Full moon Spring tide alert and incidents at Oubaai, Vleesbaai, St Lucia and Cape Vidal

This a reminder again on the FULL MOON SPRING TIDE: Bathers and shoreline anglers around the coast are advised to be cautious during todays peak of the full moon Spring tide that will cause the higher than normal high tide and lower than normal low tide (and that will gradually retreat over the next few days). The peak of the full moon Spring tide is today, Friday, 6th of January - a full moon micro moon. Caution is advised for today, over this weekend and for the first few days of next week. The concern is that coastal bathers and shoreline anglers who are not aware of the full moon (and new moon) Spring tides may be caught off guard. Rip currents can be stronger in places during a Spring tide. We are appealing to coastal bathers and shoreline anglers to be cautious and bathers should only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards, swim in between the safe swimming areas lifeguards post using their red and yellow flags.

Incidents at Oubaai, Vleesbaai, St Lucia and Cape Vidal:

OUBAAI, Southern Cape:

NSRI Wilderness and NSRI Mossel Bay responded to Oubaai, Southern Cape, at 09h00, Thursday, 5 January, to assist Police, George Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS and Oubaai Security searching for a local adult man who had reportedly not returned from a walk along the shoreline the previous day.

Fire and Rescue Services had launched a drone to assist in the search.

A private helicopter assisted in a search.

NSRI crew were deployed to assist emergency services in the search along the shoreline and 2 NSRI Wilderness rescue craft and an NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft joined in the search from the seaside.

While NSRI rescue craft were approaching the scene it was reported that the body of a man was located in a rocky area in the surf along the shoreline.

The body of the man was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and brought to the NSRI Mossel Bay rescue station where the body was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

It is believed that the body recovered is that of the missing man.

Police have opened an inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.

MOSSEL BAY:

JC Roos, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said:

At 13h32, Thursday, 5 January, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a man washed into the surf by waves from rocks along the shoreline at Fransmans Hoek near to Vleesbaai.

An NSRI rescue craft was towed to Vleesbaai and launched.

By Grace ambulance services, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and WC Government Health EMS responded.

On arrival on the scene NSRI located and recovered the body of the man who sadly was declared deceased.

The body of the man, from George, was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and brought to Vleesbaai where the body was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.

ST LUCIA:

Jan Hoffman, NSRI St Lucia station commander, said:

At 05h43, Tuesday, 3 January, NSRI St Lucia duty crew were activated following reports of a boat capsized off-shore of St Lucia.

On arrival on the scene it was found that 2 casualty crew were safely ashore suffering minor cuts and bruises and 1 casualty crew had been swept out to sea in a rip current and was missing behind the backline.

The skipper of a local boat Free Spirit saw this and immediately launched his charter boat locating the injured crew member at sea rescuing him onto his charter boat and bringing him to shore where NSRI medics initiated medical treatment.

Netcare 911 ambulance services responded and transported the man to the hospital in a stable condition.

Local fishermen assisted to recover the casualty boat.

The skipper and crew of Free Spirit are commended.

Almost immediately NSRI St Lucia duty crew were activated to reports of a boat capsized at Cape Vidal.

NSRI St Lucia crew responded where they found 2 crewman had suffered minor cuts and bruises after their boat capsized as it was crossing over a submerged sandbank.

The 2 crew were safe ashore and their boat was recovered.

Then at 15h36 NSRI St Lucia duty crew were alerted to a female injured at Cape Vidal.

A 49 year old female with an injury had been assisted from the water and brought to the parking area by lifeguards.

NSRI medics responded and assisted with medical treatment before the female was transported to the hospital by family members for further care.