshore;
• - A marine radio communication network for information on all boating needs from conditions on local waters or coastal bars to emergency calls for help;
• - Log-on and Log-off by marine radio or the Marine Rescue App for smartphones for a safety watch on local or coastal boating trips;
• - Boating safety education services including radio courses.

On average every year, Marine Rescue NSW rescues more than 3,000 vessels in trouble carrying over 7,500 men, women and children including over 1,850 facing serious, life-threatening emergencies.

Like all other Marine Rescue NSW bases, Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet volunteers provide a similar proportion of rescues in our part of NSW.

We urge all boaters, local and visitors alike, to use our Log On-Log Off service to ensure someone responsible is keeping a safety watch on your boat while on our waters. The Marine Rescue App for smartphones makes this even easier than ever.

For more details call Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet on 02 4441 3555 or visit Marine Rescue NSW.

Frequencies monitored: VHF Channels 16 and 73 and 27MHz Channels 88 and 91.
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Management Team - Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet

Unit Commander - Karen Lowry - uc.sussexinlet@marinerescuensw.com.au

Deputy Unit Commander - Greg Tuffy - duc.sussexinlet@marinerescuensw.com.au

Treasurer - Gwen Ligteringen - treasurer.sussexinlet@marinerescuensw.com.au

Administration Officer - Joanne Cowell - admin.sussexinlet@marinerescuensw.com.au

Training Officer - Les Pataky

Training Systems Officer - Jim Cross

Public Officer - Lawrence Jaques

Boat Master - Tom Jensen

Fund Raising Officer - Tom Jensen

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Volunteers Wanted - Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet

Join our team today.
Various option available,
      Vessel crew
      Radio Operator
      Fund Raising
      Social Member
For more information go to the Marine Rescue NSW web site at
Marine Rescue NSW.Become a Volunteer
or
Phone 4441 3555 to speak to someone locally.
Volunteers saving lives on the water.

 
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History of Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet

Volunteer marine rescue services in Sussex Inlet began in 1974. Local resident John Nicholas, established a stand-by marine radio base in his home for the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol base at Shoalhaven in Greenwell Point, of which was he was a member.

As more Sussex Inlet residents joined the organisation, it was decided in 1982 that Sussex Inlet should apply to the national headquarters of the RVCP to be recognised as a new division serving the growing boating community of Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin.

The new division was formally established and John Nicholas was appointed Divisional Commander and members used their own private boats to meet the needs of the boating community.

By 1984, after some successful fundraising and loans from four of the members, the Sussex Inlet volunteers were able to purchase the first vessel dedicated to rescue work and owned by the division itself. This vessel was named "Patrol Rescue".

Together with members' own boats, the new vessel provided an efficient rescue service for the local inland waters as well as the adjacent coastal waters of Wreck Bay.

Community Spirit 2

Two years later after more intensive fundraising, the Sussex Inlet volunteers were able to commission the construction of our first purpose-built rescue vessel from a builder in South Australia. By drawing on the experience of the members on local waters and studying the needs of a specialist vessel able to handle the Bar at the entrance to the inlet, it was decided that a jet-propulsion vessel powered by a 210hp turbocharged diesel engine would meet the demands of crossing the bar at any time except at very low tides.

This combination proved to be an excellent choice with the new vessel performing to all expectations.

The former vessel was sold and the name "Patrol Rescue" retained. A rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) was also acquired for inshore work where shallow waters required a vessel with very little draft.

In 1991 John Nicholas was promoted to Captain and appointed as the RVCP Southern Region Captain for NSW. David Jones, another dedicated and tireless member was appointed Divisional Commander.

John was appointed Officer Commanding of the RVCP in 1998 and was later awarded the Emergency Services Medal (ESM) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

David Jones succeeded John Nicholas as Captain South in 1998 and was appointed a Company Director of the organisation. He was elected Chairman of Directors in 2003.

Both John and David have been honoured as Life Members of Marine Rescue NSW.

Community Spirit

In 2006 "Patrol Rescue" was replaced by a custom built, member-designed 8.5m jet boat constructed to 2C Survey standard as required by the NSW State Rescue Board. It was named "Community Spirit" and is used for offshore work.

At the same time the inshore RHIB was replaced by a 5.9m Stabicraft named "Community Spirit II".