Wilderness Surf Training:

Station 23, Wilderness, hosted 12 coxswains and crew from neighbouring Station 15, Mossel Bay, to share experience of surf rescue techniques and negotiating larger surf. We used all three Surf 420 rescue boats, Oscar’s Rescue, ClemenGold Rescuer and Station 15’s 4.2 Vodacom Rescuer IV in testing, 3m plus, surf conditions. The training was enjoyed by all the crew, and our own trainees.

The training day was part of ongoing cross-training between stations in our area, and followed a 6-hour night training the Friday before, hosted by Mossel Bay NSRI with 2 of the Wilderness NSRI trainees aboard their boats. Apart from the fact that such cross training allows crews from different stations to be exposed to conditions and techniques, which they may be less familiar with, it also allows relationships to form across stations in our region which is considered absolutely essential by our stations. For example, if a major incident were to occur, such as an aircraft ditching in the sea off George airport, we would have to pool all our regional resources in response.

Picture Torsten Henschel.