A man is lucky to be alive after a sudden turn in the weather caused his kayak to capsize, leaving him clinging to a navigational marker kilometres away from shore. Just before 8pm, as the sun began to set, one of the last boats travelling back to shore spotted him — cold, bleeding and hanging on for life.
On that boat was Aman Merhi, who was heading towards St Leonards, near Geelong, in Victoria. He told Yahoo News it would’ve been “impossible” for anyone to swim to shore in the strong offshore winds and fast current.
“It was very lucky that we were still out and were coming back in and we could actually see him, because the waves were insane, the wind was crazy, and it was pretty sketchy out there,” he said.
The man wasn’t sure how long he had been stuck for, but told Aman it felt like a “long time”.
“His arms were weak, he was struggling to hang on, and he was cut all around his legs from trying to get up on the pole,” he said.
“He was shivering, he was cold… Had we not found him, it probably wouldn’t have ended too well for him.”
Rough weather makes rescue difficult
Aman, who owns a Melbourne bait and burley store, said getting the kayaker safely off the pole and into the boat was “extremely hard”.
Trying to get close to the pole without hitting it or endangering his own crew became a challenging task.
In the end, they managed to throw a rope to him before he jumped back in the water to be pulled on board.
He was drenched with water head to toe, he was shaking, he was bleeding, he was pale.
Melbourne fisherman Aman Merhi
“When he did jump back in the water, the current was that strong that it actually pushed him past the boat. So lucky he had the rope and we could drag him back in,” Aman said.
Once on board, the crew gave him water, sugar and a jumper in an attempt to keep him warm — but it didn’t do much to stop the shivering.
“He was drenched with water head to toe, he was shaking, he was bleeding, he was pale,” he said, adding they tried to bandage up the wounds on his legs that were likely from the mussels and barnacles attached to the pole.
Aman phoned the water police on his way back to shore, and by the time they arrived the officers were already there, along with some of the kayaker’s family members.
Trying to get close enough to rescue the man in the rough conditions was “one of the hardest things we had to do,” Aman said. Source: Aman Marhi/Fish-On Bait and BurleyTerrifying experience a ‘wake-up call’ for everyone
Despite being an experienced fisherman, Aman said the incident was a stark reminder of how important water safety is.
The kayaker told him he will be investing in an EPIRB personal safety beacon and upgrading his lifejacket, as well as making sure he double-checks the weather before he heads out in the future.
“It’s a good wake-up call for everybody to understand that the ocean is a force to be reckoned with. It needs to be respected. It’s not the first, and it’s not going to be the last,” Aman said.
“It can turn very, very fast and with the amount of sharks that we’ve got in the water and the lack of government resources that we have… people need to really watch out, check the weather, let people know when they are going fishing and make sure they have safety gear on board.”
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Yahoo News the best way to protect yourself on the water is to be prepared.
“Carry the required safety equipment and wear a life jacket. If operating a boat, make yourself familiar with waterway rules,” the spokesperson said.
“Check the weather and conditions ahead of time and only choose to go boating on days where the weather is appropriate. Conditions can change very quickly.
“Know your boat’s limits and your own limits. Taking a small fishing tinnie that is not designed for open surf, waves or rough water can be extremely dangerous.”
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