National Volunteer Week: Marine Rescue Merimbula the calm voice of help

Because then you know a rapid response vessel will be heading towards your coordinates at a rate of 42 knots.

In February 2023, a hooked 70kg black marlin fighting a fisherman's efforts punctured the engine disabling their fishing boat completely.

It required Merimbula's Marine Rescue vessel to travel 32km off Tura Head before towing the 6.7-metre boat and its crew back safely.

It was only one of many tasks attended to by the volunteer unit.

Within the Spencer Park headquarters, deputy unit commander Sonia Teston, a volunteer who has been serving with Marine Rescue Merimbula for eight years, stood alongside radio officer Trevor Dyson who was monitoring radio chatter and the water through the panoramic windows.

"It's a hand in the dark," Ms Teston said.

"This is why Marine Rescue exists. We are here to monitor the radios for any vessels out there that are in distress.

"You're responsible for being that voice for the people out there. So they're going to be stressed out to their eyeballs out on the water. If they are in any emergent situation they need to hear a calm voice in here, somebody who knows what they're doing."

Offering a free service to anyone leaving on a vessel, Merimbula Marine Rescue is able to monitor how many people are on the water, on each boat, where they're going, and return times, while also providing hourly checks for solo fishers.

As a radio officer, Mr Dyson ensures that if a mayday or another radio message is called in, the crew on duty will be notified immediately, allowing a vessel to disembark within 20 minutes.

There are a variety of areas within Marine Rescue Merimbula that require volunteers, and it doesn't need to be out on the boat or in the radio room.

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All areas are equally as important as each other, with fundraising helping to cover overheads, including fuel for rescues.

"As a human you need to have self worth, you need to have a reason to get up in the morning, you need a reason to use your brain, challenge yourself and do something different, and this gives it to me in spades," she said.

"Prior to joining Marine Rescue I had never been at the helm of a boat, I'd never done this and now I'm the skipper. It's fantastic," Ms Teston said with a laugh.

"It's like the radio room, I had never spoken on a radio in my whole life, and now I'm one of the trainers and assessors."

Ms Teston's eyes caught the white shape of a whale-watching boat as it approached the sand bar.

Instinctively, she reached forward and grabbed a set of binoculars, before she studied the trajectory of the vessel returning to Merimbula.

"[You've got to ] keep an eye out."

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