Surf Skier, rescued by N.S.R.I...

Hi, guys, and Dolls, trust this finds you all well.

Got a post from a friend in the "UK" about a rescue in False Bay by the N.S.R.I team from Simonstown.

Ended nicely with the Paddler being rescued...

Will the details be posted here?

Seems like "Extreme" Downwind conditions, 40/50kts, 3/5m swells?

Ski apparently broke in half, what ski?

The Paddler only had P.D.F. and a Cell phone...was found by a "Spotter" on High Ground before the Helli's got there...

Like to know the details here since I am sure it will be more accurate...

Thanks...take care

Raymond.

Here is a link to the NSRI account of what happened. I'm sure there will be other more detailed accounts coming through later. www.nsri.org.za/2012/12/surf-skier-rescu...breaks-up-and-sinks/

Rob is pretty good at shooting out up to the minute news through the www.surfski.info facebook page. www.facebook.com/surfski.info?fref=ts

I've interviewed everyone concerned and the story will be up shortly.

In essence, David Black was on his Fenn Mako Elite, got 3km into the paddle when he was hit by a massive wave that split the seams on his boat, which instantly flooded. Over the next while the hulk was battered by the waves until it disintegrated, the nose of the ski breaking off and drifting away.

He had a cellphone and called the NSRI, but they battled to find him in maelstrom, until eventually a shore-based observer managed to spot him about 750m offshore.

He was 1 1/4 hours in the water and was pretty cold, but otherwise unhurt.

It's very unusual (but hardly unknown) for a ski to break up on being hit by a big wave. I know of several, for example, in the 2007 World Cup race in Durban.

The surfski community here has been asking themselves some hard questions about paddling in super-extreme conditions.

Hello Robin, trust this finds you and yours well.

Thanks for the update, the good news being all is well that ends well, it could have been so different.

I take it, that David was a "Lone Paddler" or part of a group and got seperated?

Don't want to point stones at glass houses here, just that the conditions were anything but "Fine and Settled" not that the downhill gang want fine and settled, just that surely if conditions are "Extreme" you Paddle with a "Buddy" group?

Thank you anyway for filling in the gaps of the NSRI report, and well done to them for responding.

Take care

Raymond.