SIMON'S TOWN:At 15h30, Saturday, 26th March, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated following reports of a yacht appearing to be in difficulty off Boulders Beach, Simon's Town.Eye-witnesses had observed the yacht for a while where crew onboard appeared to be trying to fix motor parts and in a strong on-shore wind the alarm was raised.A Sea Rescue vehicle was dispatched to investigate and it was decided to dispatch NSRI Simon's Town Sea Rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II and on arrival on the scene it was confirmed that the yacht was experiencing motor mechanical failure with 2 local male crew onboard.A towline was rigged and the yacht was towed to Simon's Town harbour without incident.
HERMANUS:At 13h53, Saturday, 26th March, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following eye-witness reports of a yacht appearing to be in difficulty in heavy seas close in-shore at Betty's Bay, between Gordons Bay and Hermanus.The yacht, heading in the direction of Hermanus was monitored by NSRI Gordons Bay who had responded by road in a Sea Rescue vehicle to investigate since no call for assistance had come directly from the yacht.As a precautionary measure NSRI Hermanus launched the Sea Rescue craft South Star and rendezvoused with the yacht Nina between Kleinmond and Hawston.The 8 crew onboard, 4 adult men, 3 adult females and a female teenager, confirmed that they were not in difficulty but that they were sailing under a storm sail towards Hermanus where they would shelter from the heavy weather before continuing to Durban where they are entering a yacht regatta.NSRI Hermanus escorted them to Hermanus harbour without incident and they set sail on Monday, 28th March, from Hermanus harbour, heading for Durban.CAPE TOWN:At 15h30, Monday, 28th March, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a request for assistance from the 57 foot motor yacht Obsession reporting a fuel line filter blockage and complete motor failure and generator failure with 2 crew onboard, both men, sailing from Mykonos to Cape Town and they were off South of Bokpunt on the West Coast, 20 nautical miles North of Cape Town.The Sea Rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom was launched and on arrival on the scene a towline was rigged and the motor yacht was towed to Cape Town harbour without incident and once safely moored no further assistance was required.
Pictures by Robyn Silverstone/ NSRI
