nsri

Having had one or two close scrapes in my time I've had opportunity to reflect on them (with relief) and learn something (like not repeating said stints again), but my most recent (repeat act) has bothered me sufficiently to feel the need to share it with you. Who knows, it might help prevent someone from being as complacent (stupid) as I was recently...

Anthony Allen - PFD next time?

[Editor: In the Southern Hemisphere, we're approaching summer...  and here's a timely article from dermatologist Dr. Gavin Gottschalk to remind us that that it's not all fun in the sun...]

Silent Killer at work...

Gordon's Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.  Kyle Mahood saw the big 30ft catamaran motor slowly out of the harbor.  "Great," he thought, "they're coming to help."  But to his horror, he saw the big fishing boat rapidly accelerate, heading directly for them and he realized that the skipper hadn't seen them. 

Kyle Mahood & Theo Conradie with the wreckage of Theo's ski (Pic: Theo Conradie)

False Bay was covered in breaking 2m waves and the wind, already 30kts, seemed to be strengthening.  But the worst problem was that it was already almost dark.

And as I paddled into Fish Hoek at the end of what should have been a classic downwind run, I was frantic with worry - I was almost certain that one of the group was off his ski, in the water, about ten kilometres back near Millers Point.

On Saturday, 17 Feb 2007,  a cryptic comment appeared on Surfski.info: "SWIM TRAINING: WOULD LOVE OSCARS COMMENTS ON SWIM TRAINING AFTER HIS EPIC TRAINING PADDLE ON FRIDAY". 

Here's the story behind the comment.

Sunday 3^rd December, 18h00, 4km west of Steenbras Point, False Bay, South Africa

The big Oryx helicopter hovered over Casper Kruger as he lay semi-conscious on his surf ski.  "It was flying only about two ski-lengths above the water, about twelve metres." he said, "It flew past about 200 metres.  Then I saw it turn and I knew I had another chance at life."

By the time he was found, Casper had been in the water for nearly seven hours.

It‘s been just over two days since DA ward councillor Stanford Slabbert‘s near fatal brush with hypothermia, and the men involved with saving him feel it was a stroke of good luck they were able to assist.

An avid paddling enthusiast, Slabbert was surfskiing in the third leg of the Sportsworld Downwind Winter Series Race on Saturday, when he was knocked from his ski by a large wave.

The Paddler

Christmas night 2005 - Alan Witherden lay awake listening to the howling wind.  The southeaster had been blowing hard for several days and thoughts of the resulting rough seas were preying on Alan's mind.  In Cape Town on holiday, he had arranged to join his friend John Rhynes for an early morning paddle the next day.  They were to do the famous "Millers Run" from Millers Point near Simonstown, across the bay to Fish Hoek.

Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesman, said that three paddlers who were in the area at the time of the initial report called the NSRI on Tuesday as soon as they heard about this story.  

The three paddlers were all on single skis.  Conditions at the time were rough, but they were not in trouble at any time.  

The original story follows:

The NSRI were activated yesterday (Sunday 26th March) when observers on shore near Oudekraal here in Cape Town reported a double ski or kayak in trouble. 

Sunday 6th February 2006: Gordon's Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
(by Rob Mousley)

...the nose sheered off...

The pair had come prepared: lifejackets, body leashes, flares and a fair bit of experience: Daantjie, a 45 year-old from Strand, has just done the 2005 Men's Health Cape Point Challenge, a 56km paddle known as the toughest ski race in the world, finishing third in the Veterans category. Clifford (also 45) from Stellenbosch, has done several Cape Points and with Matthew van Heerden won the 2004 Discovery Men's Health Doubles Series. These are strong, experienced paddlers.

They arrived on the beach at Gordon's Bay at about 10h00. The bay itself was flat but the wind was so strong it was lifting spray off the water and the sea was covered with a smoky haze. Further out, False Bay was a maelstrom of white water, the tops of the 3 to 4m swells being blown off in streamers of spume.