Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said:
At 18h55, Friday, 10th February, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a yacht appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of Long Beach, Simonstown.
At the same time we received a call from the same yacht, the 45 foot Calypso, requesting assistance and reporting sail and rigging problems and their motor not holding against the 50 knot South Easterly wind.
Aboard Calypso are a local couple having completed a 12 year circumnavigation, having departed from Simonstown harbour 12 years ago, and on their final stage of their voyage from Mossel Bay to Simonstown they ran into problems with their rigging and sails just outside of the Simonstown harbour.
We requested that they start making their way out to sea as best as possible while we activated our sea rescue craft Spirit of safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II.
On arrival on the scene we found them drifting towards rocks and the husband and wife team were struggling with the tow-line that we passed to them.
Two NSRI crew were then transferred aboard the yacht Calypso and they assisted the couple to rig the tow-line and Calypso was towed by our sea rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III safely into the harbour and berthed.
Yachting crew from the False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) had gathered at the berthing area and they assisted us to tie Calypso up safely.
The crew of Calypso reported an additional three yachts that were also sailing from Mossel Bay and arriving in Simonstown and they requested our assistance to help the three yachts into the harbour against the 50 knot winds.
2 local yachting crew from FBYC were taken onboard the sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski II and transported to the first arriving boat, the 45 foot yacht Elusion with a Spanish husband and wife onboard, and the local yachtsmen went aboard the yacht and assisted them to get into the harbour safely.
We then rendezvoused with the third yacht, the 30 foot Westwood, with a French solo sailor onboard. NSRI crew were put aboard his yacht and assisted to get him safely to a berth in the harbour.
We then rendezvoused with the fourth yacht, the 50 foot Kantolou, with 3 crew onboard, a Brazilian family. NSRI crew were taken aboard the yacht and the yacht was assisted into the harbour where our sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski II nudged them the last few meters to a safe berthing.
Once all four yachts were safely berthed no further assistance was required.
The operation to assist all four yachts was finally completed at 22h48.
The False Bay Yacht Club members who assisted in the operation are commended for lending a hand.
