Acknowledgment of Country
The Triangle is a community paper, principally for the region bounded by the three prominent mountains: Peak Alone, Gulaga and Mumbulla. It is produced on the traditional lands of the Yuin nation and we acknowledge that this was and will always be Yuin Country. We are grateful for their thousands of years of careful and deliberate stewardship of Country and pay our respects to Yuin Elders past, present and emerging.
About The Triangle
The Triangle, a not-for-profit, local, community newspaper, comes out on the first day of every month except January. Published since 2002 we have a print circulation of 1800, with a larger circulation over the summer holiday season. Our paper is free and available in print and online. If you live outside the Triangle area, an annual subscription of $35.00 will cover delivery of all 11 issues.
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Celebrating Women in Maritime
/in Bermagui /by Tikka WilsonThe International Day for Women in Maritime on Sunday 18 May presented a great opportunity for Marine Rescue Bermagui to invite the community into their Bermagui radio base, where they could see how the base is set up, experience the daily operations first-hand from volunteers working their shifts and sit down for a chat with our local Marine Rescue volunteers about the work they do.
But the day was really about the women who bring their expertise to maritime service organisations and so was mainly focused around recognising and celebrating the contributions women make to the industry, right across the board. Those on the team at Marine Rescue Bermagui saw the day as an excellent opening to talk to other women in the community about the opportunities that an organisation like Marine Rescue can offer them as volunteers.
Marine Rescue provides training across a broad spectrum of roles, from radio operators to those wishing to further their training towards joining the boat crew. The roles offer great opportunities for volunteers to continue to learn and develop new skills while performing a valuable service.
And, for Marine Rescue Bermagui, the day proved to be a success with a number of (mainly) women turning up to have a good look over the base and talk to our volunteers over a cuppa and a tasty selection of snacks. Hopefully, when they left, they did so with a greater understanding of just how much women can bring to the table via volunteering in the maritime industry and the unique skill-sets and training available to them.
Many women have found their niche in the maritime industry and the industry is all the richer for their efforts.
Image: Visitors on the rescue vessel in Bermagui harbour
Warning
/in Bermagui /by Tikka WilsonMaybe when the coastal weather warning is, ‘Dangerous and hazardous seas’, it is a pretty good idea to stay out of the ocean. Those were the warnings for the entire NSW coastline on 18 and 19 April. Tragically, many did not heed those warnings and that resulted in rescues up and down the coast and six unfortunate, avoidable deaths.
Horseshoe Bay, Bermagui, usually a mill pond, was transformed into a swirling, churning, dumping monster. Swells off the eastern headland regularly reached five metres in height and three metres within the confines of the bay. Four of the regular morning swimmers ventured out along with six out-of-town visitors. Four of those visitors were all active members of their respective local surf lifesaving clubs.
Large seas buffet swimmers so that far more effort is required to maintain any momentum. One of the swimmers obviously did not have the capabilities to cope with the conditions and quickly tired. Once this situation became apparent, a shore-based observer alerted members of Bermagui Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) Emergency Callout Team. Two of the original swimming group then re-entered the water and swam out to the distressed swimmer providing him with a flotation device and encouraging words of support. The Bermagui SLSC jetski was launched from the harbour and was quickly on scene, transferring the swimmer safely back to shore, then relaying rescuers Shannon and Shayne to the shoreline. The patient was assessed by the waiting ambulance officers and given the thumbs up. They were released shortly afterwards to head off and enjoy a celebratory hot cross bun.
This amazing photo was taken from the western headland of Horseshoe Bay on Friday, 18 April 2025 by Mark Huxley
Kudos must go to Shannon, Shayne, Mark (jetski) and Euan (rescueboard) for contributing to the on-water aspect of the rescue. They were supported by a further three members of Tathra and Bermagui SLSC on the shore. Hats off to an amazing performance by dedicated volunteers from three different surf clubs who collaborated seamlessly.
Later that afternoon, when ocean conditions had deteriorated further, Shayne again entered the water and for 75 minutes gave an absolute masterclass of what a jetski can do when operated by highly trained, skilled and fearless individual.
Ima Shiverer