MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Yacht Aerial Assisted – NOT in PE, though

By

Editor: On a personal note – the report below is indicative of the danger that we have placed sailors in after the eviction of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club from the Port of Port Elizabeth. From personal experience I have witnessed how members of the yacht club have taken sailors into their homes and to their businesses in order to fix anything wrong on their yachts. Most times for free and no reward at all. With the eviction of the club we lost an enthusiastic and important band of volunteers and ambassadors not only for the Port of Port Elizabeth but for Nelson Mandela Bay and South Africa.

Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said:

At 11h18, Friday, 13th July, NSRI East London duty crew were placed on alert following reports from the 36 foot yacht Aerial, with 5 crew onboard, reporting that their onboard batteries were not being charged from a suspected faulty transformer.

They were off-shore of East London and requesting assistance to get into the Port of East London.

Their last Port of call was Port Elizabeth and they were headed to Durban but they had opted to come in at East London’s Port to repair their battery transformer.

Our sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto was launched and we rendezvoused with them 3 nautical miles off-shore of the breakwater and we towed them into the Port of East London without incident and once safely berthed no further assistance was required.

Foreign Yachts ABYC
Foreign Yachts such as these are now opting to bypass Port Elizabeth after the eviction of the ABYC from the Port of Port Elizabeth. The city is now losing out on foreign exchange and valuable marketing.
The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Flickr profileMy Pinterest profile

Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.