Quiet time for sea rescuers

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - As we near the end of the ninth week of lockdown and hopefully the last of Level 4, we take a look at how the local National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has been doing, with only two incidents attended to in the area spanning Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Sedgefield since lockdown commenced.

At the start of the lockdown period in March, the NSRI announced that while they hoped the volunteer crews around the country could spend some downtime with their families, they would remain ready for anything.

"Our NSRI volunteer rescue crews around the country remain on high alert to respond to emergencies despite the challenges posed by the lockdown," said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

He also explained how the NSRI crews were gearing up for emergencies slightly differently due to lockdown regulations. "Observing Covid-19 department of health regulations and protocols, a reduced crew attend to and conduct routine maintenance and boat checks at our sea rescue stations on a weekly basis to ensure that our sea rescue craft and equipment are in peak and serviceable order and ready to be deployed to emergencies," Lambinon said. "Reduced crew launch our rescue craft weekly to conduct necessary routine exercises and boat checks."

The two sea rescue incidents to befall the Plett, Knysna, and Sedge areas during lockdown came on 6 and 7 April when NSRI Knysna was called out to deal with two houseboats taking on water at their moorings. "On 6 April, duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a 10m houseboat listing at her moorings on Knysna Lagoon in front of Laguna Grove," Lambinon said. "On arrival at the scene, we found the boat had filled with water in a sequence of events which included the previous crew who in their haste to depart for the lockdown may have damaged a windless cover, when with the spring tide and gale force winds the anchor hatch filled with water and the drainage hulls were blocked contributing to the boat partially sinking." However, water extrication pumps were deployed and after an hour-and-a-half of pumping out water the boat was afloat and stable.

The following day (7 April) the crew was called into action once again for yet another houseboat that had taken on water. "At 07:59 NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of an 8m houseboat moored on the causeway between the Knysna Yacht Club and Thesen Island, listing to starboard," Lambinon explained. "In this case the boat normally lies low in the water and the owner, from Sedgefield, normally takes extra precaution when strong winds and weather threaten but with the lockdown these extra precautions had not been not applied. Once the boat was emptied of water and stabilised no further assistance was required."

At the time of going to print, these remain the only incidents reported in the CX region, and Lambinon confirmed that all local duty crews are remaining on high alert during lockdown.

An NSRI volunteer wades in the water during an operation.