Rooi Els: SUP Paddler Rescued

Brian Gosling, NSRI Gordons Bay duty coxswain, said: At 12h26, Tuesday, 16 January, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were alerted by an eyewitness reporting an adult man on a SUP (stand-up paddle board) appearing to be drifting out to sea and in difficulty at Rooi Els.

NSRI coast watchers, in the area, were requested to look out, while public members, linked to the eyewitness, went down to the Rooi Els slipway, where they encountered friends and family of the paddler, who were not aware that he was in any difficulty, while the eyewitness continued to observe the man.

It became unquestionably clear that he was making no progress trying to get back to shore against winds that were rapidly increasing in strength and the casualty was lying down, on his board, and being swept out to sea by winds and sea currents.

At that same time a friend of the paddler called NSRI reporting his friend to be in difficulty, and the casualties cellphone number was supplied to NSRI Gordons Bay controllers.

NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated.

Our NSRI Gordons Bay rescue craft Spirit of Surfski was launched.

At that stage there had been a significant increase in wind speed.

NSRI coast watchers maintained sight of the man. Then sight had been lost from the shoreline but his drift track and speed of drift had been taken note of.

NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated.

Our NSRI Gordons Bay rescue vehicle and the NSRI Kleinmond rescue vehicle were dispatched while WC Government Health EMS were placed on alert.

EMS Metro Control placed the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, that was engaged in an inter hospital transfer, on alert, to prepare to join in the search as soon as they became available.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted in communications.

Communications had been established with the casualty, by cellphone, but the cell signal was intermittent.

The NSRI Kleinmond rescue vehicle, arriving to a higher elevation, got sight of the man and this reinforced the speed and track of the casualties drift. Sight of the casualty was then lost and the NSRI Gordons Bay rescue vehicle, arriving on scene, joined in the search from the shoreline but they also struggled to get a sighting, confirming that by that stage he was pretty far out to sea and most likely nearing the currents that would sweep him towards Cape Point (sea currents commensurate to that area).

The NSRI rescue craft arrived in the area where a search pattern, calculated by NSRI controllers, commenced.

During the extensive sweeping line search efforts at sea and a search using binoculars from the shoreline, still there remained no signs of the man who had disappeared from view out at sea.

NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated to prepare to launch their deep sea rescue vessel Donna Nicholas while NSRI Gordons Bay prepared to launch a second rescue craft, the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski 5.

Cape Town Helicopters, with pilot Schalk Boonzaaier, our NSRI Kleinmond station commander, and a Cape Town Helicopters crew, was authorised for one of their helicopters to be activated.

During the extensive sweeping line search our crew, on our NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski, located the man on his SUP approximately 5.40 nautical miles from Rooi Els.

The sweeping line search operation, while successful, we admit that we found him a bit further out to sea than what we had initially anticipated.

On NSRI recovering the 50 year old Goodwood man onto our rescue craft his relief at being rescued was heartfelt. He is commended for remaining on his SUP and not abandoning his SUP and trying to swim to shore.

He reported that as he was swept further out sea – sea conditions worsened and increased – causing him at one stage to fall off his board but he managed to recover onto his board.

An EMS ambulance was dispatched to Rooi Els by EMS Metro Control.

The man was brought to the Rooi Els slipway in good spirits, where he was reunited with concerned but relieved family and friends.
Although a bit cold, sunburnt and exhausted, and with some rewarming and encouragement, once ashore no further medical care was required – the EMS ambulance was thanked for their response and stood down.

He admitted that he had not turned on his NSRI SafeTrx smart phone app. In what was calm winds, at the time of his launching, he had planned to only take a short paddle close inshore but after wind speeds suddenly and rapidly increased, he unexpectedly found himself at the mercy of the sea. He has vowed to always turn on his NSRI SafeTrx smart phone app, irrespective of his intentions when launching, and he encourages all paddlers, sailors and boaters, to do the same.

NSRI commend, the search and rescue efforts of the NSRI crew on Spirit of Surfski, the NSRI crew on the shoreline and our NSRI coast watchers, as well as the willingness and assistance of flanking NSRI stations, WC Government Health EMS, Cape Town Helicopters and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter.

Eyewitness Alex Wheeler, the man who initially called NSRI, after spotting the man in difficulties and realising the gravity of the situation unfolding before him, is commended for his vigilance and for not hesitating to call NSRI. His quick thinking and actions contributed to a life being saved.