Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay

Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay

Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay: that Dikeledi whipped up some serious east winds for us to contend with. Here in KZN it shoved moisture-rich air onto the land, fully charged from the cyclone, dumping buckets of rain about the place.

Down in that unruly ocean in the south, it came blasting through at 30 knots plus. Unrelenting in its will to flatten anything and everything. Including this sailing yacht, that survived once again due to the efficiencies and commitment by the NSRI contingent.

Over to Craig…

NSRI – Mossel Bay –Tuesday, 21 January. A foreign sailing yacht that drifted ashore has been recovered:

A Finnish couple have been assisted after their sailing yacht drifted ashore in the early hours of Tuesday morning at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.

Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 08h16, Tuesday, 21 January, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Mossel Bay Port Control, and Police Sea Borderline Control, reporting a sailing yacht that had drifted ashore at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.

The high tide had just turned, high tide in Mossel Bay on Tuesday was 08h02.

The NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the shore side in an NSRI rescue vehicle.

Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Police Sea Borderline Control and TNPA members responded.

The TNPA harbour tug boat Arctic Tern was placed on alert by Mossel Bay Port Control.

On arrival on the scene we joined an inflatable boat, The Blue Duck, of The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay, that was in attendance – that assisted NSRI during the operation.

NSRI rescue swimmers boarded the craft to assist the yacht crew, a husband and wife, from Finland.

It appears that the couple are sailing around South Africa, we believe that their previous Port of call was Richards Bay, and they were at moorings (at the swing moorings) offshore of Santos beach where, we suspect, during the early hours of the morning, in 3 meter sea swells, their sailing yacht may have broken her moorings and had drifted onto the beach.

The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay inflatable boat assisted to transfer a towline from our rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III where NSRI rescue swimmers, in cooperation with the yacht skipper, established a towline.

Timing the sea swells that were washing ashore in the outgoing tide, and using our rescue craft, we were able to pull and turn the casualty sailing yacht, that was initially lying side on – abeam – on the beach, to bow to the sea, and then attempts were made to pull her (the sailing yacht) gently off the beach in the shallow water, but attempts were not successful.

Later, we were joined by the TNPA harbour tug Arctic Tern – the towline was transferred to the Arctic Tern and they were able to pull (tow) the sailing yacht out to sea.

NSRI Mossel Bay rescue crew remained onboard, with the 2 sailing yacht crew, throughout the operation.

Her anchor, still deployed, that was dragging – while being towed further out to sea – was recovered manually once they reached deeper waters.

Arctic Tern towed the casualty sailing yacht into Mossel Bay harbour where, once inside the harbour, we rafted our NSRI rescue craft alongside the casualty sailing yacht and then safely moored her at the Vincent Jetty, at around 11h15, and no further assistance was required.

-ENDS-

About the NSRI:
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to drowning prevention and focused on saving lives, changing lives and creating futures for those threatened by drowning in South Africa.
We are unique in South Africa as the only non-profit organisation focusing exclusively on safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters through education, prevention, and rescue operations. We envision a nation where drowning incidents are minimised, ensuring the safety of all.
The NSRI strives to innovate, constantly evolve, and extend our water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and are reliant on donations and sponsorships.

Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.
NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY

Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts