Wollongong beaches closed as yacht debris washes ashore

by www.sail-world.com on 12 Oct 2009
Illawarra beaches were forced to close from Saturday as debris from the Flinders Islet yachting disaster washed up on shore. The 24.5 metre (80 foot) carbon fibre yacht PriceWaterHouseCoopers (Shockwave V) was smashed to pieces on the Flinders Islet shoreline, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Surf Life Saving Illawarra director Gerald Davies said debris started arriving on mainsland shore on Saturday afternoon, 12 hours after the first distress signal was sounded about 3am.

'We've had pieces of the boat wash up on beaches from North Wollongong all the way up to Coledale,' Mr Davies told local media. Much of the splintered, carbon fibre hull was washed into swimming zones and on to beaches, driven by a strong southerly swell.

Personal items were also retrieved, including a passport, bags and an emergency beacon.

Many of the pieces were sections of the hull, Davies explained. 'It's a carbon fibre hull with foam composite. There's two layers of carbon fibre and in between there is foam.'The carbon fibre is attached to this foam core and floats very well. It's also sharp and jagged. It's the stuff that will cut you up.'

Police were contacted and the lifesavers instructed to make a stockpile of the parts in preparation for collection.

Debris continued to be collected along the coast throughout yesterday, with large pieces found at Fairy Meadow Corrimal and Sandon Point beaches.

Yachting photographer Peter Andrews took these images on Corrimal Beach on his daily walk yesterday.