SEA Rescue Station 19 at Richards Bay was called upon twice over the weekend to assist boats in trouble.
The first incident took place early Saturday morning when the fishing ski-boat ‘Piet Paling’ ran aground on the dolosse at the northern breakwater at the harbour entrance.
After leaving the Richards Bay Ski-Boat Club and exiting the Port, they sustained motor failure and despite trying to take corrective action, including throwing out anchor and restarting one motor in the 2.5 metre swell sets and a 10-knot north-easterly wind, they were washed onto the dolosse next to Newark Beach.
According to the NSRI, City of uMhlathuze lifeguards assisted four members of a Pretoria family to safety: a husband and wife, their 14-year-old adopted son and a friend’s daughter, aged 15.
The skipper sustained minor lacerations to his shin and knee.
The NSRI sea rescue craft ‘Spirit of Round Table’ towed the damaged boat to the slipway where it has been recovered and they required no further assistance.
Boat submerged
The NSRI received the second call out shortly before 9am on Sunday, when the Transnet National Ports Authority requested urgent assistance for the 32-foot motor boat ‘Selfish’.
With two people on board, skipper and owner Bruce Gillbee (44) and his girlfriend (43) from Randburg, reporting to be taking water after they suspected they hit a submerged object while under motor power about two nautical miles south of the Port of Richards Bay.
‘The skipper reported that he had deployed his life raft as a precautionary measure, but was making headway towards port despite his vessel taking on water, in an effort to reach the harbour before she sank. Urgent assistance was requested’, said Mike Patterson, NSRI Richards Bay Deputy Station Commander.
‘Our duty crew responded and launched our sea rescue craft ‘Spirit of Round Table’, but by that stage ‘Selfish’ had entered port and an unidentified ski-boat had come to her aid and towed her, almost fully submerged, to the Richards Bay Ski-Boat Club.
‘The skipper had put his girlfriend into the life raft as a precautionary measure.
‘When we arrived at the scene the boat was already at a berthing at the club, but she had sunk and was semi-submerged.
‘Mr Gillbee and his girlfriend were both safely ashore, not injured, and no further assistance was required.
‘A Police Dive Unit was deployed to assess damage to the boat and Mr Gillbee will arrange a salvage effort,’ said Patterson.
