NSRI Simon's Town Rescues Two Hypothermic Paddlers After Near 2-Hour Ordeal in Gale-Force Conditions

On Saturday afternoon, NSRI Simon's Town launched a dramatic sea rescue after two experienced paddlers capsized in gale-force winds and rough seas off Fish Hoek, spending close to two hours battling exhaustion and hypothermia before being found.

At 15h56 on Saturday, 12 September, our Simon's Town duty crew was activated after reports that 2 paddlers were well overdue on a double surf-ski during a Millers Point to Fish Hoek downwind paddle. The pair, experienced paddlers from St Francis Bay, had reportedly been struggling early into the route.

Conditions were severe: strong SE winds gusting 35-40 knots, with 1.5-2m sea swells.

Coast watchers were alerted, rescue swimmers were positioned at Whale Watcher's Point, and our rescue craft Donna Nicholas and Jack&Irene launched from Simon's Town. No SafeTrx emergency had been triggered, but all signs pointed to the paddlers being in distress.

Searching north from Roman Rock Lighthouse toward Fish Hoek, our crew spotted the pair about 20 minutes into the operation, offshore of Glencairn — the male seated on the surf-ski, the female in the water holding onto its back. Rescue swimmers entered the water to secure both casualties and recover their craft.

It was later determined the pair had been in the water, exhausted and hypothermic, repeatedly attempting to reboard, for close to 2 hours. They had drifted north past Roman Rock Lighthouse toward Glencairn after capsizing. The paddler's phone, with SafeTrx loaded, was lost overboard during the capsize, preventing them from raising the alarm themselves.

Both patients received immediate treatment for severe hypothermia, with CMR paramedics continuing extensive care at the Simon's Town rescue base before they were released into the care of family.

NSRI commends the fellow paddlers who raised the alarm, and the swift, skilled response of the Simon's Town crew in trying conditions