Jim McFarlane (retired) lives at Yallingup with his wife Margaret. They live
in the house they built on the hill 1973-75. Jim is a veteran South West surfer
and a regular at Yallingup.
2017 Jim surfing at Yallingup. Bruce King pic. 1975 Jim & Margaret McFarlane’s residence Yallingup Hill. Jim McFarlane pic
These are Jim’s recollections of a surf rescue at Yallingup in a huge swell on
Boxing Day 1977.
BIG BOXING DAY RESCUE
We woke to a huge swell – ten foot plus at main break
Yallingup. A few of us drove down to ‘Guillotine’ to see if it was surfable. There
was one lone guy sitting a long way out. A set came through and he paddled into
a stand-up barrel. Then he was caught inside and washed onto the reef.
We headed back to Yalls. There were no surfers out the
back, but two body surfers were caught in a rip in the corner. We watched them
paddle and swim for 15 minutes but making no headway. Two wave ski riders, Bill
McKay & Lance Twomey, paddled out to help them, but after another 30
minutes or so, they hadn’t been able to drag them out of the strong rip. The
situation was looking grim, as one of the body surfers didn’t have a boogie
board.
The Ranger phoned local farmer Boodge Guthrie, to see if
he could help. Boodge appeared around the point in his small plane, with a
truck tyre inner tube tied to one wing and an inflated plastic bag tied to the
other. The plane was open and after one circuit, Boodge came in low (about 15
ft above the water), untied the inner tube and dropped it beside the surfer
without a boogie board. It was an
amazing sight, as he was so low that his prop picked up some spray from the
wave, making a tunnel effect behind the plane. On the next circuit, Budge
released the inflated plastic bag, but the wind got hold of it and blew it out
to sea.
The two surfers drifted north along the beach, still in
the rip. They were eventually able to paddle out of the rip and finally came in
at the other end of Yallingup Beach. They were absolutely buggered, but
safe.
Boodge was amazing that day but was apparently in trouble
with the authorities for flying too low.
Circa 1970s Boodge with his crop duster plane in a farm paddock. Boodge Guthrie pic Circa 1970 Boodge on his farm tractor. Boodge Guthrie pic 1970s Jim at Scarborough party. Jim McFarlane pic 1970s Tom Blaxell & Jim McFarlane sailing at Rotto. Jim McFarlane pic 1983 Jim surfing Three Bears Yallingup. Jim McFarlane pic 2013 Jim surfing on his backhand at Yallingup. Loz Smith pic.
Jim McFarlane (retired) lives at Yallingup with his wife Margaret. They live in the house they built on the hill 1973-75. Jim is a veteran South West surfer and a regular at Yallingup.
These are Jim’s recollections of a surf rescue at Yallingup in a huge swell on Boxing Day 1977.
BIG BOXING DAY RESCUE
We woke to a huge swell – ten foot plus at main break Yallingup. A few of us drove down to ‘Guillotine’ to see if it was surfable. There was one lone guy sitting a long way out. A set came through and he paddled into a stand-up barrel. Then he was caught inside and washed onto the reef.
We headed back to Yalls. There were no surfers out the back, but two body surfers were caught in a rip in the corner. We watched them paddle and swim for 15 minutes but making no headway. Two wave ski riders, Bill McKay & Lance Twomey, paddled out to help them, but after another 30 minutes or so, they hadn’t been able to drag them out of the strong rip. The situation was looking grim, as one of the body surfers didn’t have a boogie board.
The Ranger phoned local farmer Boodge Guthrie, to see if he could help. Boodge appeared around the point in his small plane, with a truck tyre inner tube tied to one wing and an inflated plastic bag tied to the other. The plane was open and after one circuit, Boodge came in low (about 15 ft above the water), untied the inner tube and dropped it beside the surfer without a boogie board. It was an amazing sight, as he was so low that his prop picked up some spray from the wave, making a tunnel effect behind the plane. On the next circuit, Budge released the inflated plastic bag, but the wind got hold of it and blew it out to sea.
The two surfers drifted north along the beach, still in the rip. They were eventually able to paddle out of the rip and finally came in at the other end of Yallingup Beach. They were absolutely buggered, but safe.
Boodge was amazing that day but was apparently in trouble with the authorities for flying too low.
Thanks for the story Jim.
Related content:
Jim McFarlane’s 1960s SW surfing recollections published 28 Sep 2016.
See Surfing Down South book published 2014 by Margaret River Press for more stories on Boodge Guthrie.
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