Pieter Coetzee, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said: “At 07h45, Wednesday, 21st May, NSRI Shelly Beach volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from the French yacht NAUTICA II, with 3 crew onboard, 2 males and a female, requiring diesel to continue on their voyage to Durban.
“The yacht, sailing on a leg of her voyage from Cape Town to Durban, had reportedly motored on diesel power along the Transkei coastline after a lull in the wind and with only 40 litres of diesel remaining, despite now being under sail again and in no imminent danger, as a precaution they did not want to take a chance with limited diesel onboard for this leg of their voyage in the event the wind dropped again before they reached Durban.
“They radioed Telkom Maritime Radio Services seeking assistance and the Transnet National Ports Authority were alerted and NSRI Port Edward were contacted. By that stage they were under sail nearing Shelly Beach and NSRI Port Edward contacted us to render necessary assistance to the yacht.
“Our NSRI Shelly Beach volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF DAWN after gathering 125 litres of diesel and rendezvoused with the yacht off-shore of Margate in rough seas with a 4 metre swell and a 15 knot North North Westerly wind.
“On arrival on-scene the 125 litres of diesel was transferred onto the yacht without incident and after all diesel was transferred they have continued on their voyage requiring no further assistance.
“NSRI commend the skipper for taking this precaution.”
