On 11 May, Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said: “At 17h26 NSRI Hout Bay activated both of our rescue craft, MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews to go to the assistance of the 8 metre fishing boat Cape Fear, with a crew of 5 aboard, reporting to be experiencing engine failure, 22 nautical miles South West of Cape Point, in progressively worsening sea conditions (with a cold front moving in on the area) and with fading light.
NSRI Simonstown had been monitoring the casualty fishing boats progress since 17h00 when she had reported to be experiencing engine failure after her engines were flooded after a wave swamped her engines while her crew were carrying out a minor repair to the thermostat on one of the engines.
Although the crew of 5 aboard the casualty fishing boat were in no immediate danger at 17h26 the decision was made to launch our NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft to go to their assistance as a precautionary measure due to the progressively worsening weather and the progressively worsening sea conditions.
While both of our NSRI rescue craft were heading in the direction of Cape Fear the skipper of the casualty craft reported that they had managed to get one of the motors running and they were heading (limping) towards Hout Bay.
The fishing boat Hotstuff, which was in the area of the casualty boat at the time, diverted and stood-by at Cape Fear as a precautionary measure.
Our NSRI rescue craft reached Cape Fear at Cape Point and together with the fishing boat Hotstuff we escorted Cape Fear into Hout Bay harbour and once safely in the harbour no further assistance was required.
Surprisingly sea conditions and the weather moderated considerably as this operation progressed and the last leg of the escort to Hout Bay harbour, from Cape Point, where we had rendezvoused with Cape Fear, was completed in only 1 metre swell, a 10 knot North Westerly wind and with Cape Fear motoring at a comfortable speed of 10 knots on one engine.”
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