The owners of a catamaran have a Nelson Bay couple to thank for their safety after their vessel ran aground in high winds on September 25.
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Trudie and Phillip Campey, who own and operate Feet First Dive in Nelson Bay, were driving along Victoria Drive at about 10pm on the Friday night when they came across the catamaran, called 'Pacifica', washed up on Nelson Bay Beach.
After calling Marine Rescue, the Campeys were informed there was an elderly couple still on board, who were unable to disembark the vessel.
The couple then made contact with the boat owners to assess their well-being.
"Despite the conditions, they didn't seem to be overly distressed, but the woman aged in her 70s was unable to climb down due to the height of the catamaran," Mrs Campey said.
"After checking on their health, we collected a ladder from home, returned and helped escort them down from the vessel."
The Campeys then drove the couple to their nearby Nelson Bay business and looked after them as they waited for their son to arrive from Sydney.
Mrs Campey said that the boating visitors had struck a series of misfortunes on a day of gale force winds, none of which were their fault.
"Firstly, after confirming their booking and arriving in Port Stephens, they were refused slippage due to the high winds. They then used a suitably rated public mooring that broke, leading to their vessel being washing up onto the beach," she said.
"We caught up with them the next morning and it was pleasing to see they had found some accommodation for the night. They were extremely grateful for our help."
