Backpackers winched from stricken yacht

[bobmcgov]

Boat rave.

I know, TB. It's what kids do. All right and proper, been happening for centuries (see Grand Tour). And it's the job of adults to say "Grow up! Be responsible!" Can you imagine how long-time residents of, say, Cabo San Luca feel when the Spring Break hordes descend, tho? *shudder*

They don't harm anyone. Usually. But they can be noisy, and some litter or wreck stuff, and almost by definition they have little money to spend. (Except on booze.) Makes em unpopular with locals. (Except barkeeps.) Much has to do with numbers. A beach can support small groups of scruffy backpackers, spread out over time. But when a place becomes THE hip youth spot, it can get overrun. Sounds like certain places in Australia are under this sort of pressure.

[Hartley18]

The Whitsundays used to be paradise - back in the '70s and '80s before the backpackers moved in.

It started life as a sleepy fishing spot with a caravan park, hotel and a general store, but with the backpackers came drugs and with drugs came the bikies.. it went downhill from there.

The biggest problem with tourism is that the tourists stuff whatever it is that they came to see - pristine coastlines and deserted bays. Heck, there used to be Aboriginies living on Hook Island! Not any more..

I know. I grew up there. (Great place to sail! )

[tdw]

Originally Posted by SailMonkey

Still and all, everyone was taken off safely which is good I suppose even though they were backpackers.


So what's with your comment on backpackers? Does that term have a different meaning down-unda? Where I come from it means someone who takes extended hikes through any backcountry carrying all he/she needs to be self sufficient, while leaving no trace and doing no harm. Kind of how I think sailors/cruisers should be!

It sounds like they were using the boat to ferry them to a trailhead to start their hikes. Many people I know, including my wife and I, are sailors & hikers (backpackers), and I would guess many others on SailNet are also.

In the context that I used the term it referred to the hoards of young kids
from all over the world who come down here and tend to congregate in backpacker hostels and usually travel by bus. So don't go getting your knickers in a twist I was not having a go at real campers/hikers. I dare say most of them don't use Shank's Pony all that often and probably don't even own a tent.

If they were being "ferried to a trail head" on a Whitsunday island it would make for a damn short walk in most cases.

Reality is that they enjoy themselves immensely but are a pain in the butt for everyone else.

[poopdeckpappy]

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/rescuer...00010000000001

opps, same ship,

[Hartley18]

For those on the other side of the world:

1. The boat (if you could call it that) with 5 crew and quite a few passengers was anchored off the top end of Hook Island and dragged anchor onto the rocks in the rough weather.

2. Where they landed was the base of a steep incline of razor-sharp volcanic rock (very typical for the area). Although you could climb up it without too much difficulty in fine weather, it isn't a good place to be in nasty weather.

2. The winds and seas were too rough to allow a shore landing. The boat wedged itself in fairly well and was being slowly broken up. Even if you could get ashore, there is not very much on the rock face to tie a rope on for your typical breeches-buoy set-up and the area is not accessible by foot.

3. The crew released a liferaft to try to ferry people in, but the liferaft was torn to shreds by the rocks.

4. The owner had just spent $300k doing up the boat.

4. Everyone was taken off by helicopter unhurt.