Bathers and anglers to exercise caution

The New Moon Spring Tide that peaks today, Sunday, 13th December, will result in stronger than normal rip currents to prevail around the coast for the rest of this coming week.A higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide will be noticed and gradually dissipate until tides return to normal later in the week.Bathers and anglers are urged to exercise caution.SEA POINT:On Saturday, 12th December, NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay responded to 3 nautical miles off Sea Point where 3 paddlers were reportedly in difficulty. One of the paddlers (a local adult male) kept falling out of his surf-ski which had filled with water and two local females were assisting him and staying with him while guiding sea rescue resources to their position using a cellphone.NSRI rescuers and Law Enforcement officers kept a vigil from the shoreline.Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships VHF radio message appealing to any boats in the area to respond to assist while sea rescue were responding.Community Medics, WC Government Health EMS, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and ER24 ambulance services remained on alert during the rescue operation.On arrival on the scene the sea rescue crew, aboard the two sea rescue craft, rescued the man and recovered his craft and the two ladies continued on their paddle. They were commended for their efforts.The man was brought ashore at Three Anchor Bay where paramedics treated him for mild hypothermia and no further assistance was required.TABLE VIEW: Pic source: Table View Facebook pageOn Saturday, 12th December, NSRI Melkbosstrand and Blouberg Surf Lifesaving responded to table View Beach following reports of a drowning in progress.Police and Law Enforcement were on the scene already and the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter joined in the search but no sign of anyone in difficulty and no reports of any person missing or overdue were lodged and while this was suspected to be a false alarm with good intentions the situation is continuing to be monitored.KOMMETJIE:On Sunday morning, 13th December, NSRI Kommetjie responded aboard their sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines to assist a boat with motor mechanical failure, off Kommetjie, with 4 crew onboard.The casualty boat and 4 crew were towed to shore without incident and they required no further assistance.Shortly after that NSRI Kommetjie responded Spirit of the Vines to assist a young teenager on a SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) appearing to eye-witnesses to be in difficulty.On arrival on the scene the local male teenager confirmed that he was okay and he paddled ashore without incident.Shortly after that NSRI Kommetjie responded to off-shore of Kommetjie following reports of a young man and a young woman being swept out to sea on a sea-kayak.On arrival on the scene the 21 year old female and 24 year old male, locals, were found close to shore attempting to get ashore. Their sea-kayak was water logged and they were taken aboard the sea rescue craft and brought safely ashore without incident and no further assistance was required.EAST LONDON:On Sunday afternoon, 13th December, NSRI East London and Emergency Services responded to Gonube Beach following a report of a drowning in progress but discovered that bystanders had only reported a sailing Catamaran appearing to be too close to the shore that concerned them and it appeared that no persons were in any difficulty.Later the same Catamaran, with a German solo sailor onboard, requested assistance to get to Port reporting motor failure in a 40 knot Westerly wind and close in-shore.NSRI East London launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto and towed the Catamaran to Port where once safely berthed no further assistance was required.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONESMS 32287 (R1/SMS) with your name and a message of support for our Sea Rescue crew