| SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA-(29-7-2003) The joke amongst the crew on board the last yacht to finish the Sydney Gold
Coast Yacht Race, Mike Kelaher's Swan 43 Santana, is that their boat should
have been the nominated search and rescue vessel for this race.
After 18 consecutive years of competing in this event without incident, Mike
and his crew were called upon twice to assist other vessels during the
course of the 384 nautical mile passage.
The first incident occurred when Santana heard the mayday early yesterday
morning from the yacht Redrock Communications, which had struck a rock north
of Coffs Harbour and was sinking.
Santana altered course and arrived at the scene to find the six crewmembers
`huddled in their life raft` and stood by until the Water Police picked them
up before resuming racing.
Last night as they approached Ballina they saw a red flare and reported it
to Ballina Coastguard who asked them to help search for a reported missing
run-a-bout. After an hour of searching with no success, they requested
permission to rejoin the race once again.
`After 18 years of competing in this race, it was most unusual to be
involved in two incidents,` Kelaher admitted on the dock this afternoon
after a hearty reception from other yacht crews as they pulled into the
marina at Southport Yacht Club.
`We did what any other yacht would have done, that's the camaraderie of
sailing,` he added.
Mike praised the efforts and efficiency of his crew during both incidents
and acknowledged that the Sea Safety Survival training they had undergone in
order to qualify for this race was put to good use.
The skipper of Redrock Communications, Chris Bowling, was on the dock to
greet Santana when they arrived to give the skipper and crew his heartfelt
thanks for their assistance and moral support yesterday morning.
They shook hands and embraced, Kelaher commenting: `It is great to see you
in more favourable circumstances` to Bowling.
`It's a nice way to round it off,` admitted Bowling, who was also required
to stand-by another yacht in this race, Phil and Nada Dickinson's Champagne
on Ice, on the first night when they encountered some difficulties, which
ultimately forced their retirement from the race.
The finish time for Santana, the last yacht to cross the finish line in the
Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race was 10:47am this morning.
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