The Jaw Bone At Kingscliff Beach

It’s the 23rd of September, 1979, and a cabin cruiser, known as the Nocturne, is cruising through deep blue waters just off the far north coast of NSW.  It’s a near-perfect day for the five passengers on board. A light nor-easter is blowing and the sun is glistening off the boat’s sleek, white hull. But as the day wears on conditions begin to change… clouds form on the horizon… but the Nocturne presses on with its voyage. As night falls the warm breeze of the day disappears, replaced by the icy chill of a southerly buster. The wind picks up speed...20 knots...40 knots...60 knots. That white hull that had been shining in the sun just hours earlier, is now being beaten by unrelenting, ten-metre high seas.  A rogue wave smashes through one of the boat’s windows, flooding the interior. Moments later, the engines fail. As the boat begins to sink, the passengers have no choice but to abandon ship.  Of the five people on board that night, only three make it to shore. What happened to those lost at sea remains a mystery that will only be unravelled 32 years later when a badly weathered bone fragment washes ashore at Kingscliff Beach… CREDITS Guest: Adam Shand, host of the Lost At Sea podcast. Host: Claire Murphy Executive Producer: Gia Moylan Audio Producers: Rhiannon Mooney CONTACT US Tell us what you think of the show via email at [email protected]   Join our closed Facebook community to discuss this episode. Just search True Crime Conversations on Facebook or follow this link https://bit.ly/tcc-group  If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Just by reading or listening to our content, you’re helping to fund girls in schools in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world - through our partnership with Room to Read. We’re currently funding 300 girls in school every day and our aim is to get to 1,000. Find out more about Mamamia at mamamia.com.au Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.