At 14h50 on Tuesday, 21st February,  NSRI Knysna volunteer crew were activated following reports of a hiker requesting assistance for his wife after she had become trapped on a ledge while hiking on the Kranshoek hiking trail above the sea on a cliff.

stock image of Kranshoek kindly donated by Gordon Richardson

Husband, Vivian Jones, 61, and his wife, Anne, 59, from Wales in the United Kingdom, had hiked up a steep cliff until they couldn’t progress any further and Anne was not prepared to try to climb down the way they had come so Vivian climbed the cliff.  On reaching the summit he walked to their car and he began driving in search of a cellphone signal to raise the alarm.

On coming upon a house, in the wilderness, the family at the house allowed him to call the NSRI for help.

NSRI Knysna volunteer sea rescue duty crew responded to the scene with high angle ropes and climbing equipment.  They hiked to the foot of the cliff and then climbed up the cliff to reach Anne. Rescue harnesses and ropes were used by the NSRI rescuers and she was then put into a rescue harness and lowered by ropes to the foot of the cliff and then walked out of the area by NSRI.

Graeme Harding, NSRI Knysna station commander said that even for the rescue team the climb to reach Anne was rather precarious and it was quite astonishing that the couple had got so far up the cliff and even more so for Vivian who had climbed the remainder of the cliff to go for help.

Once safely reunited with her husband they were both treated for minor lacerations, hydrated and
they then required no further assistance.

HOUT BAY

At 16h49 on Sunday, 19th February, NSRI Hout Bay launched sea rescue craft to initiate a search for a couple reporting to be in some difficulty at De Braak, on the Karbonkel Berg hiking trail on the coastline between Hout Bay and Llandudno, and a WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) team and a WC Government Health: EMS technical rescue squad were dispatched.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said that Richard Stanford, 28, and his girlfriend Laura Burton, 25, both from Rosebank, Cape Town, had embarked on a hike along the sea shore between Hout Bay and Llandudno but on reaching De Braak, a notoriously dangerous part of the hike, they found they could not progress any further and called a friend on their cellphone
confirming that they were on the hiking trail but dehydrated and unable to continue due to the unfamiliar and dangerous terrain and requesting assistance.

Their cellphone battery then died sparking a full rescue operation to locate and rescue the couple before daylight faded.

When NSRI sea rescue craft reached the couple it was decided not to attempt to take them off over the rocks into our sea rescue craft because of the dangers that posed and the Metro EMS Skymed helicopter was activated.

Using the NSRI sea rescue base as a command post the Skymed helicopter flew two sorties first winching the couple off the rock bringing them safely to Hout Bay and then returned to the scene to airlift the WSAR  members bringing them back to Hout Bay.

The couple were collected from NSRI Hout Bay rescue base by  friends and required no further assistance.

He has completed one solo Argus Cylce Tour  (2011) in a time of 3 hour 26 minutes and twice on a tendem with his dad.

This year he will attempt to ride the full 110km’s on the “chopper bicycle” in the photograph below, in aid of NSRI Knysna.  The crew have offered to dressed him up in a NSRI rash vest and baggies so that he looks the part.

Ben is seeking sponsors of R1 per kilometre i.e  R110.

To get involved follow the links on the NSRI website to DONATE and mention that this is for NSRI Knysna in support of Ben’s bike ride.

The induction session was structured to provide all attendees with a better understanding of the operating principles of the NSRI, as well as to provide them with some practical experience with the rescue equipment.

The session kicked off with a short theory introduction on the background and history of Sea Rescue, base operations, radio & medical equipment, as well as our rescue craft.

The attendees were then introduced to our Rescue Quad Bike & Rescue WaveRunners, before being divided into two teams and given a challenge with a stokes basket.

This was followed by a demonstrated launch of our Rescue WaveRunner and a ±250m swim to behind the ‘back-line’, where all attendees waited in the ‘huddle position’, until such time as they were picked-up one at a time by our Rescue WaveRunner and brought back to shore.

On our way back to the Base, we came across a group of people who needed urgent assistance. One lady in the group, an exchange student from Germany, cut her foot very badly on a piece of glass. We provided basic first-aid, before assisting her into our Stokes Basket and carrying her to the car park, where we were met by 24/7 Paramedics, who transported her to hospital.

After all this excitement, it was time to head back to Base for a proper cleaning & maintenance session, before enjoying well-deserved boerewors rolls and cold drinks!!

Stephen van den Berg, a Station 6, Port Elizabeth crewman has family in East London, and they were so impressed by a visit to the station that little Sebastian begged his mom for a Sea Rescue Party.

The Local WaterWise Rep  Madeleine Pirzenthal  was only too glad to come and do a presentation for the kids at the party and answer some of their many questions. Sebastian’s mom went all out on the cake which was enjoyed by all.

WaterWise

NSRI cake.

Felicia Otto oefen KPR, terwyl haar maats toekyk.

WaterWise besoek nog nasorgsentrum in die KoueBokkeveld:

Oppad na die nasorg sentrum van Lindeshof, ‘n plaas in die Koue Bokkeveld, ongeveer 60km buite Ceres, ry ons verby verskeie damme. Die gesprek in die motor gaan oor kinderverdrinkings en ons vra vir mekaar, ons wonder hoe gereeld kinders in die damme swem.

Marchen Nero van Badisa wat my genader het om die nasorgsentrums op die plase te besoek, woon die werkswinkel by.  Ons kry dadelik antwoorde op al ons vrae:

Swem julle in die plaasdamme?  Ja  en in riviere, voeg hulle by.
Wie het al amper verdrink?  Skaam-skaam steek ‘n paar hulle hande op.  Vinnig wys hulle na mekaar: ”jy’t ook!  en jy ook!!”
Ken julle kinders wat al verdrink het?  Ja, hulle onthou van iemand.
Wie kan almal swem? … natuurlik steek 95% hul hande op.
En as die water so diep is soos die dak? Nee – nooit!  Omtrent niemand kan dan swem nie!

Die hoofdoel van die WaterWise-program is om die kinders bewus te maak van die gevare rondom damme, riviere, kanale en natuurlik die see en wat om in noodsituasies te doen.

Tydens die werkswinkels word die kinders toegerus met die nodige kennis, sodat hulle presies weet wat om in ‘n noodsituasie te doen.

WaterWise leer nie die kinders swem nie, maar hulle weet hoe om om te tree,  watter noodnommer om te skakel en hoe om “hands on CPR” te doen.

Kinders kry die kans om WaterWise prakties te oefen.

Mike Patterson

Congratulations have been pouring in for Richards Bay Class 1 Coxswain Mike Patterson who joined Sea Rescue on the 3rd February 1972 – when current Richards Bay station commander Dorian Robertson was 5 years old!

Considering that Sea Rescue started in 1967… forty years service is an amazing achievement.

Well done – and thank you Mike!

Below are a few words from Mike and a photographic record through the years complied by fellow Richards Bay volunteer Gavin Fordham.

Time has certainly passed very quickly. When I think back to the day when I walked into Trimcraft to check on our ski boat repairs, and El Williams conned me into signing up as a NSRI crewman who would be prepared to assist the Durban Station when there was a rescue North of the Tugela … using whatever ski boat we could get our hands on at the time … how different life would have been if I had not agreed.

We must have made a difference to many people over the years either by saving their lives or rescuing their craft and it has been rewarding, but my ski boat fishing  came to and end as did my motor racing and a few other things, but looking back I would do it again without regret.

Many NSRI crew have come and gone and each one played a role in the organisation. We have always had enough competent crew to enable us to react to any calls for assistance no matter how bad the weather conditions were, and the record will show that we seldom failed to make a difference.

I believe that a cox’n is only as good as his crew allow him to be, and the crew who served with me over the years always gave there best when necessary. Often in extreme situations.

It is this team effort that makes Sea Rescue the successful organisation it is.

I hope to be be around for many more years.

However life is unpredictable. The only test in Sea Rescue will always be the confidence of the crew to accept and trust you as their cox’n, without question or doubt in extreme conditions.

At 15h32 NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were called out following reports of 2 children in difficulties in the access channel to the Krom River opposite The Cove.

Francis Bay volunteer crew responded and on arrival found two children, a brother and his sister, in their early teens, clinging to a channel marker pole which had been engulfed by water during the incoming tide.
They had been swept away by the incoming tide while wading in shallow water between the access channel and the Krom River, and where they had been standing had subsequently been engulfed by the strong, choppy, wind swept incoming tide but they had managed to reach a pole, between the river and the access channel and had clung onto the pole.

NSRI rescue swimmers swam to the children and secured them and then managed to flag down a passing boat which took the children safely to shore.

It then became apparent that the children’s father, a 30 year old man, had swum out to try to rescue his children but had got into difficulties himself before being swept upstream by the incoming tide and disappearing from view.

A search commenced which included NSRI volunteers on their private boats who had been on the water in the area at the time and had responded to the initial call-out, NSRI rescue swimmers free-dive searching, the SA Police Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Metro EMS and Private Care ambulance services.

During the search the body of the missing man was located and recovered from the river approximately 150 meters upstream from where eye-witnesses and his family had last seen him.

The man was formally declared deceased by paramedics and handed into the care of Police and the Forensic Pathology Services.

Police will open an inquest docket.

Names of the family involved and the name of their deceased family member has not been released at this stage.

The Titan HI–Line Team, a division of Sea Rescue Helicopter Services, responded to a call to evacuate a crewman from the bulk carrier MV OPS Winner  on Friday 17 February at 17h45.
The helicopter met the vessel 12 miles off shore, landed on her deck and after evaluating the patient, loaded him and was back at the helicopter base by 18h48.

The Metro medic was Daren Pick and NSRI crewman Andre Beuster.

MSC Starlight Cruises have another fabulous offer for March that is not only a bargain, but also helps Sea Rescue.

How does a two night cruise for two people on the MSC Sinfonia  for R2,500* sound?

MSC Starlight Cruises have offered four new cruises for our supporters to enjoy at vastly reduced rates during March.

Choose the cruise that suits you*.(download the options and rates by clicking here)

Supporters should contact Theresa Medicine on 021 434 4011 or theresam@searescue.org.za to make their booking and we will request payment from them only once the booking has been confirmed by MSC Starlight Cruises.

Follow these easy steps to book your cruise:
Choose the cruise that suits you*.(download the options and rates by clicking here)
Read the fine print that explains that, if that cruise is full, you  will be offered alternate dates.
Go to our website www.nsri.org.za and click on the big bold button called DONATE NOW (top right) then click on the DONATE NOW in the middle of the page.
In the block marked “MSC Starlight Cruise information” fill in:
Cruise code
Number of persons traveling
Which Sea Rescue Base you would like to support.
Make the payment using your credit card.
Indicate if you would like a tax certificate for the donation.
MSC Starlight Cruises will then contact you direct to finalise the arrangements.

General terms and conditions:

All passengers traveling to Mozambique or Namibia will require valid passports
Included in the cost – cruise fare, all meals, entertainment, insurance, port charges   and service fees (on board gratuities).
Not included in the cost – transport to/from the port of departure and return, drinks on  board and items of a personal nature.
Full payment must be made to NSRI.
NSRI will then remit the amount due to MSC Starlight Cruises together with your  contact details and booking preference.
These rates apply to new bookings only and are not applicable for existing  reservations already made with MSC Starlight Cruises.
The special rate quoted is “per cabin” in an outside cabin for 2 persons.
You may take one or two “extra” persons (maximum of 4 people per cabin).
Each “extra” person in the same cabin will pay 50% of the “charity pays to MSC Starlight” amount.
The cost of “extra” persons must be paid direct to MSC Starlight and not to NSRI.

A perfect Clifton evening.

The weather for Moonstruck 2012 could not have been better. It was a glorious Cape day that turned out to be a spectacular day on Clifton’s 4th beach. The 567 Cape Talk event with BP Express got huge support with about 7000 people packing onto the beach and up to 35 boats anchoring in the bay.

Over 7000 people packed onto 4th beach Clifton for Moonstruck 2012.

Selling glow sticks from one of the NSRI tables.

Just over R34 000  from selling Glow sticks and Sea Rescue memorabilia went to the station of volunteers at Bakoven towards their new rescue boat that will cost about R850 000. A big thank you to all who supported the event and NSRI and especially to 567 Cape Talk and BP Express.

Moonstruck from the stage.

A tribute to Whitney Houston has everyone on their feet.

Donna Ingram and Tenille Bjerring with glow sticks bought in aid of NSRI. About R34000 was raised for NSRI Bakoven's new rescue boat during the 567Cape Talk with BP Express organised event.

A panoramic picture of Clifton 4th beach by Andrew Ingram.