NSRI Sea Rescue Magazine Autumn 2023

SEA RESCUE

BEHIND THE SCENES AT

NSRI’S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE

CONTENTS

26 WHAT IT MEANS TO

SAVE A LIFE

After a young couple are pulled out to sea by a rip, concerned bystanders and Oyster Bay crew mobilise to rescue them.

2 LETTERS

6 BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE EOC

Meet the dedicated men and women of NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre who are ready to take your emergency call 24/7.

14 ‘A PROFESSIONAL, WELLCONDUCTED SEASON’ Lifeguard Operations Manager Stewart Seini wraps up the season.

18 MISSING DIVERS FOUND!

Thanks to a huge combined effort, two missing divers were located before nightfall.

22 KIDS’ CLUB

Games and water-safety lessons for our young members.

30 2023 SURVIVAL SWIMMING TEACHING OFF TO A GOOD START IN KZN

Survival Swimming Centre 3 was unveiled to the learners and staff of Duduzile Secondary School and the community of Oshabeni in KZN.

32 EYES IN THE SKY

The new camera at Herolds Bay is a whole-community project that is paying off and saving lives.

35 STATION AND SPONSOR NEWS

PRBs presented internationally, new base for St Helena Bay and swimmers raise funds for NSRI.

42 LIKE AN EAGLE

Naturalist Georgina Jones reveals more about eagle rays for whom the ocean is like the sky.

46 NSRI BASE LOCATIONS

ANUARY started with a a resurgence of energy and activity as we all came out of the Covid-19 slumber. The beaches reflect a rebound and a thirst to get outdoors – and we also see it, unfortunately, in the fatal-drowning statistics. The beach cameras we have installed with high-resolution pan, tilt and zoom functions are delivering remarkable insights into the dynamics of the surf zone and in one case helped save the life of a 10-yearold child dragged out in a rip current. Rip currents are showing their many forms: angling out rather than perpendicular, instantaneous and episodic rather than constant, but always dangerous. These learnings will help us plan strategies and inform our engagement with authorities. We can do more and save more lives.

Our fundraising team did an amazing job last year in raising almost R180 million to fund our services. We thank every one of you for the sacrifices you make in entrusting us with your hard-earned cash. Our cost of fundraising is 20c in the rand, which is very good when compared with international benchmarks. Everything else goes towards delivering services that are now strategic to many people and industries all over the country – even inland, where we are playing an increasing role in the swift-water rescue space.

The other big spend in 2022 has been on buildings and boats. Mark Hughes and his

Jteam completed projects worth R56 million last year. We are building bases that will last more than 50 years and our vessel fleet is very new, as a rescue fleet should be. We are currently building ORC number 6, believe it or not, and continue to push JetRIBS (more than 30 by now) into the surf rescue space. Drowning Prevention has delivered its third Survival Swimming container and continues to innovate in this space, delivering an outstanding research paper on fatal drowning in South Africa at the end of last year.

As we head into autumn, I just want to give a shout-out to every one of you who forms part of this organisation: every volunteer, every shore crew member, every donor, every staff member and every company… If we do it, we do it together, and without you we would not have saved so many lives and created the futures that depended on those lives. Thank you.

The year 2023 is going to be another hectic one. Please learn to swim, teach someone to swim or inspire someone to learn to swim. It’s a life skill and you give value to life. Unfortunately it is only recognised when that life is taken away by drowning.

Let’s just do it: create a water-safe nation!

DR CLEEVE ROBERTSON, CEO

THE CREW

THE PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIP MANAGING EDITOR

Wendy Maritz

ART DIRECTOR Ryan Manning

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

Bernice Blundell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mark Beare

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

John Morkel

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Susan Newham-Blake

ADDRESS

PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018

TEL +27 21 424 3517

FAX +27 21 424 3612

EMAIL wmaritz@tppsa.co.za

NSRI

OFFICE +27 21 434 4011

WEB www.nsri.org.za

FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

Janine van Stolk janine@searescue.org.za

MARKETING MANAGER

Bradley Seaton-Smith bradley@searescue.org.za

COMMUNICATIONS & PR MANAGER

Kuhle Mkize kuhle@searescue.org.za

PRODUCED FOR THE NSRI BY The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018.

Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2023. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not of the NSRI. Offers are available while stocks last.

PRINTING Novus

ISSN 1812-0644

WINNING LETTER

TEACHING A SKILL FOR LIFE

Drowning Prevention instructor

Eoudia Erasmus shares a letter she received from a Grade 9 learner in Ceres who attended survival swimming classes with her when he was in Grade 6.

Die tydjie wat ons by Tannie geswem het, het ek baie geniet. Daar is baie wenke gegee wat my kan help in situasies wat gevaarlik kan wees. Ek was nog nie weer regtig in ’n gevaarlike situasie nie, Tannie, maar ek glo as ek in die toekoms in een is, sal die raad en wenke wat Tannie my gegee het baie help.

My ervaring wat ek by Tannie opgedoen het was baie goed en ek is nou in staat om op die veilige en regte manier te swem.

Toe ek jonger was het ons gesin een warm Desembermaand na Kleinmond se see gegaan. Die middag het ek en my een broer besluit om te gaan swem. Ek was op my broer se rug. Ons het gegly en toe gesukkel om bo te bly. My ouer broer wou inswem om ons te help, maar die lewensredder het ons toe kom help.

Te danke aan die swemlesse wat Tannie my geleer het, sal ek nou weet wat om te doen as ek weer so iets oorkom. Ek was nog nie weer in so ’n situasie nie, omdat ek nou weet hoe om veilig te swem.

JAY JAY, 15

PROFESSIONALISM AT PIMVILLE POOL

This week and last week, I was trained by Linda Dalamba at the Pimville Swimming Pool. What a pleasure it is to be trained by your coaches! The level of professionalism is unmatched. They are so patient, not only with me but with everyone they come into contact with.

I’m thoroughly impressed. Your coaches’ service is of the highest standard.

Thank you, Sea Rescue – Linda and James Mphahlele at Pimville Swimming Pool are flying your flag high. I now hold you in high esteem, thanks to the selflessness, accountability, commitment and passion displayed by them both.

I honestly wish I had millions so I can donate to you!

Thank you.

ZANELE MAKOTI

WRITE

TO US AND WIN!

THANKS FROM SALDANHA BAY

Saldanha Bay Municipality has been working with the NSRI’S lifesaving team for the past two years. What a reassurance it is to know that our beach areas are kept safe! During festive seasons, our community, and especially the tourists visiting our area, always look forward to spending time with family and friends on our beaches. They are always under the watchful eye of the skilled and trained NSRI teams, and the enthusiasm can be felt first-hand. The NSRI is part of our broader Municipality family that contributes greatly to the promotion of beach safety in our area. They work together with other security entities under the SBSI banner. Each plays a critical role in the promotion of public safety.

MARIO JACOBS, Manager of Public Safety Services, Saldanha Bay Municipality

The writer of the winning letter published in the next issue of Sea Rescue will receive an NSRI hoodie.

Saldanha Bay’s mayor, Andre Truter, talks to the lifeguards stationed in the area.

STRAND ON THE OUTSKIRTS of Cape Town

is one of the city’s most popular beaches. During the summer months, it draws throngs of visitors and locals alike, out to enjoy a day of swimming and fun.

Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) camera operator Lezhae Snyders knows the beach well. It’s one of six in the Western Cape and Garden Route where beach safety cameras have been installed to offer a greater view of the swimming area and beach. Their location, usually on buildings or homes with high vantage points, allows camera operators to identify rip currents, for example, and to see when swimmers and other water users might get into difficulty. On 7 January, Lezhae was monitoring the Strand camera when she saw a youngster being pulled out to sea by a flash rip. Lezhae asked her EOC colleague Grant Grove to contact the Strand lifeguards while she

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE EOC

We find out more about the passionate individuals who are on duty 24/7 to take your emergency calls.

By Wendy Maritz

continued to monitor the camera. ‘It was very tense but fantastic to see how fast the lifeguards reacted and rescued the child,’ Lezhae recounts.

And normally that would be that! But not long after this particular rescue, the EOC received a surprise visit from the little boy, Matthew, and his parents. ‘Matthew’s mother and father brought him to the EOC and I showed them the camera system that we use and how it works. It was an emotional meeting, as his mother, Karin, told us that the day before was his 10th birthday. And they could not have imagined what might have happened if it had not been spotted that he was in difficulty.’

STAY CALM, ACT QUICKLY

The EOC currently comprises a team of seven operators from different backgrounds, with each bringing something special to the group. Grant joined NSRI as a volunteer crew member in 2016 and then started at the EOC in March 2021. Being a sea-going crew member of Station 10 (Simon’s Town), Grant knows full well how vital support is to crew on a rescue callout. ‘One of the most important aspects of the job is to support the volunteers out there who need someone to watch over them. And sitting here in the office, I can be part of operations all over the country, which is awesome. It really is a big deal for me to work for the NSRI and save lives,’ he says.

Denver Jordaan, who has been with the EOC team since its inception, agrees that being part of the bigger machine whose mandate is to save lives is an incredible experience. He regards his colleagues as

amazing. ‘We’re a family, with one goal: saving lives at sea, rivers and dams,’ he says. Denver was a fire fighter with the City of Cape Town and has been volunteering as a medic and fire fighter for Disaster Risk Management for the past 10 years, so saving lives is in his DNA. He knows how important it is to stay calm but act quickly, especially when the voice on the other end of the line is a panicked one. ‘We need to reassure people help is on the way,’ he says. Denver recalls an incident of a drowning in progress involving a 14-year-old girl at an unlifeguarded beach. ‘Jason Samuels and I worked quickly. We knew Stewart Seini [NSRI’s Lifeguard

Far left, clockwise from top: Jason Samuels, Randall Cupido and Grant Grove. Below: Jason Samuels.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM, SUPPLIED

Operations Manager] was in the vicinity, so we mobilised him to assist and the teenager was rescued successfully.’

ALL BASES COVERED

Whether the response involves one or two calls or as many as 10, the EOC team is trained to handle situations ranging from

ber, joined the team in July 2021 and is familiar with the intricacies of rescue ops and how overwhelming they can get, especially if conditions escalate. ‘A minute is a fine line between success and despair and grief,’ he says. ‘Operations can involve multiple stations, services and sometimes casualties. You need to know your stuff and keep focused on what each one needs.’ His practical crewmanship comes in handy, he says, but besides that, being positive, staying professional and having a measure of critical thinking are invaluable attributes for this kind of job. Jason was involved in the search for a solo sailor that involved multiple resources. The sailor, an amputee, had set off in stormy seas without alerting anyone (‘like a true pirate’) on what was assumed to be a voyage home to Mossel Bay, where his anxious wife was waiting for him. He passed away on his

drownings in progress to vessels taking on water on the high seas in the middle of the night. Training covers technical systems, navigation, first aid, radio operations, how to take an emergency call, rescue systems and running drills of various emergency rescue situations. The team visits NSRI stations from time to time and has visited the Airforce, spent time at the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), Cape Town Port Control and Telkom Marine Services, and understands the roles these entities play in large-scale rescue operations.

Jason, a former volunteer crew mem-

Whether the response involves one or two calls or as many as 10, the EOC team is trained to handle situations ranging from drownings in progress to vessels taking on water on the high seas in the middle of the night.

yacht, which was eventually spotted by a tanker that alerted authorities and Air Sea Rescue was activated. The yacht and her skipper succumbed to the ocean near Still Bay. (Ironically, Jason notes, those same waters had taken several fishing vessels, which prompted Patti Price to begin her campaign to the government in the late 1960s that initiated the rescue service that is today the NSRI.)

Above: EOC Operators Denver Jordaan, Rizia Khan and Sivuyile Ruka.

TEAM SPIRIT

It’s true that there often is a lot going on at the EOC. Current shift supervisor Rizia Khan explains that the centre operates 24/7, 365 days a year, and is run in shifts. Over weekends and public holidays they have two operators on shift during the day and one at night, and during the week one operator is on duty. ‘We don’t only attend to sea- or shore-based calls, we also get calls for land-based emergencies. So then we need assistance from other emergency services,’ she explains. When asked what a typical day is like working there, she replies that there is no such thing. ‘NSRI has 50 stations throughout South Africa that respond and assist in emergency situations. Our day comprises training incidents, callouts, event standby and admin. We can have them all running simultaneously, and when this happens one must be calm and keep your head. On average I have been on shift where I dealt with a total of 11 operations within my 12-hour shift, which is quite a busy day,’ she shares.

For Rizia, making a difference in someone’s life or playing a role in saving a life makes the job so fulfilling. The addition of cameras has brought a new dimension in that operators are able to see rescues unfold.

‘It’s remarkable to experience this, because I’ve always been on the other side when an operation takes place – but having live visuals makes it all much more

real. The live camera system has assisted us remarkably in callouts,’ she shares.

Sivuyile Ruka agrees that every day offers something different and new. Sivu worked for the Department of Health’s ambulance dispatch centre. That experience taught him a great deal about handling an emergency and traumatic events and situations. ‘But,’ he smiles, ‘the NSRI is a different beast and, honestly, a calm day can change in the blink of an eye. But it’s good that there is unwavering support from management, who will come and assist us at any time.’

Sivu was on duty during a multi-resource callout for a yacht that was taking part in a race from Durban to East London. ‘She was taking on water and we had to call on numerous resources to assist. A helicopter with rescue swimmers had to be organised from Cape Town to assist Station 7 (East London) in atrocious weather. It was gruelling for everyone but all lives on board the yacht were saved.’

Sivu attributes the EOC’s successes to teamwork. ‘It’s impossible to single out

Lezhae Snyders with the Koopman family: Karin and Noel, Grant and Matthew (right).

anyone,’ he says. ‘I admire everyone on the team. All of us bring different qualities and experience; we complement one another.’

BEYOND THE TIP OF THE SPEAR

The EOC has come a long way since it was established four years ago. Randall Cupido, who was part of the original team, says he remains proud to be part of the EOC and the NSRI as a whole. His previous experience working at Cape Metro as a call taker and ambulance despatcher taught him some of the skills necessary for the EOC environment. But the incidents vary, and Randall is keenly aware that NSRI volunteers out on call rely on the EOC for support, often in life-threatening situations. ‘I regard myself as quite calm, which is something you need in this job,’ he says.

Over time, Randall has also realised that adaptability to change is very important. ‘Things can change at the drop of a hat. A situation that looks handled can escalate and you then need to change the planned actions to suit these changes quickly – this can mean the difference between saving and losing a life.’

It’s a fulfilling job, Randall shares, and he agrees with Rizia that having the cameras on various beaches has been a huge boon for them. After spotting two paddlers coming off their kayak and being pulled out and away from the only flotation they had, Randall mobilised the Strand lifeguards, who went to assist the paddlers and then helped them recover their craft.

‘The job definitely gives you a sense of fulfilment when you are involved in saving someone’s life. It is then that the words seen around the office – “Saving Lives, Changing Lives, Creating Futures” – come to life. What the camera technology has allowed us to experience in the EOC is to see the impact of our actions, sometimes first-hand when it plays out live, and it motivates you to give your best every time to secure the same positive outcomes.’

The EOC staff might be behind-the-scenes responders who are not physically involved with the drama of hauling someone out of the water, fighting impossible odds to casevac sailors from a sinking vessel or finding a lost paddler in the dark. They are what lies beyond the ‘tip of the spear’ as the saying goes: the shaft, the hand, the brain and the body. Since its inception in June 2019, the EOC has proved that lives are also saved by effective systems, partnerships and communication channels.

‘Things can change at the drop of a hat. A situation that looks handled can escalate and you then need to change the planned actions to suit these changes quickly – this can mean the difference between saving and losing a life.’

Randall Cupido

NSRI’s Lifeguard Operations Manager, Stewart Seini, shares the successes and some challenges of the summer lifeguarding season.

SEASON’

OVERALL, WE WERE INCREDIBLY happy with how the lifeguard operations went this year. It has been the most professional and well-conducted season to date. The lifeguards were impressive and followed a ‘safety-first’ approach while also maintaining the values of the NSRI. I was really impressed by the rescues they performed, their firstaid treatments and the preventive actions they carried out. We received quite a few compliments from members of the public and we love to hear this because when a member of the public steps onto an NSRI-lifeguarded beach, we want them to feel safe and in good hands.

RNLI TRAINING

One of the major reasons the season was a success was due to the input we received and the training we conducted

‘A PROFESSIONAL, WELL-CONDUCTED

with assistance and support from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the UK. We were able to provide the most in-depth training to prepare our lifeguards to be able to communicate with beachgoers about safety, thus taking a preventive course of action.

Of course it can be a challenge. People don’t want to be told what to do, especially not by a younger lifeguard. Until NSRI introduced the Lifeguard Unit, lifeguards were trained to observe the beach and perform rescues. Our focus and efforts are on preventing incidents before they occur, and one of the most effective ways to do so is to talk to people, warn them about the dangers they might face, and encourage them to move to the demarcated safe areas between the red and yellow flags and only to swim in this area.

But communication needs to be done properly. Part of the RNLI training was on how to communicate effectively with beach-

goers so they don’t feel ordered around. The training also included how to avoid or deal with conflict situations if members of the public became hostile or objected to the advice offered by the lifeguard.

OTHER INTERVENTIONS

In addition, we introduced two new signs to our range of pop-up signage. This included a warning sign that lifeguards could use for specific messages, as well as signs indicating which sections of the beach were not lifeguarded and then directing members of the public to safe swimming zones. We also continued our temporary ‘swim between the flags’ tattoo campaign with the children.

A pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera was installed at Buffs Beach (Buffalo Bay,

Left to right: Lifeguards treating a bluebottle sting in Struisbaai; keeping a lookout at Buffs Beach; Buffs Wildside lifeguards. Bottom left: SRS lifeguard Houstan Felix on Roman Beach.

Knysna), which was monitored during the season by a dedicated person in our EOC. It runs 24 hours a day and allows the camera operator to see much more and further out than the lifeguards can, as it has a 50-times zoom and pan-and-tilt function. Due to unforeseen issues with certain municipalities, we were present on five fewer beaches than in previous years, but we did add Langebaan Main Beach to our life guarded beaches this season. Thanks to assistance from Club Mykonos and the West Coast Trust, the lifeguard team was very well received and assisted with 14 incidents there.

A DAY IN THE LIFE…

The lifeguards arrive at their beach anywhere from 8.00 to 9.30am depending on the day or requirements for the beach. They then conduct a thorough briefing that covers the lifeguards’ expectations for the day, the beach conditions and hazards and rotations.

Next they sign onto duty via the Surf Rescue App. A lifeguard then starts to monitor the beach, while the other lifeguards go through the equipment checklist to ensure that equipment is operational and stock levels are optimal. Then they prepare the beach area, which includes identifying and demarcating the safe swimming zone by putting up the red and yellow lifeguard flags, placing signage up and down the beach, and placing equipment on the beach for a quick response.

The lifeguards rotate roles throughout the day, and every two hours they record beach statistics. Everything that the lifeguards do is recorded on the Surf Rescue App. If you see one of our lifeguards on their phone, don’t worry, that person is the dedicated Surf Rescue App recorder, and is not the person on watch, so your beach is still being monitored.

The lifeguards’ duty ends at about 6pm but they will stay on until 7pm or later on public holidays if the beach is particularly busy or the risk of a drowning or other incident remains high.

On duty at Buffs Beach. Below: Lifeguard manager Willem le Roux assisting with a medical rescue.

CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT

For the lifeguards to succeed in their jobs, public cooperation is vital. It’s a difficult job; they aren’t just sitting on the beach, they are being active and conducting risk assessments constantly. If beachgoers don’t take their advice, and swim beyond the flagged areas, the lifeguards have to focus their efforts on watching people swimming in dangerous areas as well as in their dutyto-care area, which is in the flagged zones.

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, but our management team ensures that we have logistical and team support for all of our lifeguards both in a professional manner and for any personal issues they may be going through.

Currently there is not much we would change in terms of operations for next season. In February we began looking at all our available data and stats, and that will give us a deeper insight into the season’s operations and allow us to look at changes for next season.

79

91

114

RESCUES PEOPLE RESCUED FIRST-AID TREATMENTS

Clockwise from left: Morning briefing at Struisbaai; ready for duty at Sedgemouth; Paternoster lifeguards.

MISSING DIVERS FOUND!

Thanks to a huge combined effort, a missing pair of divers – father and son – were located before nightfall.

By Cherelle Leong

SHELLY BEACH IS LOCATED along a vast stretch of coast with variable currents. Because it is located near Protea Banks, one of the prime diving spots off the KwaZulu-Natal coastline, the one call you don’t want to get as a Sea Rescue station commander is for missing divers. As everyone at Station 20 (Shelly Beach) knows, a search for people lost at sea is nearly ‘mission impossible’, as such a massive area has to be covered. Limited resources would add to the challenge, as would having only a few hours of daylight left to conduct a search. Moreover, trying to spot a person from a boat can be very difficult, especially if the sea is choppy.

On Wednesday 21 December 2022, just after 1pm, a dive boat returned to Ramsgate Ski Boat Club to report two missing divers – a father and son. The person reported that they’d been diving approximately 7nm offshore. He’d lost sight of the pair and then searched for them for an hour without success. Although the boat had a GPS and a radio, the crewman wasn’t familiar with how to operate them, so instead, he had returned to the club to get assistance. By the time he could raise the alarm, the divers had already been missing for more than an hour. While the dive equipment the missing men

had on would assist them with buoyancy, even the warm Indian Ocean can get cold if you’re submerged in it long enough. There was no time to waste.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Shelly Beach station commander Gary Wolmarans activated the duty crew at 13h20. In the meantime, five local men helped refuel the dive boat that had returned to report the missing divers and relaunched to start searching at their last known position.

It would take an hour to get out there, leaving only a few hours of daylight to search for the men. Gary knew they needed more resources. Members of the Shelly Beach duty crew launched their rescue craft, Spirit of Dawn, accompanied by a police search-and-rescue officer on board. Station 32 (Port Edward) launched its rescue craft, Spirit of Steve, too, and Med-Evac Emergency Medical Services launched its rescue vessel, God’s Gift. In addition, private commercial ski-boats MeSteph and Spitzbubble launched from Shelly Beach; Shot for Shot and Vagabond from Port Edward; and an additional three private boats from Ramsgate. These extra resources would help cover the large search area more effectively.

In the meantime, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) instructed Telkom Maritime Radio Services to broadcast an all-ships alert for vessels in the vicinity to keep a lookout. NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) also placed Station 5 (Durban) on standby in case more resources were required.

A Transnet National Ports Authority helicopter that had been activated by MRCC to join in the search took off with a Station 5 rescue swimmer on board. Hendrik Ludick of Airtrack X-treme Security alerted Margate Air Traffic Control, which broadcast an all-aircraft alert for anyone flying in the area to keep their eyes open. Riversmead Poultry diverted its Cessna 206 fixed-wing aircraft to assist with the search, and Hendrik also launched his Robinson 44 helicopter to conduct a search along the shoreline. On the beaches, South Coast lifeguards also joined in the efforts by searching the shoreline.

MAMMOTH TASK

With such a vast number of resources, the chances of finding the divers were greatly improved. But coordinating all the vessels and search patterns was a mammoth task in itself. Within three hours, Gary fielded 97 calls! Fortunately he had assistance from many quarters. One of the Station 20 crew members knew Colonel Pine Pienaar, a South African Air Force (SAAF) Commander of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). When Colonel Pienaar became aware of the scale of the operation, he arrived at the NSRI Shelly Beach rescue station to assist at the command centre. Clifford Ireland, NSRI region-

Search parameters were used to direct all the vessels to the area where the currents would most likely take the casualties. Drift patterns indicated they’d be moving towards Port Edward.

al representative for KZN, and Brett Ayres, NSRI Executive Director, Rescue Services, based in Cape Town, also assisted remotely by using specialised software to map out search areas and routes based on drift calculations. These search parameters were used to direct all the vessels to the area where the currents would most likely take the casualties. Drift patterns indicated they’d be moving towards Port Edward.

While searching 7nm out to sea off Palm Beach, Station 32 crew noticed a Mooney M20 fixed-wing aircraft circling a further 2nm out to sea. When they saw a red distress flare being fired from the same location, they immediately made their way to the area. On arrival at the scene, Station 32 crew found the private vessel Shot for Shot had located the father and recovered him from the water. The diver had drifted approximately 9nm from where he’d gone missing. If it hadn’t been for the pilot of

the Mooney M20, who had diverted from his flight path, and Shot for Shot, one of the private vessels that had joined the search, the diver might never have been found. After confirming that he was stable and didn’t require any medical assistance, the man remained on Shot to Shot so that Station 32 crew could continue the search for his son, who was still missing.

After the father was found, it was established that the two divers separated when the son had made the decision to try to swim to shore. This information was relayed to all the vessels involved as they continued in their search. At about 15h10, Station 32 crew noticed the private vessel Vagabond heading towards them. When the two boats rendezvoused, the crew were pleased to discover that Vagabond had found and recovered the son from the water about 7nm offshore just before the Port Edward lighthouse. Although the young man was tired and hypothermic, he was in good health otherwise. He was transferred onto Station 32’s rescue vessel and, with the search-and-recovery successfully completed, all the other rescue and private

commercial boats were stood down and returned to the beaches from which they had launched.

TEAM EFFORT

Back in Port Edward, father and son were reunited. Once they were treated for dehydration, exhaustion and hypothermia, they were deemed fit to go home. Despite having been adrift for hours, they were both in good health. It was incredibly fortunate that so many people responded to help with the search. With so many resources on the water and in the air, and the guidance and oversight from NSRI Shelly Beach command station, it was a combined effort that helped achieve a positive outcome.

It is amazing to see a community come together like this. Fishermen, divers, commercial skippers, pilots, lifeguards, search-and-rescue police officers and even a military colonel all joined in the efforts of volunteer Sea Rescue crew to search for and save lives at sea. The way everyone responded, spreading the word on their networks, getting aircraft in the air and swiftly launching boats to assist was quite incredible. Even the unknown pilot of the Mooney M20, who had heard the Margate Air Traffic Control broadcast and diverted to assist in the search – thanks to his circling in the air above the father, the boats were alerted to his location so that they could recover him from the water.

KIDS’ CLUB KIDS’ CLUB

Fun, games and lessons for our younger members

CAN YOU CAN YOU START TO HOME? START TO HOME?

This maze is a bit of an obstacle course. You’ll find some dangerous objects on your journey that you’ll need to avoid. Can you spot the shark, the piece of broken glass, the wave and the rock? If you move around them, you’ll find your way out of the maze.

BY NUMBERS BY NUMBERS

Using the numbers and colours as a guide, colour in the picture of Nev and Peggy. This picture shows an important lesson. Peggy always wants to go swim when she shouldn’t. Nev realises she is in trouble and is calling for help.

If you ever see someone in difficulty in the water...

1. Call an adult for help.

2. Don’t run away.

3. Call the emergency number 112.

4. If you can, throw something that floats to the person so they can hold onto it until help arrives.

5. Don’t go into the water to try to help the person.

LESSON: LESSON:

BRING THE PINK RESCUE BUOY

BRING THE PINK RESCUE BUOY

NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoys have saved more than 140 lives. You’ll find them on beaches and at dams around the country. Have some fun and colour in the buoy. What colour? Bright pink, of course! And why not add a face and arms, and anything else you might like to bring it to life.

quiz Quiz

1. What is the Pink Rescue Buoy used for?

2. What emergency number will you find on the buoy?

3. What must you do after the buoy has been used?

ANSWERS: 1. To help someone float until help arrives

UNDERWATER UNDERWATER

It’s very dangerous to swim in dams and rivers. Even though the water might look still, there are often currents that can pull you away from shore. And because the water is brown or cloudy, you can’t always see what is below the surface or how deep the water is. We’ve listed a few of the dangers, and hidden them in the word search grid. See if you can find all of them.

bottle branches

glass rocks

slime bank deep

current slip cut

WHAT IT MEANS TO SAVE A LIFE

A day of fishing and swimming turned into a lifeand-death situation as two friends were pulled out to sea in a rip. Thanks to ongoing rescue efforts from bystanders and Oyster Bay crew, the young couple was saved. Cherelle Leong shares their story.

ON SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER 2022, Klayton Joubert and his girlfriend, Elektra Meyer, visited Eersterivier Beach in Tsitsikamma to go fishing with a group of friends and family. It was a warm day and while Klayton and three of his friends headed to the rocks to set up their fishing rods, the rest of the group relaxed on the beach. The waves were relatively calm at the time, so Elektra decided to go for a swim. Klayton and his friends soon joined her.

What they didn’t know was that the tide was turning. Suddenly, without warning, Elektra found she was being dragged out to sea and could no longer stand. Seeing she was in difficulty,

Klayton swam out to help her. He knew he needed to stay calm and try to keep Elektra calm too, but she was starting to panic. When he reached her, she tried to hang onto him. He told her to take hold of his leg so that he could attempt to swim them out of the rip current. Despite his best efforts, Elektra was unable to hold on – they were soon separated and Klayton was pulled further out by the current, in the direction of the rocks.

Meanwhile, bystanders on the beach had seen the pair being swept out to sea. They rushed to fetch the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy and threw it towards Elektra. Klayton, on the other hand, was able to grab a body board that had been thrown towards him. One of the bystanders, Simon Bekker, a 66-year-old former navy diver, got into the water to assist Elektra, who at least had hold of the Pink Rescue Buoy by then. Although Simon worked hard to swim her out of the current, they became separated too. Next he swam towards the rocks where Klayton was, but he couldn’t get close to him without putting himself in danger. After signalling to Klayton to try to swim away from the rocks, Simon retreated back to the beach.

JUST IN TIME

By this stage Elektra was fatigued from fighting the increasingly rough water and had lost her hold on the buoy. Jan Bester, 55, who had been walking on the

What they didn’t know was that the tide was turning. Suddenly, without warning, Elektra found she was being dragged out to sea and could no longer stand.

beach with his family and seen the drama unfolding, launched into the water, wear ing swimming fins, to assist Elektra. Jan reached her just in time – she was barely conscious and struggling to stay above the water. He managed to use some of the floating objects that bystanders had thrown towards the casualties to swim her safely back to shore.

It was around this time that NSRI Oyster Bay crew member Jaen Smit arrived on the beach. Elektra was brought out of the water unconscious and not breathing, so Jaen immediately initiated medical treatment. He recalls how scary it was to see just how much water she had taken in. Jaen continued until she started gagging and coughing and finally started breathing. Gradually she regained consciousness and, although she complained of feeling sore and claustrophobic, she was responsive and able to keep breathing on her own.

Jan had fetched his 4x4 vehicle in the meantime and driven it onto the beach. An ambulance was on its way, but it was

Confident that Elektra was stable enough to be transported, they loaded her into the vehicle and Jan departed to meet the ambulance along the way.

HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE

During this time, Klayton was being swept closer and closer to the rocks, as rough seas made it difficult to hold onto the body board he was using for flotation. Suddenly, through the fog, a jet-ski appeared. Klayton had been focusing on keeping calm and was more concerned about Elektra than himself. But when he saw the jet-ski, he was incred-

NSRI Oyster Bay crew. Inset: From casualty to crew: after he and his girlfriend were saved, Klayton decided to join Oyster Bay.

ibly relieved. The jet-ski had been launched from Skuitbaai by Pieter Kruger and his 15-year-old son Steph, who at the time were visiting relatives in the area.

The rough surf and close proximity to the rocks made it tricky to bring the jet-ski close enough to Klayton, and he was so weak he couldn’t swim to them. Eventually Pieter could manoeuvre the machine close enough that they could grab the front of the body board Klayton was hanging onto. They then gradually made their way out of the danger zone with Klayton holding onto a bar at the back of the jet-ski.

Once they were in a safe area, Pieter handed the helm to Steph so that he could pull Klayton onto the jet-ski, after which

they made their way back to the Skuitbaai launch site. Klayton had sustained cuts on his ribs and knees where he’d been bashed against the rocks, and he was cold and exhausted – but he was alive. When he heard that Elektra had been recovered from the water and was stable and on her way to hospital, the emotion of the moment got to him. He recalls saying, through his tears, ‘Don’t call my father; it’s his birthday.’

Elektra has since made a full recovery and Klayton has joined Sea Rescue as a junior trainee at the NSRI satellite station at Eersterivier. He has always wanted to join Sea Rescue, and now he knows personally what it means to save a life.

2023 SURVIVAL SWIMMING TEACHING OFF TO A GOOD START

Towards the end of last year, Survival Swimming Centre 3 was unveiled to the learners and staff of Duduzile Secondary School and the community of Oshabeni on KZN’s South Coast.

SURVIVAL SWIMMING FORMS A large part of the NSRI’s Drowning Prevention activities and has grown from strength to strength since it was launched with a handful of brightly dressed instructors encouraging children and adults to partake in basic breathing and orientation lessons at Sea Point Pavilion swimming pool at the beginning of 2020. Now there are three Survival Swimming Centres (shipping containers converted into working, portable swimming pools)

strategically located at rural schools where they can be accessed by disadvantaged communities, and a further 14 instructors in 13 municipal swimming pools around the country.

BEYOND THE POOL

‘The benefits of survival swimming are manifold,’ says NSRI’s Drowning Prevention manager Andrew Ingram, ‘and they extend beyond the pool itself.’ Confidence and a sense of security are natural by-products of learning these skills, which include how to control your breathing, how to orientate yourself in the water, how to float and how to move at least five metres in the water, he explains.

It was with great pleasure that Survival Swimming Centre 3 (SSC3) was delivered to Duduzile Secondary School on KZN’s South Coast. Lessons are already underway, and children, teachers and the larger community are all able to benefit.

School principal Ms Smangele

Msomi-Madlala is thrilled that the third NSRI Survival Swimming Centre has been placed at her school, which serves Oshabeni, a community about 30 minutes inland of Port Shepstone.

‘Some of our learners use bridges over rivers that tend to overflow when it rains, and having

the skills of knowing how to get to safety when in difficulty in water is truly incredible,’ Ms Msomi-Madlala says.

CREATING A SWIMMING CULTURE

Andrew acknowledges the incredible team effort it required to build and deliver SSC3 in record time to this poorly resourced setting, which educates 948 learners in difficult conditions. And thanks to assistance from local businesses, the centre was offloaded and filled with water – a task that posed a number of challenges.

‘All the hard work was quickly forgotten when the first children got into the water, which was a toasty 30˚C, and started their first lesson. We were also thrilled that two teachers were among the first in the pool, leading the way to bring swimming

as a life skill to the Oshabeni community,’ Andrew says.

Most learners and educators have never been exposed to swimming lessons or water safety, Ms Msomi-Madlala explains. ‘This not only benefits the school but the community as a whole. When our kids are on holiday by the ocean, they will be able to apply these skills,’ she says.

‘We hope to create a swimming culture among the children and teachers who have started this journey,’ Andrew adds. ‘The skills the teachers gain will allow them to teach upcoming students how to survive in water.’

➤ The first NSRI Survival Swimming Centre was placed in Riebeek-Kasteel in the Western Cape, and the second in Tombo near Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape.

Left and far left: Learners enjoying a lesson in the toasty 30°C water.

Above: SSC3 at Duduzile Secondary School – the facility will serve the school and the greater Oshabeni community.

EYES IN THE SKY AT HEROLDS BAY

We chatted to the team behind the Beach Safety Camera installation at Herolds Bay on the Garden Route. This innovation has proved invaluable as an early warning system when water users get into trouble. By

Wendy Maritz

ONE THING THAT HAS become apparent about NSRI’s Drowning Prevention team is that they’re able to take an innovative idea and make it happen. Their Beach Safety Camera project is a case in point. Starting with Strand, cameras are now present and monitored at sites along the Western Cape and Garden Route, including Blouberg,

Kleinmond, Buffels Bay, Herolds Bay and Central Beach in Plett.

‘The Herolds Bay set-up is a first for the NSRI, as it was driven by the community, and is monitored by a small group of volunteers,’ explains Drowning Prevention manager Andrew Ingram. NSRI Wilderness station commander Mike Vonk and Ken Field from the Herolds Bay Ratepayers’ Association recognised the need for more visible safety on the beach, which is a spot favoured by holidaymakers and locals. Its gorgeous stretch of sheltered coast make it ideal for swimming, snorkelling, exploring and surfing.

Both Mike and Ken recognise that the beach has its dangers. ‘It’s a high-risk site. ‘There’s a rip on the eastern side of the bay, where people get into trouble,’

Mike says. ‘We’ve been working closely with Andrew and the Drowning Prevention team for a while now,’ he continues, ‘and the first thing we did was get Pink Rescue Buoys installed on the beach.’ Andrew had shared the successes of the Beach Safety Cameras at Strand and Blouberg with Mike, who realised Herolds Bay has an ideal geography for such a camera. ‘It’s a large bay with steep sides, so any number of elevated structures – houses, poles and so forth – would work for a camera site.’

The community in this settlement is proactive and highly invested in keeping the beach and waters users safe. While NSRI Wilderness is the primary responder to emergency callouts in Herolds Bay, having a crew in the town would cut out response time considerably. A drowning in progress needs to be attended to immediately. And an early warning system, which the camera would provide, would be the answer.

‘The Ratepayers’ Association was the natural place to start, and this is where Ken jumped in,’ Mike says. ‘They had already been instrumental in raising funds for a JetRIB and organising a garage where we could house it. We have a group of volunteers who prepare the JetRIB for launch when the need arises, so that trained NSRI crew can go out immediately. Essentially, it’s a satellite station, supported by trained members of the public who might not be able to commit full time to the NSRI but who assist the trained volunteers. They critical ly help to improve our response times to launch in an emergency.’

Wilderness and Herold’s Bay crews conducted dye experiments to show how the rip currents form and flow.

‘Herolds Bay is well covered with

Pink Rescue Buoys, we have the JetRIB, seasonal lifeguards, and so a camera became the next part of our drowning prevention solution.’

Mike makes special mention of resident Dale Irvin, who has, on a number of occasions, pulled people out of the water and was a recipient of a Pink Rescue Buoy Award. The Irvin family donated the funds for the JetRIB, named V’s Rescuer.

‘Herolds Bay is blessed with a highly motivated community. We’re well covered with Pink Rescue Buoys, which are taken care of and serviced; we have the JetRIB and seasonal lifeguards. And so a camera became the next part of our drowning prevention solution.’

The camera was installed in September last year and proved invaluable over the season. ‘The camera itself is situated centrally in the bay and covers a wide area: from two tidal pools to known areas where there are regular rips. It routinely pans across the bay and the eastern side along the headland.

The camera monitoring team is made up of volunteers who, over the season, were in

constant communication with the lifeguards. ‘This was critical,’ Mike says. ‘We are looking for more people to monitor the cameras. There are folk who might want to become involved, but not necessarily as sea-going crew or in a rescue capacity. So the camera project in Herolds Bay might be a perfect way for them to make a difference.’

The camera itself, Mike says, is quite something. ‘The quality has blown us away, especially its early-evening and night views.’ Station 2 (Bakoven) volunteer and independent contractor Jason Kampel is the fundi behind assembling these builtfor-purpose cameras.

‘The set-up consists of a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera and an overview camera, and the system was installed on a home in Herolds Bay with a high elevation and a good view,’ Jason explains. ‘It has a 180-degree field of view and comes with a video management system that allows all users to access the camera, with a stream available to the EOC at Head Office. It’s a high-resolution camera and there’s even a little wiper on it to clean it,’ he adds.

its monthly maintenance, says drowning prevention is critical. ‘The rips here are a big problem. And there are visitors to Herolds Bay, including groups of school children, throughout the year. The rips are powerful near the rocks and when the surf’s up, waves average 3.5m but can get as high as 4-5m. It’s not uncommon for residents to pull up to four people out of the water at a time.’ That’s why he leapt at the suggestion to install the camera, which has been funded largely from donations.

‘We do have a bunch of great, enthusiastic camera watchers, supported by the EOC, and it’s working out well. They’re able to communicate with the guys on the beach and function as an early warning system.’

‘We do have a bunch of great, enthusiastic camera watchers, supported by the EOC, and it’s working out well. They’re able to communicate with the guys on the beach and function as an early warning system.’

The camera management system records the user history, so every action is logged and recorded, along with the details of the person taking that action. It also has privacy masking and will pixelate if the camera pans to an area out of its intended range.

Ken, who was instrumental in spearheading the fundraising drive for the camera and continues his efforts as regards

Numbers in Herolds Bay swell from 700 to 3 500 in season, and because of visible beach safety efforts, people feel safer. Visitors wouldn’t know where the rips are, but with the lifeguards on duty, the Pink Rescue Buoys in place, a total ban on alcohol on the beach, and the camera keeping a lookout from on high, there were no casualties at Herolds Bay this season.

Mike, Ken and the community wish to keep it that way. Herolds Bay has been given Blue Flag Beach status, and it’s a real jewel in the heart of the Garden Route.

➤ If you’re able to support the beach camera project or wish to become a volunteer camera monitor, mail andrewi@searescue. org.za. Please note: Background checks are conducted on all our volunteer crew.

NSRI PRESENTS PRBS AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN AUSTRALIA

THE NSRI was invited to attend the 14th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion that took place from 27 to 30 November 2022 in Adelaide, Australia. NSRI’s Drowning Prevention manager Andrew Ingram and marketing manager Bradley Seaton-Smith were able to share the successes and learnings of the NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoy (PRB) initiative, a project that has not only grown in visibility since its inception in 2017, but has also evolved in terms of the core messages it promotes regarding bystander rescue.

To date 1 500 buoys have been installed – with signage – at selected beaches as well as inland dams and rivers across South Africa. More than 140 people have been saved through their use. Progress was slow initially, with about 29 PRB rescues recorded during 2018, but in March 2022, 26 rescues were recorded for that month alone. More recently, the idea behind the buoys has evolved, in line with international standards, from ‘throw it to someone who needs help’ to ‘if you can swim and decide to go into the water, first

call for help and then take the PRB with you’. Because South Africa has 11 official languages, the instruc tions on the signage are written in the most com monly spoken language in the area where the buoy is located.

‘As happens in so many of these bystander rescues, the original victim survives and the rescuer drowns. We now have enough evidence to show that if an untrained rescuer who is a relatively good swimmer takes flotation into the water to attempt a rescue, both the victim and the rescuer survive,’ Andrew explained in his presentation.

‘The world is starting to realise that bystander rescue equipment is safe and necessary to save lives … The NSRI is clearly leading the world in this thinking and implementation,’ Bradley added. The feedback the team received from the conference was very encouraging. Post-presentation conversation indicated a lot of interest. ‘We had great chats with senior people from Auckland Drowning Prevention – they even referenced PRBs in their own presentation – as well as from South Australia Surf Lifesaving,’ Andrew enthuses.

‘With these two nations buying into public rescue equipment, it will not be long before international lifesaving follows suit. We believe there should be a world standard, and we have gone a long way to setting that standard with our PRBs.’

NSRI’s Drowning Prevention manager, Andrew Ingram, presenting at the conference.

‘We now have enough evidence to show that if an untrained rescuer who is a relatively good swimmer takes flotation into the water to attempt a rescue, both the victim and the rescuer survive.’

Drowning Prevention manager Andrew Ingram

AN EMOTIONAL REUNION

IN October last year, Ed Gutsche received a visit from Mlibo Majeke, who presented him with a special plaque conveying his family’s thanks for saving their lives. Some months previously, Ed had been alerted by Mlibo’s frantic wife after he and three of their four children got into trouble in a rip current at Kelly’s Beach in Port Alfred. Without hesitation, Ed went into the water to help them. He saved the children one by one by swimming them to his bodyboard, where he told them to hold on and look after one another, and went back to rescue Mlibo. All four fami-

ly members were then brought safely to shore, assisted through the surf by Port Alfred resident Nick Laws. ‘Mlibo Majeke and his family made contact with me and, when we met at Kelly’s Beach, he presented me with a gift to remind me of their gratitude. We were both emotional,’ Ed says. Ed and Nick have sponsored two rescue buoys that will be placed at another beach in Port Alfred in light of a tragic drowning that occurred there last year.

To read Ed’s incredible rescue story, go to www.nsri.org.za/2022/10/in-theright-place-at-the-right-time.

SATELLITE NSRI STATION FOR ST HELENA BAY

THE need for an NSRI station midway between Station 24 (Lambert’s Bay) and Station 4 (Mykonos) has been apparent for some time. ‘We’ve had meetings with the community over the years and plans finally fell into place to establish a station,’ says operations manager Bruce Sandmann, who oversees the establishment of all new NSRI bases. ‘We sent out a call for volunteers through various channels, to which we received a fantastic response, and some crew migrated from Mykonos,’ he adds. The station is housed in a rented industrial warehouse and the 15-strong crew, many of whom are still in training, have the use of the 7.3m RIB Rotary Onwards.

PLETTENBERG BAY ANNUAL GOLF DAY

ON 10 January 2023, supporters gathered at the Plettenberg Bay Country Club to take part in the annual fundraiser for NSRI Plettenberg Bay. The day represents the combined efforts of the station’s retired fundraising committee members and volunteers led by Rodney Gray. It’s been going for about 40 years, so it has become something of a landmark event in Plett. Because it’s usually held during the holidays, it attracts a great variety of players – locals as well as visitors, prominent businessmen and even a few celebrities have been seen on the fairways. Rodney has no problem attracting participants and is delighted that next year’s event is already fully booked, with a waiting list of players eager to join in. NSRI Plettenberg Bay has been a part of the coastal town and its community for 52 years. We’d like to thank the businesses and individuals whose donations make this event possible year after year. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to raise the funds we need to keep doing what we do: saving lives, changing lives, creating futures.

STILL BAY FUN RUN

2006. Started by locals and holiday makers, and ably shepherded by Nico Steenekamp, the group consists of fun-loving runners with no particular affiliation to any groups or clubs, who decided in 2008 to make NSRI their charity. All entry fees are donated directly to the station in Still Bay, which serves as the venue for the start and finish. NSRI crew members assist as race marshals, so it’s a nice symbiotic arrangement, Nico says. Water points, medals and prizes

are made possible through donations from local businesses. The event started with 206 runners in 2006, and last year, on 31 December 2022, about 1 100 turned out to support the NSRI and enjoy a fun day of racing to mark the end of the year.

After one event, Nico recalls, he told some cycling friends that the project had raised R100 000 for NSRI. They decided to match the amount with a donation of R100 000.

Still Bay crew member and Class 3 coxswain Debbie Fraser has been assisting Nico with preparations leading up to the fun run since 2021. Debbie says what she enjoys most about Race Day is the camaraderie among the crew on the day, ‘as well as the enjoyment of everyone who comes out to support NSRI and our cause’. The fundraising helps with the station’s running costs, as does the generous donations and sponsorships from the public. NSRI Still Bay thanks Nico Steenekamp and all supporters of this annual event.

‘We look forward to seeing you all again on 31 December 2023,’ Debbie says.

If you would like to organise an event in support of the NSRI, please contact Renée on 067 425 1019 or email renee@searescue.org.za

MAKING A SPLASH FOR THE NSRI

WE chatted to Zastra Conway-Nunn and Trevor Lauf, two of the participants in the Oceans8 Charity Swim who are raising funds for NSRI.

I am so inspired by the selflessness of the volunteers of the NSRI. I have read about their rescue work and feel moved to help in any way I can. I doubt whether I would ever be a good enough swimmer physically to save lives like the NSRI does, but I can make a difference by swimming Oceans8 to raise money for this worthy cause. I only started swimming in my late 40s. After I read Lewis Pugh’s book nine years ago, I was inspired by him to swim and make a difference. So I started swimming. Initially I came last in races, but my love of water and the feeling of freedom and stress release that it brings have motivated me to carry on and set seemingly impossible goals. My swimming goals are constantly expanding and getting more exciting. Swimming also brought me valuable friendships.

The NSRI in Ballito helps tremendously in keeping the coastline safe and is a constant at races, be it paddle skis, sailing boats, canoes or swims. Living on the coastline makes me very, very aware of the work they do.

ZASTRA CONWAY-NUNN

As a guy who swims and paddles, NSRI is my choice as they do amazing work saving folk in trouble.

NSRI’s guys and girls give up their own time to perform this amazing job and I will always support them.

I swim in the ocean because it’s relaxing, and for the past two years I’ve been swimming with a group at the Durban Underwater Club (DUC). They keep me motivated to swim often, hence the eight-mile event in June.

At 76, my recovery is not as good as it used to be, so one must be consistent and that’s what the DUC group does for me.

NSRI does so much to keep us paddlers and swimmers safe. They get involved in training and are just great all-around folk.

I may well be one of the oldest swimmers to do the Oceans 8, and I’m not a fast swimmer but can keep going like an old diesel tractor.

You cannot come out of the ocean after a swim and be ratty; it’s not possible. I thank God every day for my health and the ocean.

Thank you, NSRI, for all you do. You are all amazing human beings.

TREVOR LAUF

Oceans8 is the brainchild of five non-profit organisations that share a passion for open-water swimming. The event is a warm ocean open-water challenge run entirely to benefit 14 charities. Entries are limited to 150 swimmers. Visit oceans8swim.co.za/

PLATINUM PARTNERS

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

THANKS TO JOHN DORY’S

GOLD PARTNERS

Life Healthcare Solutions

/ RF Design / HBS Aluminium

Systems (Pty) Ltd / Marine

Solutions / Richards Bay Coal

Terminal / Barpro Storage SA

(Pty) Ltd / Denso SA (Pty) Ltd

/ Resolve Salvage & Fire (Pty)

Ltd / Kiddie Rides / PSG Wealth

Financial Planning (Pty) Ltd /

Robertson and Caine (Pty) Ltd /

A&M Logistics Pty Ltd / Marlyn

Vulindlela (Pty) Ltd / Storm

Plant Hire (Pty) Ltd / Ruwekus

Fishing (Pty) Ltd / Right

ePharmacy / United Mining

Services (UMS) Group

/ NCS Resins / Producer Ally

Pty Ltd / Hoegh Autoliners

(Pty) Ltd / Two Oceans

Aquarium Trust / Striker Fishing

Enterprises (Pty) Ltd / Bearfish

(Pty) Ltd / Denys Edwardes

(Pty) Ltd / Cohesive Capital

(Pty) Ltd / Komicx Products

(Pty) Ltd / AMTEC VVM Inc

JOHN Dory’s joined forces with the NSRI to bring its Water Safety Education and Survival Swimming Programme to Addington Primary School learners at the uShaka Marine pool in KwaZulu-Natal from 30 January to mid-March this year. The programme’s aim is to equip 75% of the school’s Grade 7 learners with basic survival swimming skills: breath control, flotation, orientation in the water and propulsion. John Dory’s sponsored an NSRI Drowning Prevention Team of three instructors and one assistant. Each 30-minute teaching session included a water safety demonstration and a survival swimming lesson. The NSRI would like to thank John Dory’s for sponsoring these essential skills and helping to save lives in South African waters.

THANK YOU FOR DONATIONS RECEIVED

IN MEMORY OF: Tommy Redmond, Brian Brice, Shane Dwyer, Captain Bill Damerell, Helmut and Wendy Laszig, Sophia Tambusso Ferazz, Ray Manning, L Snyman, William E (Huck) Endersby, Garth de Jong, Alain Doherty-Bigara and Ron Fish

IN HONOUR OF: Mr Des Green (60th birthday), Adam Marcus (50th birthday), Mrs Jane Ewing, Johann Muller, Michael Gawronsky (65th birthday) and Mrs Mary van Selm (80th birthday)

LIKE AN EAGLE

For eagle rays, the ocean is their sky. Indeed, these elegant sea creatures have been seen leaping several metres into the air. Naturalist Georgina Jones reveals more.

MANY MARINE ANIMALS ARE named for land animals with varying degrees of accuracy: catsharks, dogfish, seahorses, cow sharks, butterfly fish, bull sharks and tiger sharks, to mention just a few. Since when does a cow shark resemble a cow? And it’s true that eagle rays don’t very much resemble eagles, except in their movement. They look just like they are flying through the water, and sometimes even leap several metres up into the air.

Eagle rays have flattened bodies with triangular fins that they flap up and down to move through the water, technically

known as oscillatory pectoral fin locomotion. That is, as opposed to other rays that use a rippling, waving motion of their fins, again, technically known as undulatory pectoral fin locomotion. Their large duckbill-shaped snouts are rounded and they have a small dorsal fin at the base of the body as well as a long slender tail with several defensive spines that may be more than twice their body length.

Like other members of the stingray family, eagle rays use their spines to protect them from predators from above. The spines are sharp and barbed, and use a complex chemical system to deliver their

venom involving venomous tissues that mix with the mucous membrane on the surface of the spine when triggered, producing a cocktail of toxins.

This is an effective deterrent to their predators, usually sharks. As well as the injury from the cut of the spine itself, their venom produces swelling and muscle cramps and can be very painful to human beings, who sometimes step on them. Since the barbs typically break off inside the wound, they may require surgical removal. However, the wounds are only life-threatening if the spine stabs a vital area.

It’s worth noting that these rays are usually very skittish around people and, unless stepped on when buried in sandy shallows, will typically retreat if approached.

They have cartilaginous skeletons like their relations the sharks. In common with sharks, they also hunt their prey using electromagnetic organs, the ampullae of Lorenzini. These can be seen as small sensory pits dotted around the snout and function to detect the life signals of crustaceans, worms or molluscs hiding in or on the seafloor. Though they will also eat small fish if they can catch them, eagle rays don’t have sharp teeth but flattened hexagonal plate teeth that they use to crush exoskeletons and grind up shells.

Top left: The pure white underside of an eagle ray helps it blend into the sky when seen from below. Above: A school of eagle rays.

While they have been found at depths of 800m, they usually occur in water shallower than 50m and over sandy bottoms. This is their preferred environment, as they can burrow in the sand to detect their prey as well as hide from their predators by burying themselves under it. Since they have flattened bodies with their eyes on top, they rely on their sense organs to detect their prey in and on the sand. While hunting or hiding, they use spiracles, openings just behind their eyes, to take in water to breathe. This is one of their two methods of breathing. While swimming, they use the more typical system of taking in water through their mouths. This is a more efficient method, because a larger volume of water can be taken in to flow over their gills for extracting oxygen, but while lying in wait for prey or hiding in the sand, the rays can’t use their mouths for breathing, and luckily don’t need as much oxygen as when swimming.

Eagle rays are ovoviviparous. After an extended mating period, the embryos develop from eggs in the mother’s uterus,

first absorbing the nutrients in the yolk sacs and, once these are depleted, then being fed by a kind of milk supplied in the uterus by the mother. The pups are born alive and independent after about eight months of gestation; usually in litters of three to seven.

There are at least three species known from South African waters, one rather perplexingly known as a bull ray, ranging in size from 1.5m to 2.5m and weighing between 59 and 98kg. The common eagle ray is brown with irregular black spots, bull rays are also brown but with blue to grey crossbars, and the spotted eagle ray, the biggest of the three species, is usually dark with many white spots. They all have white bellies that help with countershading: looking up from below, a white belly tends to blend into the light sky and gives some protection from predators.

They can live for up to 20 years and, due to their preference for sandy bottoms, can sometimes be seen in large aggregations in shallow lagoons and brackish estuaries as well as flying, rather like eagles, through our coastal oceans.

A spotted eagle ray gliding through the water.

FISH TALES

1. Eagle ray fins have a ..... shape

2. Their snouts are shaped like .....

3. What protects eagle rays?

4. How do eagle rays locate their prey?

5. How do they eat?

6. Where do they hide?

7. What are baby eagle rays called?

8. For how long do eagle rays live?

Find the words

spines worms sandy yolk

Have some fun and colour the eagle ray in your favourite colours!

Spines filled

Duck

NSRI BASE LOCATIONS

The NSRI is manned by more than 1 445 volunteers at over 50 rescue bases, including satellite or auxiliary stations and inland dams. In addition, more than 20 seasonal Lifeguard Units have been established around the country.

NORTHERN CAPE

Strandfontein (West Coast)

Lambert’s Bay

Yzerfontein Melkbosstrand

Bakoven

Hout Bay

Kommetjie

Simon’s Town

Strandfontein Muizenberg to Monwabisi (Satellites) Gordon’s Bay Strand (Satellite)

(Satellites)

Bay

Port Nolloth

Theewaterskloof Dam

Kleinmond Agulhas

44 St Helena Bay (Satellite)

PLEASE CONTACT ALISON SMITH IF YOU CAN ASSIST WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

› Data projectors and speakers or flatscreen TVs for training

› GoPros or similar waterproof devices to film training sessions

› Good-quality waterproof binoculars

› Prizes for golf days and fundraising events

› Towels for casualties

› Groceries such as tea, coffee, sugar and cleaning materials

GENERAL NEEDS RESCUE BASES

› Long-life energy bars

› Wet and dry vacuum cleaners

› Dehumidifiers

› Small generators

› Good-quality toolkits

› Top-up supplies for medical kits

› Waterproof pouches for cellphones

› Tea cups/coffee mugs/glasses for events

EASTERN CAPE

46 076 092 2465 Storms River

36 082 990 5968 Oyster Bay

21 082 990 5969 St Francis Bay

37 079 916 0390 Jeffreys Bay

06 082 990 0828 Gqeberha

11 082 990 5971 Port Alfred

49 087 094 9774 Mdumbi (Aux)

47 076 100 2829 Kei Mouth (Aux)

07 082 990 5972 East London

28 082 550 5430 Port St Johns

KZN

32 082 990 5951 Port Edward

20 082 990 5950 Shelly Beach

39 072 652 5158 Rocky Bay

41 063 699 2687 Ballito

05 082 990 5948 Durban

50 082 990 5948 Umhlanga

19 082 990 5949 Richards Bay

40 063 699 2722 St Lucia

MPUMALANGA

35 060 962 2620 Witbank Dam

GAUTENG

27 060 991 9301 Gauteng

NORTH WEST

25 082 990 5961 Hartbeespoort Dam

FREE STATE

22 072 903 9572 Vaal Dam

087 094 9774

TEL 082 992 1191 OR EMAIL ALISON@SEARESCUE.ORG.ZA

MAKE A DIRECT DONATION ON OUR WEBSITE OR USE ONE OF THE OPTIONS BELOW.

FOR DEPOSITS AND EFTS

ABSA Heerengracht

Branch code: 506 009

Account number: 1382480607

Account holder: National Sea Rescue Institute

Swift code: ABSA-ZA-JJ

PAY ONLINE: https://www.nsri.org.za/ support-us/donate

If you choose to do an EFT, please use your telephone number as a unique reference so that we are able to acknowledge receipt, or email your proof of payment to info@searescue.org.za.

Scan this QR code or visit the link below to pay using SnapScan.

https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/ STB4C055

Please use your cellphone number as base/project reference so we can acknowledge your donation.

nsri.org.za

Scan this QR code or visit the link below to pay using Zapper.

https://www.zapper.com/ url/KU1oB

Please use your cellphone number as base/project reference so we can acknowledge your donation.

DONATE BY SNAPSCAN

DONATE BY ZAPPER

SAVING LIVES IN ALL SEASONS