While Station Commander Jaco Kruger insists “we are not really interested in awards – we’re more focused on rescues, training and having a good time while doing so”, nevertheless, Station 14 has accrued a slew of awards and acknowledgements, including winning the RIB Station of the Year and receiving recognition from the International Maritime Rescue Federation’s (IMRF) for their purpose-built rescue stretcher that reached the finals in the Innovation and Technology category. The stretcher is designed for coastline rock and surf-patient extrication.
Kruger has been a volunteer with the NSRI for almost two decades, and was voted to the position of station commander in 2021. Located on the Garden Route in the seaside town of Plettenberg Bay, this busy station has been in operation since 1971. Crew meetings and training are held each Wednesday, with real-life rescues numbering around 40 a year.
“Training is key to the success of our station. Rescues and training create a bond among volunteers that is near indestructible. We are a great team of strong individuals working as a collective,” says Jaco.
Volunteer At This station
Jaco Kruger, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said: At 12h44, Tuesday, 23 June, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a Johannesburg man reporting his wife injured at Keurboomstrand Beach with a fishhook injury (a treble fishhook lure embedded in soft tissue under her foot) and unable to walk.
As colder weather creeps in, NSRI stations across the country are shifting their focus to the unique challenges winter brings.
Station 14 in Plettenberg Bay marked a rare and meaningful milestone when three rescue vessels were officially blessed earlier this month.
At 12h02 on Friday, 15 May, National Sea Rescue Institute Station 14 Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following concerns for the safety of a woman and her dogs who appeared to be trapped on Robberg Beach by the incoming high tide.
At 11h18, Sunday, 3 May, NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew were activated following an urgent request for medical assistance at a local hotel. A local female, age 78, appears to have suffered heart arrest at the hotel pool and she had fallen into the pool. She had been recovered from the pool pulseless and breathless. NSRI medics responded directly to the scene while additional medical equipment was collected at the NSRI Plettenberg Bay Station 14 rescue base and brought to the scene. On arrival on the scene we found a doctor, from Johannesburg, and a paramedic, from Hermanus, assisted by bystanders, performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts on the lady who was unresponsive. NSRI medics assisted with extensive CPR efforts, including the use of our NSRI AED (External Automatic Defibrillator).During these extensive CPR efforts a pulse and spontaneous breathing was restored. The patient was transported to hospital in a critical condition where doctors and nurses continued with medical treatment. The patient was later transported by ambulance to a medical facility in the Southern Cape for further medical care reportedly in a serious but stable condition. NSRI commend the doctor and the paramedic for their assistance on the scene and also express our care to the family as we sincerely hope that the patient makes a full recovery. On Monday, NSRI was informed, that the patient is recovering well in hospital in the care of doctors and nurses.
In two separate incidents on Monday, 6 April, and Tuesday, 7 April, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Plettenberg Bay crews assisted injured patients at Robberg Nature Reserve and Keurbooms Beach.
In Plettenberg Bay, the sound of a siren drifting across town carries a meaning that locals understand instantly. It signals that the NSRI are responding to an emergency at sea. Cars pull over, conversations pause, and people turn their attention toward the water.
When Gemini Marine began building the first of the new 5.5-metre rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for the NSRI, destined for Station 14 in Plettenberg Bay, it marked more than a routine fleet upgrade. It reflected a renewed focus on what works best in surf, and a recognition that, in the surf zone, a single metre in hull length can change everything.
We are thrilled to announce that Italtile Ceramics (Pty) Ltd, along with the Italtile and Ceramic Foundation, has become the first corporate partner to secure its name on the side of the Spirit of Ubuntu – the final Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC) in the National Sea Rescue Institute’s fleet renewal programme and one of the most significant projects in our organisation’s history.
At 17h41, Saturday, 10 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew and NSRI coast watchers, at Natures Valley, were activated following multiple eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Natures Valley Lagoon, Grootrivier, Natures Valley.
At 12h34, Friday, 2 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a Catamaran motor vessel, with three adult male crew onboard, reporting motor mechanical failure, eight nautical miles offshore East of Cape Seal, Plettenberg Bay.
At 12h37 on Thursday, 1 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Nature’s Valley Beach.
Ross Badenhorst, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said: At 16h17, Monday, 22 December, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a boat capsized in the Keurbooms River Mouth with 6 persons observed to be in the water.
Ross Badenhorst, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said: At 10h47, Thursday, 18 December, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a male fallen from a cliff at Natures Valley - Bull Se Baai, Garden Route National Park.
PORT ALFRED: Gerrit Cloete, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:
Thanks to the generosity of donors and the dedication of local NSRI teams and partners, a cutting-edge Beach Safety Camera network and shark alarm system have now been installed in Plettenberg Bay, Victoria Bay, and Nature’s Valley. These systems enhance response times, improve coordination, and make Plett one of the safest beaches in the world.
When the air raid siren sounds over Plettenberg Bay, locals know to stop and look out — because Station 14’s Sea Rescue crew is already moving. And within just 13 minutes, they’ll be on the scene.
Sadly, a juvenile Humpback whale, beached at Robberg Nature Reserve, has unavoidably been humanely euthanised by marine authorities, assisted by Police, despite extensive efforts to try to save the whale.
DURBAN: 2 fishermen on fishing kayaks have been rescued after getting into difficulties.
A 45 year old female, from Gauteng, rescued at Robberg Nature Reserve on Monday, remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
NSRI, lifeguards, Police and the emergency services have attended to multiple rescue operations over the past weeks, including sadly an increase in drowning accidents around the coastline and on inland waters.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports received through a community Whatsapp group of a drowning in progress at Stilbaai, between Robberg Nature Reserve and Kranshoek, near Plettenberg Bay.
NSRI Mykonos duty crew launched the NSRI Mykonos rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom to rendezvous with a container motor vessel to medically evacuate a seafarer suffering an injury.
NSRI, in cooperation with Police, maritime authorities, DRM (Disaster Risk Management) and the emergency services are appealing to boaters, sailors, paddlers, bathers, anglers and coastal hikers to be aware of a SAWS (South African Weather Services) warning - alerting to rough sea conditions and big waves along the West Coast coastline, Western Cape Coast coastline, South Cape Coast coastline and potentially extending beyond - for the next few days.
A Johannesburg woman was treated after a serious fall in Plettenberg Bay and a fisherman swept off the rocks was rescued in Mossel Bay
NSRI, the emergency services and Cape Nature are urgently appealing to day walkers and hikers, who may be planning to hike the Plettenberg Bay Robberg Nature Reserve hiking trail, to be fully prepared for a gruelling hike that too often catches hikers and day walkers off guard.
NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew were activated following a call from NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) of a yacht threatening to run aground in the vicinity of Yzerfontein main beach with a local solo sailor onboard.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were placed on alert following confirmation that NSRI coast watchers, from Natures Valley, were responding to assist a German couple, and their toddler, in a gorge on the Kalander kloof Trail, near to Natures Valley.
Police are investigating a case at the Hermanus old harbour where clothing, a cellphone and other items were discovered on the shore.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a mass drowning in progress at Natures Valley, at a beach adjacent to the lifeguard protected beach.
We investigated reports of a spear fisherman overdue after a local fisherman reported his concerns after seeing the spear fisherman's vehicle still parked at Shelly Point and knowing that the man had gone spearfishing at 13h00
NSRI Plettenberg Bay STATION 14 duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Natures Valley Lagoon, Grootrivier, Natures Valley, Plettenberg Bay.
NSRI Knysna were alerted by a parent of a hiker, at around 15h27, Friday, 12 May, reporting 14 hikers cut off by the rain affected heavy flowing Lottering River, on the Tsitsikamma hiking trail, on the North Eastern side of the Bloukrans River.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay would like to commend the swift actions of a concerned eyewitness and our dedicated Coast Watcher team, following reports of a man on a sea kayak appearing to be getting into some difficulties offshore of the Beacon Island Hotel.
Bathers and shoreline anglers around the coast will notice that from today the high tide will gradually get higher than normal and low tide will gradually retreat to lower than normal leading up to the peak of the full moon Spring tide on the 6th of January - a full moon micro moon.
The NSRI Plettenberg Bay siren was sounded activating the NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew to respond following reports of a boat, with 4 adult crew onboard, 3 females and a male, capsized off-shore in waves while exiting the Keurbooms River Mouth.
The NSRI and the Bitou Municipality appeal to the public to be cautious along the Plettenberg Bay and Southern Cape coastline. Beaches have been closed in Plettenberg Bay by Bitou Municipality.