Sailor swears off sea after ordeal
By JESSICA JOHNSTON
17jan07
A SET of footprints in the wet sand led to the rescue of a man whose
yacht had run aground off Alva Beach on Monday night.

Geoffrey Deverdic yesterday said he had given up the sea for good after
his terrifying ordeal.

Mr Deverdic was sailing his 8m motorised yacht Stress Leave from Port
Douglas to his home in Port Macquarie when he struck rough seas off
Ayr.

The former naval crewman and accomplished yachtsman was forced to
abandon ship and swim more than a mile to safety through
crocodile-infested waters.

"I wasn't keen on swimming and that was before I knew there was
crocodiles in the water. As I was coming out, a big one swam right past
me," Mr Deverdic said.

The trouble started when Mr Deverdic hit rough seas off the coast from
Ayr, about 8pm. "I thought I would seek some shelter at Alva Beach and
take the opportunity to do some repairs," Mr Deverdic said.

"I put the sails down, dropped the anchor and went down to start work.

"But all of a sudden three big waves came, and the rudder snapped and
washed us up."

Mr Deverdic was hurled from the boat and into the water. "It was quite
shallow, I was able to walk for most of the way, but I had to swim a
bit, to cross a lagoon when I got back to shore.

"I saw lights and halfway across the lagoon I became disorientated. But
I saw a red flashing buoy that I used as a marker."

Mr Deverdic said it took him at least three or four hours to cover the
mile or so back to the beach.

When he finally reached dry land, Mr Deverdic stripped off his wet
clothes and hung them up to dry, before trying to settle down for a
long, cold night's sleep.

But Ayr Police Sergeant Jeffrey Killick said a search and rescue
mission was already under way for the man.

He said authorities were alerted after a number of red flares were seen
offshore from Alva Beach about 8.10pm.

The yacht could be seen from the shore, wedged on a sandbar.

Sgt Killick said the Burdekin Coastguard had taken a small vessel out
to the yacht, but found no one on board.

The search intensified, until police found a set of footprints in the
wet sand, about 150-200m from where the boat had run aground.

Sgt Killick said police followed the footprints and found Mr Deverdic
on the beach about 3.30am.

He was taken to Ayr Hospital for observation, but later released
without treatment.

Mr Deverdic returned to the fateful site at Alva Beach yesterday, where
the top of the mast could be seen bobbing about 400m offshore.

But though the yacht stands little chance of salvage, Mr Deverdic found
the thongs he had lost the night before, washed up on the beach.

"I was out there pretty much all night, it happened right on dusk," Mr
Deverdic said.

"I'm absolutely exhausted. I was terrified. I've given up the sea for
good."

Mr Deverdic said he would try to salvage the boat to donate to the Port
Macquarie naval base.

He plans to rest and recuperate at Alva Beach for the next day or so
before heading back to his anxious family in Port Macquarie.