Firsts for Witsand

Witsand crew and craft at the Pont on the Breede river.

Our volunteers at Witsand achieved a number of firsts for their station when they recently went to help the Police and METRO search for the medic who was swept away in flood waters at Montague: All the craft on station were used simultaneously, all the vehicles (rescue vehicle and quad bike) were used and all the crew we could muster on the day were called out.

The photograph shows the rescue craft landing on the north bank at the Pont’s normal landing position at Malgas. Note the flood debris has dragged the Pont securing cable into a wide catenary out into the river. This is 35 mile up the river from Witsand, which is probably another first – the longest inland operation on a tidal river in SA.

- NSRI