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The NSRI at St Francis Bay was kept busy monitoring paddlers during Saturday's Pam Golding down wind surf-ski challenge, which was held in strong winds between Jeffrey's Bay and St Francis Bay.
NSRI St Francis Bay station commander Marc May says with the wind picking up to 45 knots, his volunteer rescue crew had to assist a number of paddlers to shore.
An extensive search operation resulted in two of three missing paddlers being found safe.
However, one paddler was overdue for an hour and a half and during the search, NSRI Jeffreys Bay shore crews spotted the paddler off-shore at Aston Bay.
The NSRI St Francis Bay auxiliary sea rescue craft EL RAGGY responded and rescued 51 year old Jeffrey's Bay resident Phil Honey.
He had been hanging onto his surf-ski in gale force winds for at least 40 minutes but survived the ordeal unscathed.
