Paddler assisted - Rocky Bay. Yacht Assisted - Kommetjie

ROCKY BAY:

Linda Putter, NSRI Rocky Bay deputy station commander, said:

At 10h45, Saturday, 17 July, NSRI Rocky Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a fisherman on a paddle-ski appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of Kings Reef, Rocky Bay. Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Rocky Bay sea rescue base and the sea rescue craft jet-rib Rescue 39 Alpha was launched while NSRI Rocky Bay station commander Kevin Fourie, at sea at the time and fishing on his private ski-boat Miracle, diverted from his fishing to respond. On Kevin and his fishing crew arriving on the scene the casualty fisherman, a local 47 year old male, was taken onboard Kevin's boat and his paddle-ski, heavy laden with water intake, was recovered. It was determined that the fisherman had caught a large fish and while in the process of catching a second fish the fish bumped his paddle-ski which caused the craft to spring a leak and start to take on water and sink. Rescue 39 Alpha arrived on the scene and the fisherman, his catch and his paddle-ski were taken onboard the sea rescue craft and without incident the fisherman was brought safely to the Rocky Bay launch site and no further assistance was required. NSRI commend the eye-witness, local Noel McDonogh, for swiftly alerting NSRI.

HOUT BAY:

Lyall Pringle, NSRI Hout Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 22h31, Monday, 19 July, NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a local yacht reporting a failed starter motor and adrift in barely no wind conditions but big sea swells 5 nautical miles South of Slangkop Lighthouse and approximately 2 nautical miles off-shore and gradually drifting towards shore with 6 local male crew onboard. The sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer was launched and NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated to assist. An NSRI Kommetjie sea rescue vehicle was dispatched to Slangkop Pass to assist with VHF marine radio communications and Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with Marine VHF radio communications. The NSRI Kommetjie sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines was launched and joined the sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer responding to the casualty yacht. On arrival on the scene the sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines was used to transfer an NSRI Hout bay rescue swimmer to the casualty yacht. A towline was established from the sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer to the casualty yacht and the casualty yacht was towed to Hout Bay Harbour. NSRI Kommetjie were released to return to base. On arriving at Hout Bay Harbour our sea rescue craft rafted alongside the casualty yacht and she was safely berthed at her moorings. Once safely berthed no further assistance was required and the operation completed at 03h15.