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Cape Town - The NSRI Bakoven duty crew were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on Tuesday evening after receiving reports of a lone paddler off Green Point who was said to be "acting suspiciously".
Johnny Albert, NSRI Bakoven deputy station commander said in a post on the NSRI website, "Controllers, attempting to identify the type of craft being described by the eye-witnesses, were left confused by the descriptions being relayed by eye-witnesses who were mentioning a “tiny craft”, and a “type of rowing oar”.
A sightseeing charter boat from the Waterfront reportedly told the TNPA that they had come across the paddler who appeared to them to be refusing to be assisted.
After a full-scale activation by the NSRI and the Police Sea Borderline Unit, they discovered that a private boat company had taken the paddler “under tow” to OPBC slip way.
The bemused Police and NSRI Bakoven rescuers said the man had been paddling on a tiny “swimming pool inflatable dinghy” and using a “garden rake” as an oar, 1 nautical mile off-shore of the Mouille Point Lighthouse.
The man was questioned on the scene but "he appeared to be unable to answer questions". He was taken in for safekeeping as the authorities feared he might decide to go back into the sea.
The NSRI said it is unknown where the man is from or where he was going in the rather unusual floating device, with the NSRI asking anyone who can assist in identifying the paddler to please contact NSRI Spokesperson Craig Lambinon on 082 380 3800.
These pics were shared on the NSRI Flickr account.
