NSRI

07/04/2026

They came for leadership and adventure, but left with something far greater 💙

At the Western Cape Scouting in Schools Camp, 335 young people discovered confidence in the water, and for many, the beginning of a journey into water safety, lifeguarding, and saving lives.

In just 30 minutes, fear turned into courage.

This is how we build safer communities by empowering the next generation 🌊

07/04/2026

A Week of Lifesaving Missions: Every week, our volunteer rescue crews answer the call to emergencies across South Africa, from our coastlines to inland waters. Here’s a look at some of the rescues, images, and moments from the past week that reflect their courage, skill, and unwavering commitment to saving lives.

06/04/2026

NSRI Bakoven duty crew and CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network were activated following an eyewitness reporting, to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), a drowning in progress at Clifton 2nd Beach.

03/04/2026

March’s moment of the month is in 🌅
Big congrats to Graeme Harding for capturing the Bay Guardian at sunset!

Think you’ve got a winning shot? 📸
Send your favourite NSRI moment to news@searescue.org.za and stand a chance to win a R250 NSRI shop voucher.

Enter now your photo could be next!

02/04/2026

NSRI Wilderness and NSRI Mossel Bay duty crews were activated following reports of a local fisherman reportedly swept off rocks by waves in the vicinity of Voelklip, Herolds Bay, while shoreline angling.

NSRI Wilderness and NSRI Mossel Bay duty crews were activated following reports of a local fisherman reportedly swept off rocks by waves in the vicinity…

02/04/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 23, Wilderness. STATION 15, Mossel Bay

NSRI – Herolds Bay – Thursday, 2 April. A man is missing:


Jonathan Britton, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:

At 20h47, Wednesday, 1 April, NSRI Wilderness and NSRI Mossel Bay duty crews were activated following reports of a local fisherman reportedly swept off rocks by waves in the vicinity of Voelklip, Herolds Bay, while shoreline angling.

NSRI rescue swimmers, from both NSRI rescue stations, responded.

NSRI crew responded to the NSRI Mossel Bay station 15 rescue base and launched the NSRI rescue craft St Blaise Rescuer.

NSRI Wilderness crew, at the NSRI Wilderness station 23 rescue base at the time, launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Rotary.

NSRI rescue vehicles, from both NSRI rescue stations, responded, while the SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS and George Fire and Rescue Services were activated and responded.

On arrival on the scene a search commenced for a local man, age 70, reportedly swept off rocks while shoreline angling during the turn of the Spring low tide.

An EMS rescue drone unit was deployed in an aerial search.

CPF (George Community Police Forum) members attended at the scene deploying a drone assisting in search efforts.

Police divers (Police WPDS - Water Policing and Diving Services) were activated and attended at the scene

NSRI rescue craft conducted search efforts extending to beyond the back breakers in calm seas while shoreline search efforts continued.

White illuminating flares were deployed to assist in the search.

Fishing gear belonging to the missing man was located and recovered from the water during search efforts.

Despite extensive air, sea and shoreline search efforts there remains no signs of the missing man.

Police divers are continuing in ongoing search efforts.

NSRI lifeguards, on duty on Thursday and over the Easter Weekend, are tasked to keep a lookout.

Our thoughts and care are with family and friends of the missing man in this difficult time.

-ENDS-

NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY


Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

02/04/2026

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is encouraging anyone heading to the coast this Easter weekend to be extra cautious during the upcoming full moon spring tide, which peaks on Thursday, 2 April.

Spring tides bring higher high tides, lower low tides, and stronger currents. This can increase the risk of rip currents, make certain coastal paths inaccessible, and create more hazardous conditions for swimmers, anglers, and hikers.

If you’re planning to spend time near the water:

Swim at beaches with lifeguards and stay between the flags
Be aware of rip currents, especially later in the day
Keep a close eye on children at all times
Avoid alcohol when swimming or near the water
Wear life jackets when boating, paddling, or fishing from rocks

It’s also a good idea to check weather forecasts and tide times before heading out.

By taking a few simple precautions, we can all enjoy the coastline safely over the long weekend.

Emergency number: 087 094 9774

30/03/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: NSRI ACTIVITY – WILDERNESS BEACH

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is currently conducting a vessel recovery operation at Wilderness Beach. As part of the operation, flares will be deployed and may be visible to the public. There is no cause for concern, as the situation is under control.

Members of the public are kindly requested not to report the flares as an emergency.

Issued by George Municipality on behalf of NSRI (Wilderness), 30 March at 19:26

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Canva

30/03/2026

A Week of Life-saving Missions: Every week, our volunteer rescue crews respond to emergencies across the country, from coastlines to inland waters. This is a look at some of the rescues, images, and moments from the past week that demonstrate their courage, skill, and dedication to saving lives.

30/03/2026

A powerful partnership between the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and SCOUTS South Africa’s Western Cape Region is opening real pathways for young people – from learning basic water safety and survival swimming, to volunteering, and ultimately building careers in lifesaving. What began with 335 Scout Leaders at a leadership training camp has already seen 192 step forward to continue their journey with the NSRI, gaining skills that not only keep them safe in the water but also empower them to teach others and serve their communities. Through this structured, phased programme, young people are growing in confidence, overcoming fear, and becoming part of a new generation of lifesavers – helping to prevent drowning, strengthen community safety, and create futures where opportunity and impact go hand in hand.

30/03/2026

Send us your favourite photograph of NSRI people doing what we do and you could win an NSRI shop voucher worth R250!

February 2026’s winner is…

👏 Congratulations to Quentin Botha, Station Commander at Station 3, Table Bay, for his powerful image of Spirit of Day heading out on an early morning medevac alongside the 14m ORC DHL Deliverer.

Think you’ve got the next winning shot?
Submit your photo to news@searescue.org.za before the 25th of the month, and you could be featured next!

View competition terms and conditions: https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/02/photo-of-the-month-february-2026/

26/03/2026

When seconds matter, distance makes all the difference. 🌊

The new NSRI satellite station at Fish Hoek means faster beach launches, quicker JetRIB deployment, and reduced response times for emergencies in the area.

Getting there sooner can save a life.

24/03/2026

It’s more than a car - it’s about a community coming together. When you enter the NSRI Cars4Good competition, you ensure our volunteer rescue crews stay rescue-ready 24/7. Get your ticket today.

24/03/2026

Fast and responsive in big surf.

The 5.5m RIB has long been trusted for inshore rescue and for training coxswains. Now, with thoughtful refinements, it’s ready for the next chapter of service in the NSRI fleet.

Experience shapes every improvement.

24/02/2026

09/02/2026

Download the app now! 🙌

Alright okes, today we’re chatting about the one logo you pray you never need… but you’re damn grateful when you do.

Ja, we’re talking about the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲.

If you don’t know who the NSRI is, then you’ve either never been near water in SA… or you’ve been cruising on pure luck and brandewyn fumes your whole life.

These are the okes that arrive when:
• the motor won’t start,
• the weather turns feral,
• the fog closes in,
• or your “quick paddle” turns into a Netflix survival documentary.

They’re basically the reason a bad day doesn’t turn into a funeral.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁𝘀: 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺
NSRI boats aren’t there to look pretty at the slip...

• 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁𝘀 – flip them upside down and they just roll back like “ja nee, nice try boet”
• 𝗝𝗲𝘁𝗥𝗜𝗕𝘀 – no props, straight into the surf, right next to a drowning oke without chopping him into calamari
• 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 – Running 50+ nautical miles offshore to pull people off ships when s**t goes south.

And lekker bonus:
Most of these boats are 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, tuned for our coastline where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans constantly have a domestic dispute.

But here’s the thing…

Even with the best boats, the hardest part of rescue is still this one word:
𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻
Today’s post is not about the boats.
It’s not even really about the rescues.

It’s about the app that turns:

“We think he was somewhere out there…”
into
“Cool, we’re on our way. We’ve got your coordinates.”

Enter: 𝗡𝗦𝗥𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗧𝗿𝘅.

𝗡𝗦𝗥𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗧𝗿𝘅 – 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴
Let’s be honest for a second.

Your phone is full of rubbish:
• Tinder (you’re not using it properly anyway)
• Temu (stop lying to yourself)
• Spur app (you open it once a year)

Delete something.
Make space.
Download 𝗡𝗦𝗥𝗜 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗧𝗿𝘅.

Because this app does one very important thing:
𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗦𝗥𝗜 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲.

No guessing.
No “last seen near the point”.
No helicopters flying around burning fuel while your family is pacing the lounge.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗧𝗿𝘅 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 (𝗻𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲)
• You log your trip
• You say where you’re going and when you’ll be back
• You choose emergency contacts
• If you don’t “close” your trip... alarms go off
• Your family AND NSRI get notified
• Rescue starts with your actual GPS track

That’s the difference between:

searching the ocean
and
driving straight to you

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲
This app is smarter than most skippers before coffee:
• If your phone battery drops, it saves power
• At 30% it slows tracking to keep your phone alive
• At 10% it keeps enough juice for a final call
• Even with no signal, it records your route
• As soon as signal comes back... boom, uploads everything
• Works with Garmin SOS watches (hands wet, still works)
• Lets you mark yourself as “willing to assist” and help someone nearby faster than a boat launch

It’s not just for boats either:
• surf-ski
• kayak
• SUP
• coastal hikes
• fishing
• paddling
• that “I’ll just go check the conditions quickly” mission

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 (𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀)
People have been pulled out of:
• 4m swell
• thick fog
• dead engines
• hypothermia situations

Because 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗧𝗿𝘅 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗦𝗥𝗜 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼.

Not “somewhere in False Bay”.
Not “off Gqeberha”.

𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘁.

And before you ask…
Yes... it’s FREE.
No subscription.
No ads.
No nonsense.

So if you go near water in South Africa and you don’t have SafeTrx, you’re basically saying:
“If something goes wrong, I hope someone guesses correctly.”

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱
You don’t download SafeTrx because you’re scared.
You download it because you’re 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽.

It doesn’t stop you from pushing limits.
It lets you push limits with a safety net.

Download it.
Set it up once.
Use it every time.

Now tell me in the comments:
Who’s already using SafeTrx… and who just realised they’ve been winging it their whole life?

NSRI

01/02/2026

GEORGE NEWS -  An Austrian male tourist...

29/12/2025

Come join us this Friday evening! 👏

Chain Gang Events

GEORGE NEWS - The 13th annual Carne’s...

19/12/2025

Come join us for a lekker run on the beach 🙌

Looking forward to a beautiful night on the beach - from Gericke's Point to Wilderness for the 21km or from Kleinkrantz to Wilderness for the 7km.

NSRI Fundraiser

Enter online : https://www.entryninja.com/events/82948-full-moon-beach-run

SANParks - Garden Route (Tsitsikamma, Knysna & Wilderness) National Park
Garden Route National Park Wilderness section
George Tourism
Spar Wilderness George

18/12/2025

Jonathan Britton, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:
At 16h13, Monday, 15 December, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports of a local man swept off rocks by waves while (we believe) gathering fishing bait, with friends, on the coastline near to Thembalethu, George.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2025/12/man-swept-off-rocks-near-thembalethu-remains-missing-after-extensive-nsri-search/

09/12/2025

Jonathan Britton, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:
At 13h12, Sunday, 7 December, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports from the George Municipal NSRI lifeguards at Leentjiesklip, Wilderness Beach, who were responding to 2 persons in distress in the surf zone - both casualties appeared to be caught in rip currents.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2025/12/two-men-rescued-from-rip-currents-at-wilderness-beach/

04/12/2025

🛟🌊 LIFEGUARDS ON OUR BEACHES 🛟🌊

☀️ 1 Dec -12 Dec from 9am-5pm
☀️ 13 Dec - 31 Jan from 7am-7pm

📍Victoria Bay
📍 Herolds Bay
📍 Wilderness Main
📍 Leentjiesklip
📍Steps Beach
📍 Gwaing River Mouth
📍 Wilderness Lagoon

☀️ 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
📍 Conville Municipal Swimming Pool
📍 Uniondale Municipal Swimming Pool

💥 Remember to always swim where there are lifeguards!

☎️ Emergency numbers to call:
NSRI Wilderness - 082 990 5955
George Fire Department - 044 803 6311
George Municipality (After Hours) - 044 803 6300
NSRI Mossel Bay - 082 990 5954
NSRI Knysna - 082 990 5956
NSRI Plett - 082 990 5975

03/12/2025

A privilege to teach these amazing students about water safety at our beaches! 👏 ❤️