Recently, Station 18 (Melkbosstrand) duty crew received a call from the NSRI Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) to assist in the rescue of a sunfish that had washed up on the shore in Big Bay, Melkbosstrand.
Also read: Graphic content: Abandoned pit bull rescued after being hit by a train
Sunfish, aka mola-mola, are one of the largest fish in the world and can often be seen floating on their sides, ‘sunbathing’ in the summer months along the Cape coast.
First on the scene from NSRI, Station 18 Commander Hein Kohne met up with Wille from Hout Bay Seal Rescue who had called for assistance.
Additionally, there were three lifeguards from Big Bay already there who were getting ready to go into the water.
‘I advised them to rather wait for our crew as the conditions were quite dangerous,’ said Kohne. ‘Furthermore, the sunfish was close to a rock, where the water was very turbulent and the risk of being washed up onto the rock was high.’
The lifeguards proceeded regardless of the conditions and managed to secure the sunfish after a few bumps against the rock. After bringing it to safety, they waited for the NSRI vessel to arrive.
By this time, Class 4 Coxswain Daan Burger had launched Station 18’s jetRIB from Small Bay. The crew carefully lifted the sunfish onboard the vessel and transported it beyond the break line to get free of the currents that had brought it ashore.
‘The sunfish’s skin is very rough, like sandpaper. We were careful not to have our skin taken off,’ said Burger. ‘After a while [the sunfish] swam off on its own. Luckily we rescued it in time to save it. It was such a great feeling.’
Take a look:
Also read:
Picture: Screenshot from video, NSRI / YouTube