The lasting impact of the NSRI – A dolphin, a fire, and a devoted supporter

We often picture boats cutting through waves to reach people in peril when we think of rescue missions. But sometimes, it’s a dolphin on a quiet beach – or a house fire in the early hours of Christmas Eve – that reminds us just how far the NSRI's reach truly extends.

In February 2024, Leandrie Bekker was attending a conference at Mpekweni Beach Resort when a 17-year-old guest came running to tell her about a dolphin stranded on the shore. Leandrie made a quick call to the NSRI. What followed was, in her words, “amazing.”

“I phoned the NSRI, and within a few hours, the team from East London and Port Alfred worked together and released the dolphin successfully back into the ocean,” Leandrie shared in a letter to the NSRI. “They said he swam around the boat and jumped as if to say thank you.”

What Leandrie witnessed that day was the product of quick thinking, expert coordination, and a deep sense of care.

According to Gerrit Cloete, Deputy Station Commander at NSRI Station 11 in Port Alfred, the rescue wasn’t without its challenges.

“Because it was such a hot day, we worried that transporting the dolphin by road could exhaust and disorientate it even further,” said Gerrit. “So, we sent a rescue vessel by sea and a jetRIB by road. From there, we carefully moved the dolphin to a safer launch site and released it about three miles offshore.”

The rescue effort also involved coordination with marine wildlife authorities and specialists at Bayworld, as per standard protocol for animal rescues.

That day on the beach wasn’t Leandrie’s only encounter with the NSRI. Just ten months later, on 24 December, she witnessed volunteers in Oyster Bay battling a house fire during the early hours of Christmas Eve. Different scenario, same spirit. In her words, “I appreciate the effort and willingness they had to assist as efficiently as possible.”

Stories like these remind us that the NSRI is more than an emergency service. It’s a commitment to protecting life and a community built on compassion, action, and courage.

For Leandrie, those two moments were enough to turn her into a loyal donor. “Thank you to all your volunteers for the amazing work you do,” she wrote.

That’s the lasting impact of the NSRI – felt not just in the moment, but long after the waves have settled and the smoke has cleared.