The NSRI along with the support of several animal welfare teams, aided in getting two beached dolphins off Sandy Bay beach and back to the ocean.
Sandy Bay, South Africa (28 July 2022) – Two dolphins were found beached on Sandy Bay beach and help was called for. The NSRI along with the Table Mountain National Parks rangers, SPCA Inspectors, and City of Cape Town Marine Animal Stranding Network came together to save them.
Sandy Bay is one of Cape Town’s more private beaches. Known mostly for its clothing-optional locals and the fact that it is a 20 minute walk from the parking lot to the beach, it is not a beach frequented by many.
Thankfully, someone was at the beach early this morning and spotted two bottlenose dolphins beached on the shore.
David Rosenberg the NSRI Bakoven deputy station commander shared how the events of this morning unfolded. The Table Mountain National Parks rangers, SPCA Inspectors, and City of Cape Town Marine Animal Stranding Network arrived to aid the dolphins.
Between the teamwork on the beach and the NSRI out at sea waiting to assist, the dolphins were saved.
“At 08h08, Thursday, 28 July, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) were alerted by an eye-witness of 2 dolphins beached at Sandy Bay, near to Llandudno, and both dolphins were alive and appearing to be in distress.
NSRI Hout Bay duty crew and NSRI Bakoven duty crew were placed on alert.
During initial assessments by authorities, it was deemed possible to transport the dolphins out to sea in the hopes of releasing them at sea or to swim the dolphins through the surf in the hopes to coral them out to sea.
NSRI Bakoven duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Gemini Legend and NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmers responded to the scene.
The services on the scene carried the dolphins into the surf, using specialised stretchers, where the dolphins were floated. They were apart at that stage and the members that were on the scene, in a joint effort, brought the 2 dolphins together by carrying them to a suitable place in the shallow surf where they floated together.
NSRI rescue swimmers, from NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Bakoven, assisted by a Marine and Coastal Management officer, corralled both of the dolphins through the surf line, swimming them to deeper water, and at the backline breakers the dolphins were released in deeper water.”

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA wildlife division kept watch over the dolphins and were overjoyed by the outcome.
“Teamwork paid off as the rescuers kept the dolphins wet, comfortable and upright before they could be returned to the water with the assistance of the NSRI, which dispatched one of its boats in support of the rescue mission.”
Once released, the team in the Gemini Legend rescue craft followed them and noted they appeared healthy and were swimming strong. The dolphins swam towards Hout Bay.
“While we are cautiously optimistic that the rescue has been successful the coastline will continue to be monitored over the next few days but hopes remain that the dolphins do not beach again.” – NSRI