Reading this Golden Jubilee Book is like braving huge waves head-on in a stormy sea. The reader is given a front seat to see what happens inside a sea rescue station, inside the heart of a crewmember and during the decisive moments when saving a life – and, of the never-spoken-about lonely moments in the aftermath of a rescue.

These stories are true and authentic, told by crewmembers in their own words. The narrative is divided into five parts: the antecedents to Station 15, the building and commissioning of the first boathouse, the ongoing development of Station 15, rescue-and-miracle stories, and a Roll of Honour that not only lists past and present crews’ names but also reveals their hearts and souls through their own sayings, prayers, poems and testimonies.

Mossel Bay’s community rallied around the development of this Jubilee Book with funding, research material, sharing their memories, and volunteered professional and artistic services; similar to the unknown widow who walked many miles to donate R2 to the building of Station 15’s boathouse in 1970. This book is dedicated to the highly trained volunteers who defy the ocean and manage the station with passion and commitment.