Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, said: On 16 April at 09h22 NSRI Jeffreys Bay volunteers were activated following reports of a paddler, on a sea kayak, in difficulty in the surf at Kabeljou Beach, Jeffreys Bay.
Our volunteers, taking part in a Safety and Security Expo at the Fountain Mall in Jeffreys Bay at the time, responded to the scene and Private Care Ambulance Service responded.
While we were responding to the scene it was confirmed by surfers at the beach that the paddler had gotten to shore but his condition could not be confirmed so both our NSRI volunteer duty crew and Private Care Ambulance Service continued to the scene.
On arrival on-scene it was confirmed that the Kayaker had been assisted to shore by surfers after he was reportedly caught in a rip-current and fell out of his sea-kayak approximately 200 meters off-shore in the surf-line. Local surfers went to his aid assisting him to get to shore.
The man, a local, was treated by our NSRI volunteer paramedic and by Private Care paramedics for near drowning symptoms and he was released on-scene following treatment and no further assistance was required.”
