Incidents: Table Bay, Heidelberg, Kleinmond, Table View, Plettenberg Bay:

TABLE BAY:Quentin Botha, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said:At 06h30, Tuesday, 03 January, NSRI Table Bay launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and Spirit of Day following a request for assistance from the 6.5 meter yacht Mordilou with a solo sailor onboard, requesting a tow into Port. His last Port of call was San Salvador, Central America.We rendezvoused with the yacht off-shore of the Port of Table Bay, a tow-line was rigged, and the yacht was towed safely into Port without incident.The skipper, Ruben Donne, from Hout Bay, who now lives in Belgium, departed from Holland on a solo sail to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis research.HEIDELBERG: By NSRI Victoria Lake. NSRI rescuers in Heidelberg, South Gauteng assisting at floods.Gerard Potgieter, NSRI Victoria Lake station commander, said:At 21h12, Tuesday, 03 January, NSRI Victoria Lake, Germiston, NSRI Vaal Dam and NSRI Witbank Dam duty crews were activated to assist in Heidelberg, South Gauteng, where emergency services were responding to reports of flash flooding.NSRI rescue vehicles carrying NSRI rescue swimmers were dispatched to assist the Lesedi Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Community Police Forum, Heidelberg Community Volunteer medics and Lesedi Municipality who were engaged in evacuations of residents from flooded homes.On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers from Victoria Lake, Germiston, and the Vaal Dam immediately assisted to evacuate 3 people from 2 homes. An elderly lady and her husband were evacuated from their house by NSRI rescue swimmers in central Heidelberg after being trapped in their home by flood waters and an elderly lady was assisted from her apartment by NSRI rescue swimmers.The NSRI rescue swimmers then stood by to be deployed to hot spots.Emergency Services had already evacuated the majority of residents from homes who had been trapped by the flash floods.85 mm of rain had fallen in 20 minutes leading to the flash flood.Water subsided as quickly as it had risen. NSRI Witbank rescue swimmers were stood down prior to arriving on the scene after it was confirmed that the fast subsiding floods no longer posed a threat.By midnight NSRI were released from the scene after the situation had been brought under control by the emergency services.PORT ALFREDStephen Slade, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:At 20h00, Tuesday, 03 January, NSRI Port Alfred investigated flares reported in the vicinity of Kleinmond near to Port Alfred.On arrival on the scene and following investigations it was found that illuminating flares had been fired from the shore for unknown reasons.TABLE VIEW:Rhine Barnes, NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander, said:At 19h21, Wednesday, 04 January, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew were activated following multiple eye-witness reports of a kite-boarder appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of Table View.An NSRI shore crew was dispatched to the scene while a sea rescue craft was launched.It appears that a paddler and a man on a canoe paddled out to assist the kite-boarder and on the sea rescue craft arrival on the scene they were coming ashore and they required no further assistance.PLETTENBERG BAY:Marc Rodgers, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said:At 22h49, Wednesday, 04 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew investigated reports of 2 red distress flares seen in the vicinity of the Keurbooms River Mouth.An NSRI Quad Bike responded to the scene while NSRI coast watchers scoured the ocean front and NSRI crews stood by to launch sea rescue craft.Following an extensive search it was confirmed that a group of people were witnessed firing off red distress from the beach for unknown reasons.Authorities are investigating.NSRI urge the public not to set off flares around the coast. The firing of flares without reasons of distress is illegal and punishable by law.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE