Hyacinth traps boaters

DENSE hyacinth on the Hartbeespoort Dam proved to be more of an obstacle than two boaters had anticipated and they had to spend Saturday night on their boat trapped in the weeds before being rescued on Sunday.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Hartbeespoort Dam said it was informed by a member of the public at 6.44am on Sunday that a ski boat had been trapped in the hyacinth about 300m offshore from the K’Shane Estate.

NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam station commander Michael Saunders said they had reportedly been there since 6pm on Saturday night.

Contact was made with the two young men in their early 20s on the boat.

They had apparently launched at 11am on Saturday, and while returning to Schoemansville at 5.30pm became trapped in the hyacinth.

“With plenty of provisions on board and warm clothing they decided to wait out the night in the hope that they would break free from the hyacinth in the morning.”

However, in the morning they were unable to free themselves from the hyacinth and raised the alarm, Saunders said.

The NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam duty crew were activated, but after two hours of effort they were still 500m from the ski boat and making very little headway.

The ex-NSRI sea rescue craft Afrox Rescuer, now owned by the Transvaal Yacht Club, was borrowed and the crew launched.

NSRI shore crew were sent to an elevated position and were able to identify open patches in the hyacinth that could not be seen from the water.

Using cellphones they were able to guide the stricken boat to a nearby slipway where arrangements were made to get their vehicle and trailer to them by road, Saunders said. – ANA