Cape Town - With the new moon spring tide expected to peak tomorrow, emergency services have appealed to the public to be cautious around the coastline as dangerous sea conditions are predicted.
The warning comes as the SA Weather Service (SAWS) issued an Orange Level 6 warning for damaging winds over a large portion of the Western Cape.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the new moon spring tide could potentially cause risky sea conditions.
“The NSRI are appealing to the public to be cautious around the coastline where storms around the coast – along the Northern and Western Cape coastline and spreading up the East Coast, coupled with the approaching new moon spring tide creating rough sea conditions – will cause dangerous surf and shoreline conditions. Extreme caution is advised,” Lambinon said.
The rescue organisation asked people to download and use its safety software, the NSRI SafeRTrx, in addition to advising them to exercise caution when visiting beaches.
The app, which can be found on Google Play and the iOS App Store, is used to send out emergency alerts and act as a locator tool for rescue personnel.
The NSRI duty crew in Simon’s Town recently saved the life of a surf skier who sent out an emergency distress call using the app.
Simon McDonnell, NSRI Simon’s Town station commander, said services responded to the call on August 26 off the coast of Miller’s Point.
“NSRI Coast watchers were alerted to start scouring the coastline while a CMR rescue vehicle, in the vicinity of Miller’s Point at the time, searched along the coastline towards Simon’s Town,” McDonnell said.
After some time, according to McDonnell, the individual was located by their squad around one nautical mile south of Roman Rock Lighthouse.
“NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water, and they swam the man to the rescue craft, and he was safely recovered. The man’s surf ski was also recovered,” he said.
Cape Argus