NSRI Volunteer Dylan Kotze's Epic Round-The-World Adventure

After nearly a year at sea, 40 000 nautical miles of racing and countless sunrises and storms, Station 8 Hout Bay volunteer Dylan Kotze has returned from an adventure few people will ever experience.

Having completed the legendary Clipper Round the World Yacht Race – one of the toughest endurance sailing challenges – Dylan is back on dry land with a new appreciation for teamwork, leadership and the people who make extraordinary achievements possible.

Dylan joined Station 8 Hout Bay in September 2023 and became an active operational crew member in May 2024. While the Clipper Race may be one of his biggest personal achievements to date, he says his time with the NSRI has been just as rewarding.

"The biggest highlight for me has been the people I've met along the way. The sense of camaraderie and community at Station 8, and across the NSRI as a whole, is something really special."

A Dream Realised

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is unlike most professional sailing events. Crew members come from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels to take on one of the world's most demanding endurance races together.

"Sailing around the world has long been a dream of mine," Dylan shares. So, when the chance to skipper one of ten teams in the Clipper Race arose, he couldn’t pass it up.

"It was an opportunity to push myself, test my limits and experience something truly extraordinary.”

Life at sea tested every member of Team Warrant, with 60 crew members taking part in the race and only 8 completing the full circumnavigation. Yet it was the team's simple ritual before each leg that became one of the most powerful memories of the voyage.

"At the start of each leg, I would gather the crew in a circle and ask everyone to turn to the person next to them and say, 'I've got your back,'" Dylan says. "It was a simple ritual, but a powerful one. It reminded us that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we could rely on one another."

That spirit of trust carried the team through both the triumphs and the toughest moments.

Lessons Carried Home

While sailing around the globe and serving as an NSRI volunteer may seem worlds apart, Dylan says the two experiences have far more in common than people might expect.

"Both involve operating in demanding environments where clear communication, trust and preparation are critical," he explains. "Learning to trust your teammates, stay calm under pressure and work together towards a common goal makes all the difference when conditions become challenging."

His time at the NSRI helped prepare him for the race, while the race, in turn, has given him new skills to bring back to Station 8.

"The Clipper Race taught me a great deal about leadership, the importance of teamwork and the value of continuous learning. It reinforced that great outcomes come from trusting and supporting those around you, while always looking for ways to improve and grow."

Those lessons echo one of the biggest insights he has gained through volunteering.

"I've come to appreciate that what you put into the NSRI is what you get out of it," he says. "The more time and effort you invest in training, learning and supporting your crew, the more rewarding the experience becomes – and ultimately, the better prepared you are to make a real difference when someone's life depends on it."

Back To the Station

Upon his return home, Dylan admits he's looking forward to some of life's simplest pleasures.

"After such an incredible adventure, I'm looking forward to things like flushing toilets, a good supply of biltong and, most importantly, reconnecting with family and friends."

He's equally excited to return to the newly built Station 8 and continue serving alongside his fellow volunteers.

Asked to sum up the experience of sailing around the world in a single sentence, Dylan doesn't hesitate: "Brutal, challenging, fulfilling and rewarding."

He adds, "Sailing around the world pushed me beyond my limits, tested my resilience and gave me memories and experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life."

For the NSRI, Dylan's journey is a reminder that the same qualities needed to sail around the world are the very qualities that make exceptional rescue volunteers. And after circling the globe, he's exactly where he wants to be, back with the crew that first inspired him to give back.