The Hunter’s marine rescue crews have had their busiest October on record.
There were 127 search and rescue missions, including 26 emergency responses carried out.
270 people were safely returned to shore.
The Lake Macquarie crews were the busiest with 64 operations, but this may change.
At the announcement on Friday of the permanent stationing of a Swansea Channel dredge, Marine rescue Lake Macquarie commander Jim Wright said half of his unit’s time is spent pulling boats off sandbars, rather than doing rescues