Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Spending a few hours at a local boat ramp with the harbour wardens was a rewarding experience in the weekend.

The annual 'ramp day” provides a chance for the volunteer wardens to chat with boaties, impart a bit of advice and best of all, meet some of the enthusiastic fishers and watersporters that make the waters of the Bay their playground. I was really impressed with the level of preparation shown by nearly all the boaters. Virtually all had lifejackets ready for all their crew, several methods of communication, propulsion and gear in good nick. They were sorted, savvy and safe.

Plus they were all generally happy to see the harbour wardens doing their job – helping boaties stay safe. It was in stark contrast to the murky facts around the disappearance of a couple of young men last week – one perished in the harbour off Omokoroa.
Plenty has been said and implied. Some of the facts still missing from the story tell more of a story than what has yet been made public. It would seem they couldn't have got more wrong if they'd tried.

We happened to be ready to go with a boat on Tuesday night when the marine radio chatter fired up as the search swung into action. Figuring that the best hope of finding a missing person early enough was numbers of eyeballs on the water – we headed straight to the search scene with several sets. It was blowing, cold, and with no moon, pretty dark.

One boat from coastguard was there. The rescue helicopter with a huge spotlight flew overhead. Another Coastguard boat joined a couple of hours later. But that was it. A few hours of chugging around in the darkness, with the scantest of information to go on, revealed nothing. If we're going to be realistic about saving people, they at least need to help themselves more so than these young fellas.

Family grieves

It is a tragedy from everyone's point of view and I feel for the family and friends grieving. Plus I feel for the searchers, mostly all volunteers, who put in massive hours of their time and energy into the search.
It's a tragedy that all the heartache and uncertainty could have been so easily prevented, had these young men done even one of a series of things that could have prevented the tragedy. Checked the weather. Thought about the effects of four adults in a 10 foot dinghy, in open water, in a gale. Lifejackets. Knowing the capabilities of the boat. (Not easy, when it's stolen) The list goes on.

We couldn't help but draw the comparisons, while warming in the sunshine on Saturday, at how little it really takes to stay safe on the water. If just a few easy steps could become second nature to anyone venturing out in a boat, we'd see far fewer mishaps. Second nature, like putting on a seatbelt or closing your eyes before sneezing.

I don't know what to say in this column that can help them. I don't know the answer to helping prevent disaster on our doorstep. The harbour and ocean is the prime reason so many of us love the Bay of Plenty. Lately it seems there have been frequent tragedies and there's no comfort in hindsight, that many seem avoidable.

What can we do, to urge water users to take a few simple precautions? Not just for the sake of their own lives, but those around them; those who end up looking for them. And the huge emotional and physical cost of searching, too late, for any sign of hope. I know things can go wrong for anyone, even the most well prepared and seasoned voyagers.

But surely the chances can be improved with just some basics. Perhaps the partners and whanau need to step up to make sure keen boaters take the precautions to make sure they come back safe – or at least stay afloat long enough for someone else to find them.

Lifejackets. Not only keep you afloat should the worst happen, but help keep in the warmth and some even have handy front pockets. Great for your cellphone in a plastic bag. A small waterproof flashlight, perhaps.
Then there's the vessel. Enough buoyancy in a boat, so it'll stay afloat when swamped. If it does, stay with it.
The weather. Watch the weather. Hey, now I'm preaching.

Nevertheless, the harbourmasters and their helpers will keep on preaching to the converted and try to reach some of the rest. We must be able to learn something from this.

Losing steam

The passenger train issue has gained plenty of comments from readers both in the pages of the Sun and also on daily news website SunLive. It would appear the chances of a passenger service resuming between Tauranga and Auckland is unlikely, if the rail experts' assertions are right, in that 700 passengers a day would be required to make it viable. However, there's still the issue suggested by readers for a commuter rail service which we believe is still worth investigating. As we said in an earlier column, if we must put up with a rail track through the middle of town, it may as well carry some passengers. Even a round trip between the city, Mount, Bayfair and the outskirts of Otumoetai and Bethlehem, Omokoroa would be useful. Send us your thoughts on that and we'll ask the experts for their views.

Final Word: Wally's wailer of the week.

Talking Clock

After closing time at the local pub, a bloke was proudly showing off his new apartment to a couple of friends. He led the way to a big brass gong and a mallet, against a wall.

‘What's that big brass gong for?' a guest asked.

‘It's not a gong. It's a talking clock,' the bloke replied.

‘A talking clock? Seriously?' asked his astonished friend.
‘Yup,' replied the bloke.

‘How's it work?' the friend asked.

‘Watch,' the bloke replied. He picked up the mallet, gave the gong an ear-shattering pound and stepped back.

The three stood looking at one another for a moment...

Suddenly, someone on the other side of the wall screamed: ‘You idiot! It's three-fifteen in the morning!'