NSRI Sea Rescue Summer 2020

SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2020 | NSRI MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS 12 2 LETTERS 8 SAVED BY SAFETRX Another successful rescue after a SafeTRX activation.

12 NSRI’S LIFEGUARD UNIT

The rollout of the Lifeguard Unit continues, with new lifeguard stations being established at recognised danger hot spots.

16 BEACH SAFETY FROM A LIFEGUARD’S PERSPECTIVE Strandfontein (False Bay) lifeguard Grant Grove shares water-safety tips.

18 PINK RESCUE BUOY HELPS SAVE A LIFE A teenager in difficulty at Herold’s Bay is saved by a savvy bystander and a young lifeguard.

SUMMER 2 02 0

28 23 KIDS’ CLUB Our competition winner’s story, a fun word search and advice on how to help stranded animals.

28 IN THE NEWS Fundraising drives,

events, and station and sponsor news.

36 SUPPORT OUR ORC PROGRAMME More about our Class 1 fleet replacement programme and how you can help.

38 OUR BASES, OUR ASSETS It’s our business to save lives on South African waters, and we do so by equipping our volunteers with the most efficient and safest equipment and craft.

44 ROCKPOOLS: MICRO OCEAN WORLDS Naturalist Georgina Jones shares the wonderfully intricate goings-on in rockpools.

47 STATION DIRECTORY

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SAVING LIVES. CHANGING LIVES. CREATING FUTURES. SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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FROM THE HELM T

HE SOUTHEASTERLY winds have returned

our training team responds to every day. Regional managers have been added to the mix to assist

to Cape Town with a real bang – debris everywhere. A sign, surely, of summer as we pass the equinox!

The story of 2020 really is one of resilience in the face of the very real economic destruction brought about through lockdown, and of the ability of our community to hang together and continue providing the essential services we do.

Thankfully we seem to be surfacing, to be rising towards the light!

September was strategy month, when we looked back at the last five years, planned for the next five years and ironed out detailed objectives for the next year. Survival was on the agenda – perhaps not surprisingly – and, on reflection, our financial models have stood us in good stead.

The fact that we have almost 100 000 donors of various shapes and sizes across a huge diversity of society and business is crucial to our sustainability, and you guys deserve our respect and thanks for being our lifejacket in 2020.

People are always a key focus, and the almost

regional station commanders and take some of the routine administrative and general task load off their shoulders. Training is also part of their mandate in a regional context.

Geographically we have identified a few gaps on the West Coast and Wild Coast, and the plan is to have established 52 stations by the end of 2021 so that we reasonably cover the entire 3 000km of coastline. The Wild Coast deserves an additional three stations – we’ll start small and build from there. Lifeguarding in these areas also needs capacity, so building will take place from a grassroots level and evolve over time into fully fledged stations. Port St Johns we plan to evolve into a multi-service centre, building the team around water safety, survival swimming, training and rescue services. The initiation of subsistence fishing projects, economic activity and tourism are all creating demand for our services.

The story of summer will probably be one of a rebound to beaches in greater numbers, more activity and the need for a focus on safety. So

1 350 volunteers who form the foundation of the organisation are at the forefront of our collective consciousness. Catching up with training in 2021 is going to require a flat-out effort, with coxswain development being a principal goal.

Leadership within the institute starts at crew level, and continuously evolving and developing new leaders in a dynamic social and economic context require extraordinary effort – something

keep rip currents and beach safety top of mind, keep children within sight at all times, keep your lifejacket on and enjoy what will be a huge relief and de-stressor from the trauma of 2020.

Have a great summer!

DR CLEEVE ROBERTSON, CEO

CAPE TOWN: NSRI, 1 Glengariff Road, Three Anchor Bay 8001; PO Box 154, Green Point 8051 Tel: +27 21 434 4011 Fax: +27 21 434 1661 Visit our website at www.searescue.org.za or email us at info@searescue.org.za www.facebook.com/SeaRescue

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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THE CREW THE PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIP MANAGING EDITOR Wendy Maritz ART DIRECTOR Ryan Manning BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Nic Morkel 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 SEA RESCUE OFFICE +27 21 434 4011 WEB www.nsri.org.za FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING DIRECTOR Janine van Stolk EMAIL janine@searescue.org.za COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Megan Hughes EMAIL megan@searescue.org.za PRODUCED FOR THE NSRI BY The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018.

Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2020. 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 the NSRI. Offers are available while stocks last.

PRINTING Novus Print ISSN 1812-0644

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WINNING LETTER

Thank you, Niall, for sharing your story. Your book and hoodie are on their way.

AN AVID SUPPORTER For most of my life I’ve had the good fortune of falling asleep listening to the sound of the ocean. Whether it was the northern Irish Sea or the Indian Ocean in South Africa, once you have salt water in your veins, you can’t get it out.

I grew up fascinated with the British RNLI rescue boats and always attended their public shows. One year, the enacted rescue scene using helicopters and craft in Whitby Harbour was so realistic that a lady fainted and needed medical attention. This was enough to stir a love within me for anything ocean-related.

Living on the beach at Cannon Rocks, we are blessed with 180degree panoramic sea views and Channel 16 on my marine VHF radio is permanently monitored. At least 10 times we’ve had drama in the high seas, ranging from yachts in trouble off the Bird Island area to the odd ship in distress with main-engine problems or small recreational vessels in need of assistance after flipping in our local surf.

The two closest NSRI stations are in Port Alfred and Port Elizabeth harbour, so it presents quite a challenge for any rescue craft to get to a vessel in conditions that can be very challenging indeed.

I have been rescued off Mossel Bay on a sail board being blown out to sea and have also been reported for entering the sea on a 16-foot Hobie Cat at Kenton and doing a downwinder to our bay at Cannons in front of our house. Locals thought we were lost at sea and the Port Alfred crew came all the way, only to find us high and dry on the beach, safely home. The funniest story was when I got a new 6m Aquarius cat I had designed like a surfboard and launched in 4-5m surf to go and ride the breaking waves off Boknes reef. My wife, who was painting in her studio at the time, saw ‘an idiot’ riding these massive waves and was on the verge of calling the NSRI to rescue him. It was the clearly deliberate repeated catching of the waves that stopped her, and she began suspecting…

When I arrived home later, beaming from ear to ear, her suspicions were confirmed.

I also forgot to add that I once took a girl out on a first date. We went scuba diving off Miller’s Point in PE, only to have the boat sink on us. The NSRI arrived and assisted in loading the boat back up on the trailer. Said girl and I have been happily married ever since.

Good on you guys for all you do!

NIALL CAMERON

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SEA RESCU E AU TU MN 2020

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LETTERS A PASSION FOR IMPARTING SKILLS Thank you so much for the Autumn edition of Sea Rescue.

I was so excited to see your cover photo of a young child learning to float and to read about the launch of your Survival Swimming programme. Four years ago, at the age of 65, I was given the opportunity to do my Learn to Swim training, which I undertook with the view to teaching children to swim who do not normally have access to swimming lessons. However, I was asked to join a local swim club in Kimberley to teach as they needed a learn-to-swim teacher.

At the end of 2020, I will be retiring to George.

When I read your article, I immediately thought to myself that it would be amazing if I could continue to impart the skills I have learned by partaking in your programme. In so doing, I would eventually live out my passion for helping others to appreciate and enjoy the water safely.

Congratulations on this excellent initiative.

JUNE LOUW

For NSRI membership or Sea Rescue subscription details: Email info@searescue.org.za or phone (021) 434 4011

LOOKING BACK It was a crystal-clear summer’s day in November 1966 at the General Botha Nautical Academy in Granger Bay, Cape Town. Along with 12 other candidate ship’s deck officers studying there for our certificates, Captain Phil Nankin, captain superintendent of the academy, informed us that Captain Bob Deacon, an instructor, was testing a 6 |

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

rubber duck as a prelude to launching a new rescue organisation.

This was my first introduction to the NSRI and the start of an eventful journey as a foundation member, volunteer radio operator and navigation instructor at Station 5 (Durban) in 1969.

After my departure from the shipping company Tropical Lines, I got married and settled in Durban, my home town. I saw a write-up in the local newspaper reporting that the local Durban ski-boat base members were keen to start a rescue base and were looking for volunteers to join.

In 1969 we erected our boathouse and ops room on the South Beach near the entrance to the harbour. We all worked hard over weekends – hand-blistering, back-aching work – but we achieved our goal. This resulted in a greater spirit of friendship and cooperation among the crew.

We felt very proud on Tuesday 14 October 1969 when Captain McKinnon, Port Captain of Durban, officially opened our boat house and ops room.

Some of the more memorable call-outs were the assist-and-search of a defence force plane lost at sea in gale-force winds and 3m waves.

Also, while on standby at sea off Virginia Beach at the Durban Airshow in July 1969 we saved four parachutists who had landed in the sea.

Station 5 earned the nickname of ‘The flying 5’ among Virginia Airport pilots. The station now has a new modern home in the harbour, having made way for new waterfront developments.

I’m now retired, having left the NSRI in 1975 as I was transferred to Gauteng. I can look back with a great sense of appreciation and gratitude to the NSRI for the opportunity to serve all who need help on the seas and dams around South Africa.

Long live the NSRI – I salute you all!

JAMES A NISBET

FAMILY TIES Thank you for

WRITE TO US AND WIN!

President of the Society of Master Mariners of South Africa Captain John Payne and Miss Patti Price hold certificates presented by then State President Jim Fouche.

On the far right is the NSRI’s founding chairman, Pat O’Sullivan.

The writer of the winning letter published in the Spring 2021 issue of Sea Rescue will receive an NSRI hoodie.

Email your letters to info@searescue.org.za or post them to Sea Rescue magazine, PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018. (Letters may be shortened and the winning letter is chosen at the editor’s discretion.)

Crisis Management

Your P & I Solution in Africa We are commercial correspondents and surveyors for the Protection and Indemnity industry and we represent all the International Group of P&I Clubs.

We serve those interests throughout South Africa and along the East and West coasts of Southern Africa. To ascertain how we can help you or to find out what we do, go to our website and select one of the several topics. If you have any comments or questions select contact us to contact one of our specialist team members or email us at: pidurban@pandi.co.za

Claims

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OUR FOCUS:

the newsletter.

My wife and I were very interested in the article on the founding of the NSRI. The photo shows Pat O’Sullivan, who was my wife’s uncle. When he was Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club, she would go sailing with him several times a year and would be with him when he met the Round the World sailors. He was an avid supporter of the NSRI and that is one of the reasons we support you in our small way. We have great admiration for the work carried out by your volunteers. On one occasion they rescued a family member who got into trouble while parasailing.

JOHN AND MARGIE (NEE PHIPPS) AUSTIN

www.pandi.co.za

EMERGENCY 24 HOUR: +2783 250 3398 Durban t: +2731 301 1102 e: pidurban@pandi.co.za m: +2783 250 3398

Cape Town t: +2721 425 4924 e: pict@pandi.co.za m: +2783 255 6994

Richards Bay t: +2735 797 9040/1 e: pirbay@pandi.co.za m: +2783 448 7787

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2020

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RESCUE

SAVED BY

SafeTRX During the past year, more and more stories have emerged of water users who have found themselves in trouble on the water being helped quickly and efficiently after activating SafeTRX. Robin Mousley shares another successful rescue.

F

OR SOME TIME, Paul Daniels had felt that something wasn’t quite right with his fishing kayak. As he attempted to turn to go

back to Three Anchor Bay, his suspicions turned to certainty – there was water in the hull and the kayak had become unstable. The next wave tipped the kayak and in an instant he was in the cold Atlantic water, next to the upturned hull.

MASSIVE SWELLS When Paul and his fishing buddy Luke Skinner had arrived at Three Anchor Bay on the morning of 19 September, they’d been looking forward to a morning on their kayaks – but when they saw the massive swells closing out across the mouth of the little bay, they had second thoughts.

Taking their time, the two men watched the waves and noticed a long gap between sets when the sea became relatively calm. ‘In the end we 8 |

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Above: Paul Daniels, safely aboard the rescue craft Spirit of Day. Right: Luke Skinner helping his friend. only launched at about 07h30,’ says Paul. ‘We could see there was time between the sets to get out and to come back safely.’

A former NSRI crewman (he served six years at Strandfontein), Paul had also worked on cargo ships with Safmarine and was no stranger to the sea. He’d owned his fishing kayak since July and this was his fifth trip. The men were well equipped with safety gear and both had just installed the NSRI SafeTRX tracker app on their phones.

A TURN FOR THE WORSE Safe beyond the break, Paul and Luke set up their lines and commenced fishing, slowly paddling south along the coast. Despite the rolling swell,

the two men had an enjoyable morning – but the fish weren’t biting. That, along with the fact that

their position (1.5km off Clifton) and Three Anchor Bay is an area of shallow water and rocks

his kayak was beginning to feel tippy, convinced Paul that it was time to head home.

‘A little bit of wind chop was beginning to develop,’ says Paul. ‘And as I turned the boat, the angle of the waves changed – and that was when I fell off.’

He remounted several times and attempted to bail some of the water out of the hull. ‘When the boat capsized, water also got into the dry hatch,’ he says. That didn’t help.

While Paul tried to get rid of the water in his kayak, Luke attached a tow rope and tried to paddle them towards Three Anchor Bay. ‘With the weight of the water in Paul’s kayak, we weren’t making much progress,’ Luke says.

Then a new factor came into play: between

known as the Lion’s Paw. The huge swell was breaking over the rocks, turning a wide area into a maelstrom of white water.

‘I figured we’d have to paddle a mile out to sea to get around it,’ Luke says, explaining that he could have made it on his own – but there was no hope that he’d make it towing the stricken kayak.

The men were in no immediate danger. Even though Paul had swum several times, he was wearing a 3mm wetsuit and wasn’t affected by the cold water yet.

‘I thought we were pretty calm,’ Paul says.

‘But I was probably stressing inside!’

While Paul tried to get rid of the water in his kayak, Luke attached a tow rope and tried to paddle them towards Three Anchor Bay.

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RESCUE

TIME TO CALL The time had clearly come to call for help, so Paul triggered the SafeTRX app on his phone. ‘It was easy to use the phone inside the waterproof pouch while my hands were dry,’ he says. When the return call came from the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), he was in the water again but handed his phone to Luke. Paul’s

In a happy coincidence, the NSRI Table Bay sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was at sea at the time, conducting a training course near Robben Island with five NSRI trainee crew on board. phone battery was running low, however, so Luke triggered SafeTRX on his phone too and took over the call.

In a happy coincidence, the NSRI Table Bay sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was at sea at the time, conducting a training course near Robben

Island with five NSRI trainee crew on board. The craft was alerted by the EOC and directed to the position passed by the SafeTRX app.

‘They were with us within about 15 minutes,’ says Paul. ‘Thanks to SafeTRX, the rescue was almost a non-event.’

The two kayaks were loaded onto the 6.5m RIB, the water was drained from Paul’s kayak in the process and the relieved men were taken to shore in Granger Bay. ‘I called my wife from the boat to tell her we’d been rescued,’ Paul laughs. ‘She didn’t believe me, so I had to take a selfie to prove it.’

In hindsight, he says, he wouldn’t go out in conditions like that again. ‘We checked afterwards and the swell was running at 4.7 to 5.2m out at sea.

Paul recommends that everybody watches the weather and makes sure they have the appropriate safety gear before they go onto the water. ‘If you do have a problem, stay with your craft,’ he adds. ‘SafeTRX is a definite winner.’

The NSRI’s free RSA SafeTrx application is available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL DANIELS

The crew of Spirit of Day, after the exercise that turned into a rescue.

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NSRI’S LIFEGUARD UNIT T NSRI’s Lifeguard Unit focuses on prevention and education: by educating people and equipping them with knowledge of how best to react in a dangerous situation in water, lives are saved.

By Cherelle Leong

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Ockert van Schalkwyk of Station 45 (Strandfontein, West Coast) watches over the safe swimming area.

HE NSRI LIFEGUARD UNIT was launched in 2017 at Melkbosstrand in Cape Town, where the nearby beaches accounted for 25% of Cape Town’s fatal drownings. It’s a dangerous stretch of coastline with no lifeguard infrastructure. NSRI Station 18 (Melkbosstrand) frequently responded to drownings. The idea behind launching a lifeguard station was to be able to have a more proactive approach to rescues rather than just reacting. It was envisaged that having highly trained and equipped lifeguards patrolling the beaches would make it possible to react sooner and prevent a situation from becoming critical and life-threatening.

Three years on, the NSRI Lifeguard Unit at Melkbostrand is proud to report zero fatal drowning incidents

LIFEGUARD UNIT Left (from left): Hendrey Louw, Jean Gooiman, Anrich Cloete, Ronaldo Taboois and Leon Blignaut performing lifeguard training. Below: The first-of-itskind lifeguard trailer.

under the lifeguards’ watch. Additionally, there are now a total of seven lifeguard stations in South Africa, many in partnership with local municipalities. Station 16 (Strandfontein, Cape Town) launched its lifeguard programme in 2018 with an innovative model. As part of a partnership with the City of Cape Town, it has agreed to train 20 lifeguards from local communities. The area they have to patrol is a long, remote stretch of beach, and historically the majority of drowning incidents happen outside of the designated swimming areas. An all-terrain vehicle is used to patrol the beach and ensure remote monitoring of some of the most dangerous stretches where there are strong rip currents. Moreover, the lifeguards patrol the coastal waters on a custom-designed JetRIB that has superb operational capability in the surf and can respond to incidents quickly.

In 2018 the Cederberg Municipality, which includes Lambert’s Bay, Elands Bay and the Clanwilliam Dam, was among the municipalities with the highest number of drowning incidents in the Western Cape. Having no lifeguarding

infrastructure in place, the municipality approached NSRI, which agreed to assist in setting up stations and training municipal and volunteer lifeguards from the area. The initiative has been a huge success, reporting zero drownings in the first two seasons and the establishment of a strong water-safety team in these areas.

The NSRI Lifeguard Unit is not only saving lives, it’s also changing lives by giving people the opportunity to learn valuable swimming and lifesaving skills and gain employment in the process. By 2019, 91 lifeguards had been trained and certified.

Paul Makupula’s is just one of several lifeguarding success stories. He first got involved SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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LIFEGUARD UNIT

in lifesaving at the age of 22 when he took up an offer for free training by the Kouga Municipality.

the beginning. Relentlessly pursuing the goal of drowning prevention, it is continuing to innovate.

He was unemployed at the time and saw it as an opportunity to gain skills that could help him secure employment.

Paul is now 31 and has a job but still volunteers at Station 37 (Jeffreys Bay). He has since qualified as crew and earned his SAMSA skipper’s certificate – impressive, considering he was scared of the sea and wasn’t able to swim nine years ago.

As much as the NSRI Lifeguard Unit is proud of all that has been achieved to date, this is only

For the 2020 season, NSRI lifeguards will be on standby on an additional five beaches around the country. A joint venture with the City of Cape Town has enabled lifeguards to provide lifeguarding services along the stretches of beach between Tableview and Bloubergstrand that previously had no infrastructure. The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service has helped by contributing a trailer which the NSRI has branded and fully equipped to operate as a mobile unit to support lifeguards employed by the City of Cape Town in their duties.

PHOTOGRAPHS: STEWART SEINI

The new lifeguard recruits for Cederberg complete their training for the 2020/2021 season.

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Left: Lifeguards conduct endurance training, ensuring that they never give up until their casualty is safe.

Above: Strandfontein, West Coast, lifeguards begin their season with a tribute to late lifeguard Clive Cerff.

PHOTOGRAPHS: STEWART SEINI

Yet perhaps the most exciting innovation is the development of the NSRI rescue swimmer app.

While there are many people who have strong swimming skills and spend time on the beach and in the water, they don’t always have the time to volunteer or train as NSRI lifeguards or rescue crew. The app will provide all the theoretical training of lifesaving through instructional videos.

This will include instruction on rescuer safety when approaching a casualty, rescue techniques, CPR and basic first aid, as well as basic rescue operation protocols. Rescues are often initiated by bystanders who happen to see an incident take place. The idea behind the app is to equip people to know what to do in an emergency and how to ensure they remain safe while helping others.

If bystanders are equipped and knowledgeable, people in trouble in the water can get the help they need much faster.

A lifeguard reporting app will also be used to communicate vital information to rescue

authorities, ensuring that medical or rescue personnel know what they’re responding to and can quickly initiate advanced care on scene if it is required. The app records information about all incidents, not just fatal drownings. This also enables NSRI to track the effectiveness of drowning-prevention initiatives.

There are three ways in which you can become involved in NSRI lifeguarding. If you have the right level of fitness and swimming ability, and some free time, you can train as a rescue swimmer.

As a certified rescue swimmer you will also have the opportunity to be employed by local municipalities during the summer season. If you do not meet the fitness requirements, you could still become a beach patroller, monitoring the beach and assisting with providing first aid when required. If you don’t have the time available for either of these options, you can use the app to access training and be equipped should a rescue situation ever present itself.

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BEACH SAFETY

BEACH SAFETY: a lifeguard’s perspective

Air-sea rescue swimmer, NSRI lifeguard and volunteer crewman at Station 16 (Strandfontein, False Bay) Grant Grove shares his knowledge of beach and water safety, and the role of lifeguards.

Q: What are the most common reasons why people find themselves in difficulty in the surf?

A: Often people are unaware there are rip currents and, when they are caught in one, don’t know how to get out of them.

We also come across people swimming under the influence of alcohol, and children playing or swimming in the shallows unsupervised. In addition, when people are on holiday they may stop at an unfamiliar beach for a quick dip – these beaches are often unmanned and dangerous.

Q: The Lifeguard Unit aims for prevention rather than active rescue. How do you 16 |

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achieve this in large areas like Strandfontein and Monwabisi

beach area for that purpose.

We go about our responsi-

beaches?

A: We do active and visible patrols, put up signs and direct people to where the proper bathing area is. We call people out of areas where it’s dangerous to swim, tell them why and advise them about safer options, in other words where swimming areas are flagged and manned.

bilities professionally so that we gain the trust and respect of the public. We also ensure members of the public adhere to the rules pertaining to public safety on the beach. To assist us in these tasks, we use all-terrain vehicles, jet-skis or jetRIBs so that we can cover a wide area by land or sea.

Q: What are your top water-safety tips?

A: Never swim alone; always swim with a buddy. Never swim while you are intoxicated and don’t swim in regular clothes.

Learn rip-current safety. Swim in between the flags that the lifeguards have erected – this is the safest place to swim because they checked the water and currents. Do not allow your children to play near water or swim unattended, no matter how shallow it is. Know where the nearest Pink Rescue Buoy is on any beach you go to.

Q: Describe the lifeguard’s role on the beach.

A: We’re here to keep people out of danger. They come to the beach to enjoy themselves, and our job is to provide a safe

MORE ABOUT GRANT GROVE Grant joined Station 16 (Strandfontein) at the end of 2016 and received his NSRI crew badge a year later. He also became a member of Strandfontein Surf Lifesaving club and qualified with Lifesaving Western Cape. He participated in the NSRI’s Water Safety education programme by teaching drowning-prevention skills to Grade 7 classes. Grant joined NSRI’s Air Sea Rescue unit in 2018 as a trainee rescue swimmer and he is still an active member here.

In the same year, Station 16 approached NSRI head office to start a Lifeguard Unit at Strandfontein Beach.

Grant is employed as a driver at NSRI and is receiving training at the Emergency Operations Centre where he is working part-time.

Habot Marine Services (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 (0) 31 534 6019 e-mail: paul@habotmarine.com | em-orders@habotmarine.com www.habotmarine.co.za

PINK RESCUE BUOY

helps to save a life

W

HEN LOCAL VOLUNTEER lifeguard Tristan de Swardt headed down to the beach at Herolds Bay on 25 August, his intention was to watch the waves and catch up with friends. As was his habit, he parked behind the lifeguard tower. Once he was on the beach, he noticed a group of local teenagers swimming in the sea where the swimming flags were usually set up – an area Tristan knew to be safe. As long as they stayed away from the rocks, he thought to himself, they’d be okay.

But as Tristan walked towards the rocks with a friend, the group of boys followed them. Below, the sea was rough and angry: good for wave watching but not for swimming. A while later, Tristan and his friend decided to walk back to the beach. As he 18 |

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passed the teenagers, he heard them talking about jumping off the rocks into the sea. Tristan was alarmed and he approached the group.

‘Have you done this before?’ he asked. ‘You need to be strong swimmers to be able to handle these currents.’

‘Ja, ja, we have,’ the boys laughed in reply.

Feeling that he’d done what he could, Tristan returned to the beach. As he did so, the first boy jumped in. Immediately he got swept up in the surf, with the currents pulling him out to sea.

Tristan could see the youngster trying to fight the current and getting battered against the rocks, so he started wading in from the beach, testing the strength of the current. It was strong; he’d need his flippers.

PHOTOGRAPHS: UNSPLASH, SUPPLIED

Herolds Bay is one of the most popular beaches along the Garden Route. It’s also one of the areas where NSRI has placed Pink Rescue Buoys that can be used as flotation during an emergency. In August this year, it proved invaluable. By Cherelle Leong

RESCUE

As Tristan waded out again, he saw the boy had managed to clamber up onto some rocks.

PHOTOGRAPHS: UNSPLASH, SUPPLIED

Perhaps he wouldn’t need to swim out after all, he thought. But the next minute a huge wave swept the teenager back into the sea. Tristan turned and ran to his car to get his flippers. On the way he passed a bystander who had already collected the Pink Rescue Buoy and was heading to where the teenager was. Good, that would buy him some time, Tristian thought. By the time he got back and entered the water, the bystander had thrown the buoy to the teenager, who was clinging to it. The current had already pulled him out about 50m from the rocks.

Once he was in the water, the current helped Tristan to get to the casualty quickly. Although

Tristan de Swardt

Once he was in the water, the current helped Tristan to get to the casualty quickly. Although the boy was conscious, he was confused and fatigued from fighting the rip current. the boy was conscious, he was confused and fatigued from fighting the rip current. The line from the buoy had also wrapped around his ankle, and it took some convincing to get him to let go long enough to unravel the strop Tristan needed to be able to tow the casualty.

Knowing he had to swim diagonally to escape the rip current, Tristan swam backstroke most of the way in order to keep an eye on his ‘passenger’. Eventually they managed to reach a sandbank. The minute the teenager realised he could stand and was no longer being swept out to sea, his panic subsided – but Tristan knew they still had to get through the surf somehow. Even using the waves to get back to shore wasn’t going to be easy, because the teenager was too tired to help by kicking.

They were waist deep in the water when Ross Labuschagne, a rescue swimmer from Station 23 (Wilderness), arrived on the scene. Ross assisted them onto the beach just as the paramedics and other Sea Rescue crew arrived. The teenager was medically assessed and taken to hospital for observation. He was later discharged, expected to make a full recovery.

The incident highlights the value of having these Pink Rescue Buoys on beaches. Combined with the quick thinking of the bystander and Tristan’s lifesaver experience, it prevented a possible drowning that day in Herolds Bay. SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

| 19

With your help, a Pink Rescue Buoy could save a life.

THE NSRI Pink Rescue Buoys are placed at selected inland rivers and dams, as well as beaches around our coast as part of Sea Rescue’s proactive water-safety initiatives.

The Pink Buoys are public rescue equipment and are fully sponsored by individuals, corporates and municipalities.

The concept for this emergency flotation device was developed by Sea Rescue in 2017 after the World Health Organization (WHO) released the document ‘Preventing Drowning: An Implementation Guide.’

Following on from the organisation’s ‘2014 Global Report on Drowning’, this document clearly outlined practical steps that individuals, 20 |

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

communities, NPOs and governments can implement to reduce the terrible drowning statistics, which are especially severe in Southern Africa.

Sea Rescue’s drowning prevention initiatives revolve around the WHO’s 10 recommendations. These recommendations include water-safety education, especially for children; teaching survival swimming; teaching CPR; and, importantly, teaching safe peer rescue techniques to the general public.

The deployment of the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoys is done with the cooperation of city councils, municipalities and communities in a rapidly growing effort to make our waters safer and prevent drowning incidents.

The buoys are bright pink so that they can be spotted on the water easily by responding rescuers. The pink colour is also unique to NSRI. So if you see a Pink Rescue Buoy anywhere

PINK RESCUE BUOYS

PINK RESCUE BUOYS:

GET INVOLVED

If there are Pink Rescue Buoys in your area and you would like to help us maintain this life-saving initiative, please become a Pink Rescue Buoy volunteer. Email us at pinkrescuebuoys@searescue. org.za and we’ll send you a brochure explaining how you can help us look after the Pink Rescue Buoys in your area.

other than on its pole, you can be sure it belongs to Sea Rescue and should be returned to its sign. Each Pink Rescue Buoy has a location number engraved on it as well as the telephone number of the Sea Rescue head office embossed on it. #aStolenBuoyIsAstolenLife Since the project started in November 2017, more than 800 Pink Rescue Buoys have been installed around South Africa and 66 lives have been saved using them. That is something to be proud of!

The cost of one Pink Rescue Buoy is R1 500. To make a contribution or for more information, email pinkrescuebuoys@searescue.org.za

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

| 00

PINK IS FOR BUOYS

What do you think the water-safety messages are in these two pictures?

Pink is for anyone who finds themselves in trouble in water. It’s for anyone that needs to be saved.

Pink buoys are found next to rivers, dams and oceans.

Anyone can save a life – with a pink rescue buoy.

A water safety initiative by the NSRI. Do you need or know of somewhere that needs a pink rescue buoy?

Email pinkrescuebouys@searescue.org.za #pinkrescuebuoy.

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Etc. Mag Ad - 275x230.indd 1

SEA RESCU E SPRING 2020

2020/11/11 0

CLUB K I D S CLUB KIDS winning story OurOurwinning story

Thank you, Ava, for writing such a great story about water safety. The important message here is never to swim without adult supervision.

On one hot summer’s day, Peggy the penguin was sweating in the heat! She went outside into her garden and then climbed over a fence that led to the mini pool. Her little turtle friend was in her garden. His name is Nev. ‘No, no, no.

The fence is there for a reason. It is there so you can’t get into the mini pool because it’s unsupervised!’ shouted Nev. ‘I’m going to tell your parents!’ Peggy didn’t listen and got into the mini pool.

She got into big trouble.

The next day, she went to the park without her parents knowing! Nev followed her to make sure she was safe. ‘This is dangerous,’ shouted Nev. ‘You mustn’t climb over the fence!’ said Nev, getting really angry. Peggy didn’t listen again, so Nev went to tell her parents and they came rushing to the pool. They were angry and took her home.

Peggy doesn’t know how to swim yet, so her parents taught her how to swim. And they told her never to get into a pool unsupervised! The end!

Ava Wright (9) SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

2020/11/11 09:17:26

| 23

AT HOME Even if you’re a strong swimmer, never swim alone.

Don’t climb over fences to get to the swimming pool.

Portable swimming pools (mini pools) pose as much risk to small children. Ensure these are covered when not in use.

Parents, install a taut swimming-pool cover over your swimming pool and keep it on when the pool is not in use. Pools must be fenced and remain locked, making them inaccessible to children.

Don’t leave water in buckets or tubs outside, or in the bath in the home.

SUMMER SAFETY GUIDE Ava was right about the water-safety messages in our picture story.

We’ve put together a guide for parents and children so we can all be safe, and still enjoy summer-time fun.

Parents, always accompany small children in or near the shallow surf.

Consider others and the environment, and don’t leave bottles or plastic on the beach.

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Take an umbrella and enough water, and apply sunscreen if you’re going to the beach for a couple of hours.

AT THE BEACH

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

Only swim where there are lifeguards on duty and stay between the flags

Call 112 in the event of an emergency.

Don’t use pool inflatables at the beach: these are very light and can be blown out to sea easily and quickly.

What to do... ...if you find a PENGUIN in distress on a beach. › Do not return the penguin to the sea › Keep dogs away and do not crowd the penguin › Do not feed or wet the penguin, or give it water › Call the number below and await instructions Contact SANCCOB: 021 557 6155 or 078 638 3731 (after hours)

...if you find a SEABIRD in distress on a beach. › If possible, catch the bird using a towel › Be mindful of its beak; it may try and defend itself › Place in a large box with good ventilation › Call the number below and await instructions Contact SANCCOB: 021 557 6155 or 078 638 3731 (after hours)

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

...if you find a SEAL in distress on a beach. › Do not throw water over it › Do not chase it back into the water › Keep dogs away from the seal › Do not approach or try to touch the seal › Call the relevant emergency number on the right

Contact SPCA: 021 700 4158/9 or 083 326 1604 (after hours); Bayworld Port Elizabeth: stranding hotline 071 724 2122; Addo National Park: South African National Parks 046 653 0601; Cannon Rocks: Verona Veltman 083 654 9976, Lana Cummings 083 267 5198; Port Alfred and surrounds: Willem Nel (Ndlambe Municipality) 082 388 4600

...if you find a TURTLE in distress on a beach. › Do not return the turtle to the sea › Do not remove any barnacles from its shell › If it’s a large turtle, remain close and call the number on the right › It it’s a hatchling, place in a small dry box and call the number on the right

GENERAL NOTES: Stranded marine animals are often tired, injured or weak. If you see or find one in the Southern Cape region, contact SAPREC on 071 643 2496 or SMART on 072 227 4715

Contact TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM: 021 418 3823 or 083 326 1604 (after hours)

If you see a whale in distress, please call NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre on 087 094 9774.

NEWS

NSRI’S ORC PROJECT IS TAKING SHAPE AS part of its large fleet replacement programme, NSRI is making a significant investment in the local boat-building industry. After extensive research and development, the NSRI opted for the 14.8m search and rescue (SAR) offshore rescue craft (ORC) as the ideal vessel to replace its Class 1 fleet. The innovative French-designed ORC will take the NSRI’s crew safety and marine rescue capability to a new level.

This purpose-built rescue vessel is self-righting and designed for rescue operations in extreme conditions. At 14.8m long and 4.8m wide, it can be deployed on rescue missions as far as 50nm 28 |

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

from land and has an expected lifespan of at least 40 years.

The first ORC, the Alick Rennie, was purchased complete and directly from a French boatyard in 2019, and a second was commissioned for partial build in South Africa. The Alick Rennie entered service in June 2019 at Station 5 in Durban, the busiest port in Southern Africa.

The production of the second vessel, which was imported as ‘hull, deck and bulkheads’, is currently being completed in Cape Town. She is destined for service at Station 10 (Simon’s Town).

The third ORC – also currently in production in

From left: NSRI’s third ORC during the demoulding process; the first ORC, Alick Rennie, is housed at Station 5 (Durban).

FACTS AND FIGURES

Each ORC has a carrying capacity of 23 survivors.

Cape Town – will be built entirely in South Africa by South Africans, creating employment and developing new skills in the maritime sector.

The NSRI partnered with South African-owned Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing to complete the manufacture of the second boat and all future vessels. The company’s MD, Mark Delany, says they’re a proud supporter of the NSRI and this collaboration is simply the next step in a long-running relationship. ‘We are excited to partner with the NSRI in building the new fleet of SAR vessels,’ Delany says.

‘Not only does this support an organisation that provides an invaluable service to all South Africans

The vessels come standard with the latest electronic navigation and communication equipment and are self-righting.

The ORC has a 40-year lifespan.

Manufacturing the boats in South Africa represents a R180-million investment into the maritime economy over a period of 10 years.

Each vessel costs R20 million to produce.

who use the sea and inland waters, but by building these vessels in South Africa, this project also supports local industry and job creation. What’s more, it will develop skills in the boat-building industry, most notably the specialisation of composite ORC building.’

The NSRI is entirely funded by donations, receives limited government support and is the only national organisation delivering coastal rescue services. ‘This is a huge investment for a non-profit organisation but it had to be done,’ says NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson. ‘The risk of lost lives, of our crews and those stranded at sea, is more than worth it. Our coastline is busy and the people who make our blue economy thrive deserve to be protected.’

The NSRI invites all South Africans to assist in funding the new ORCs. We are appealing for donations from as many people as possible – that way we will ensure that our rescue craft and services touch the lives of all South Africans. To make a donation towards this project, visit nsri.org.za.

We also invite South Africans to follow the fascinating story of our journey as the new vessels come out of the mould and make their appearance at bases along the country’s coastline. #ShareTheJourney #NSRIRescueBoats SES A ERAE R SE C SUCE USEU SMPMREI N R G2 022002 0 |

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NEWS DHL STORMERS FORWARDS TAKE THE PLUNGE WITH NSRI

THE DHL Stormers forwards spent some time with Sea Rescue during their bye week to experience first-hand the important rescue work the NSRI does – and they got a dose of the ice-cold Atlantic too.

Once the safety briefing was done and dusted,

DHL Stormers captain Siya Kolisi says the players have incredible respect for the NSRI and the work the organisation does. ‘This was an amazing experience for all of us, to get out there and appreciate what these people do to keep others safe in our waters. The power and strength of the ocean must always be respected, as well as the time and effort the NSRI puts into keeping us all safe out there,’ he said.

DHL Stormers head coach John Dobson says he couldn’t think of a better exercise for the forwards ahead of the Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked campaign.

‘We experienced the teamwork and organisation that goes into the selfless work the NSRI does and we cannot thank them enough for giving us the opportunity to see for ourselves what is possible when we work together.

with all Covid-19 protocols in place, Station 3 (Table Bay) took the big guys out to sea on various craft. Out on the Atlantic, with Table Mountain and Cape Town as a scenic backdrop, the forwards were invited to show off their strength and power when they were challenged to participate in a number of NSRI routine training exercises, one of which was to right a capsized boat in groups of four.

Diversity of skills, technique, discipline and teamwork are what makes the work that the NSRI does special. It soon became clear that, much like on the rugby field, these elements are just as important as power and strength, as the DHL Stormers players eventually righted the boat with some help from their new friends – the NSRI crew.

‘We went through some tough moments in the freezing water but the players pulled together well, which was fantastic to see,’ Dobson says.

The Stormers’ title sponsor DHL is also involved with NSRI as a strategic partner, lending valuable support to both teams.

‘What an awesome day out on the water with the DHL Stormers!’ says NSRI Hout Bay volunteer Lee Cooper. ‘The energy and brotherhood shared in that huddle is something I will never forget.’

NSRI training officer Graeme Harding says it was an epic day. ‘With both Sea Rescue and the DHL Stormers drill-training, planning is of huge importance – as is being able to adapt when that plan was not working,’ he says. ‘Love the team spirit. What a great bunch of guys!’

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

THE GREAT SHARK BAIT SWIM ON Saturday, 14 November, a swimming event called The Great Shark Bait Swim was held at Langebaan Lagoon. As the lagoon is a popular boating spot, Station 4 (Mykonos) very kindly agreed to double up the event with a training exercise and keep an eye on the swimmers and be of support should it be required. We are most appreciative of this and were pleased to donate R4 250 to Mykonos from the net proceeds of the event as a token of our gratitude for their amazing work and support. Walter Hart

Top: The NSRI keeps an eye on the swimmers. Above: Station commander Mike Shaw (centre) accepting the donation from the organising committee: (left to right) Isabella Hart, Walter Hart, David Warmerdam and Caryn Warmerdam.

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SEA RESCU E AU TU MN 2020

| 00

NEWS

RAISING AWARENESS, RAISING FUNDS

The Little Optimist CEO Greg Bertish, Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation CEO Maryke Musson and NSRI’s Dr Cleeve Robertson spent 24 hours in Oppies at the I&J Ocean Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium to raise funds.

OVER the weekend of 4 October, NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson spent 24 hours with Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation CEO Maryke Musson and The Little Optimist CEO Greg Bertish in Optimists, or Oppies, in the tank at the aquarium to celebrate the beloved boats that most children learn to sail in and to recognise Marine Month.

It made for a fun evening, with Dr Robertson

this with than great friends Greg Bertish, the incredible optimist himself, and Dr Cleeve Robertson, CEO of the NSRI? ‘We will also use the opportunity to raise much-needed funds for the rehabilitation costs of three little loggerhead hatchlings that washed up on beaches in the Western Cape during the lockdown. Bert, Dr Bob and Betty Blue are all recovering at the turtle hospital at the aquarium

capsizing his boat just before bedtime on Sunday evening.

Bertish from The Little Optimist Trust would not allow Covid-19 to derail his annual Little Optimist Challenge, which serves as a great fundraiser for various charities, and the NSRI was excited about taking part once again this year.

‘I have always wanted to cross the ocean in a sailing boat and at long last am getting the opportunity now,’ Musson explained ahead of the event.

‘I will be back in my little Optimist crossing our ocean – the I&J Ocean Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium – during a 24-hour journey highlighting the incredible around-the-clock 24/7 work by the NSRI, our turtle rescue team, and those who care for sick and needy children. And who better to do

together with another 24 turtle patients, and should be ready for release by the end of the year.

We are hoping supporters will adopt these three little survivors and thus contribute to sea-turtle conservation at large. We would also like to donate at least 100 story books to children in poorly resourced areas.’

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

Hamburg Bremen Rotterdam Antwerp

Immingham

Vigo

Bilbao

Leixoes Lisbon

New Orleans Houston Altamira Veracruz

MACS SERVICE GAL SERVICE

Pemba Nacala Walvis Bay Johannesburg

Maputo Richards Bay

Cape Town

Durban Port Elizabeth

SEA RESCU E AU TU MN 2020

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SPONSOR NEWS RICHARDS BAY GOLF DAY THE Island View Shipping (IVS) Annual Golf Day is a major fundraiser for Station 19 (Richards Bay). The initiative was started by the late Tim McClure from IVS, who had a vision to host an annual golfing event in Richards Bay with all the proceeds being donated to the NSRI. The event has been running since 2006 and initially helped us cover our annual expenses before proceeds grew to the extent that we could cover our annual fuel bill. But it didn’t stop there, we were also able to fund the cost of a much-needed small semi-rigid inflatable named Grindrod Rescue, after one particularly successful event.

Around 2016, the NSRI was in final negotiations to bring our planned large-fleet development to South Africa. We have used the proceeds of the IVS Golf Day to assist in the funding of the replacement of the Spirit of Richards Bay with the new 14m search and rescue (SAR) offshore rescue craft (ORC). The past three golf days have contributed R1 181 832 to our future vessel!

Besides being a successful fundraiser, the day is also about having fun as we bring together the

local broader shipping fraternity for some gentlemanly sportsmanship.

No one could have predicted the events of 2020 but we all hoped our golf day would go ahead as usual.

When it was clear that it could not take place, Island View Shipping sent out the request for sponsorship anyway.

The response? Industry and individual contributions amounting to R185 000. Martyn Wade, CEO of Island View Shipping, who is an avid supporter of Sea Rescue, decided to increase IVS’s contribution, and a record-breaking R500 000 was received by the NSRI. All for an event that didn’t take place.

It is absolutely heart-warming to make contact with people who we may not have met but believe in the work we do.

As a station and as an organisation, we thank and salute the following organisations for their support: Island View Shipping / Sturrock Grindrod Maritime / Rennies Ships Agency (Pty) Ltd / Pacific Basin Shipping (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd / Fairship SA (Pty) Ltd / Access World / WWW 365 Shipping (Pty) Ltd / Alfred H Knight Ukwanda (Pty) Ltd / SSD Marine Security & Services / Mentor Shipping Agency (Pty) Ltd / African Dragon Shipbroking (Pty) Ltd / Capricorn Shipbroking / Storm Plant Hire / Philip Harris / MUR Shipping / Clarksons Platou (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd / Davlink Marine / Nautilus Shipbroking / Penmarine Shipping / Lighthouse Navigation / Kevin Riekert / Thor Marine Independent Marine Services / Bay Shipping / Universal Pulse 77 / Ultrabulk South Africa / A&M Logistics / NCT Forestry Co-operative Limited

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SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2020

P L AT I N U M PA R T N E R S

WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE

SEA RESCUE WELCOMES KATHARINE TO KNYSNA

S T R AT E G I C PA R T N E R S

GOLD PA R T N E R S A&M Logistics / Afritech Equipment Solutions (Pty) Ltd / AMSOL / Cyclone Engineering Projects (Pty) Ltd / Damen Shipyards Cape Town (Pty) Ltd / Denso SA (Pty) Ltd / Freddy Hirsch Group / Höegh Autoliners (Pty) Ltd / Komicx Products (Pty) Ltd / Marsh Marine (Pty) Ltd / MiX Telematics International (Pty) Ltd / NCS Resins / Producer Ally Pty Ltd / RF Design / Resolve Salvage & Fire (Pty) Ltd / Richards Bay Coal Terminal / Ruwekus Fishing (Pty) Ltd / Sea Harvest Corporation (Pty) Ltd / Striker Fishing Enterprises (Pty) Ltd / Marlyn Vulindlela (Pty) Ltd / Two Oceans Aquarium Trust

DURING December 2019, the superyacht Katharine visited Knysna for a 10-day stopover. Station 12 (Knysna) was asked to escort her through the Knysna Heads, so the crew, aboard the rescue craft Eileen Medway, Jaytee IV and Jolen, rendezvoused with her. NSRI coxswains boarded Katharine to offer pilot advice and local knowledge to the yacht’s captain, Mike O’Neil.

The owners of Katharine, Lee and Penny Anderson, welcomed NSRI Knysna station commander Jerome Simonis aboard their vessel and were so impressed by the professionalism of the volunteers that they requested to see the base and get a better understanding of the organisation and its history in Knysna.

After this visit, the Anderson family generously pledged to donate a new 4.5m JetRIB rescue craft, Katharine, to the base.

Even though this was their first visit to Knysna, the Andersons have had a long affiliation with the town: over the past 20 years, their yachts have been crewed by multiple crew members from Knysna, some of whom have also served as crew members at NSRI Knysna. So when the opportunity came to visit South Africa on their yacht, Knysna was first on the Andersons’ itinerary.

The family thanks the entire town for welcoming them and the NSRI for everything they do to keep the oceans safe for all.

THANK YOU FOR THE DONATIONS RECEIVED IN MEMORY OF: John Howsley / Theodore Yach / Hugh Patrick Hart / Ethel Pfister / Nicholas Temple Smith / Geoff Barnes / Georgia Christie Nielson / Aubrey Richard Harcombe / Grant Pitt / Helen Baartman / Richard Stephenson / Margaret Mackenzie (former volunteer at Station 8, Hout Bay) / Humphrey Worthington Smith IN HONOUR OF: Carl (70th birthday) / Howard Godfrey / Hilary Southgate / Dr Michael Levy (65th birthday) / Ian Hancock (80th birthday) / Derrett Evans (80th birthday) / Captain Alex Smal / Trevor Roberts (birthday) / Daniel Kushner (bar mitzvah) / Colin Wells (70th birthday) / Dr Mark Kadish

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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OUR BASES, OUR ASSETS Sea Rescue currently has 41 bases (and growing) around South Africa’s 3 000km coastline and at five inland dams. It’s our business to save lives on South African waters and to do so, we equip our volunteer crew with the safest vessels and most up-to-date equipment.

O

UR CREWS ARE ready 24/7 to respond to water-related emergencies. In order to perform their lifesaving work safely and optimally, each station’s base building, vessels, vehicles and equipment have to be kept in 100% running order. This responsibility rests with each station’s crew who, aside from undergoing in-depth training and performing rescues, also devote many hours to maintaining and cleaning their bases and assets.

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

Each station is supported by our Operations Department at head office whose job it is to identify and investigate the need for new bases at strategic positions around the country. So our footprint expands as the necessity arises.

Rescue services director Brett Ayres notes: ‘Over the years our statistics have shown that when we open new bases, the number of lives saved increases. This is the key driver for our strategy of opening new bases.’

INFRASTRUCTURE

Left: The first of NSRI’s Search and Rescue (SAR) Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC), Alick Rennie.

for assistance further offshore. These types of call-outs require rescue vessels with advanced capabilities, both in terms of technology and endurance, to ensure the safety of our crew in severe conditions out at sea, as well as their ability to assist casualty vessels efficiently. These scenarios typically include medical evacuations and mass rescue incidents.

As part of our large fleet replacement programme, we’re making a significant investment in the local boat-building industry. After extensive research and development, the NSRI opted for the 14m search and rescue (SAR) ORC to replace its Class 1 fleet. This purpose-built rescue vessel

We also undertake significant remodelling and/ or rebuilding to extend base structures to accommodate additional or larger rescue craft.

Recent projects include rebuilds at Station 10 (Simon’s Town) and Station 17 (Hermanus) in preparation for delivery of the offshore rescue craft (ORC) currently being manufactured.

With each remodelling, rebuild or new build, we conform to the latest legislation regarding energy use, which allows us, for instance, to install rainwater harvesting systems and proper wastewater management. While energy consumption is relatively low at our rescue bases, we still aim to ensure the buildings are as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible.

SAR ORC PROGRAMME The NSRI is currently the only maritime rescue service operating on South African territorial waters and although many rescues are inshore or coastal (up to 40nm) we receive requests

Our most prized assets are our volunteers and keeping them well equipped to perform their jobs safely and efficiently remains the key focus area. is self-righting and designed for rescue operations in extreme conditions. It can be deployed on rescue missions as far as 50nm from land and has an expected lifespan of at least 40 years.

The ORC also allows us to extend our survivorcarrying capacity to 23 people. Our third ORC is currently in production in Cape Town, creating employment and developing new skills in the maritime sector. The total investment is worth around R180 million.

‘This is huge for a non-profit organisation but it had to be done,’ says NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson. ‘The risk of lost lives, of our crews and those stranded at sea, is more than worth it. Our coastline is busy and the people who make our blue economy thrive deserve to be protected.’

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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INFRASTRUCTURE

INCREASING OUR SURF-RESCUE CAPACITY Recently, we welcomed a new addition to our fleet designed specifically with surf rescue in mind. The surf-rescue vessel, the Yamaha VX 1050 JetRIB, allows for a helmsman and two crew members and features a hull with a Hypalon pontoon that ensures increased stability and flotation capabilities.

OUR EQUIPMENT In addition to our rescue vehicles and vessels, stations house a range of equipment, including quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles and tractors, used for beach access and launching vessels respectively. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Station 23 Wilderness

OUR BASES AROUND SOUTH AFRICA ‘Our footprint expands as the necessity arises. Over the years our statistics have shown that when we open new bases, the number of lives saved increases. This is the key driver for our strategy of opening new bases.’

Brett Ayres, Rescue Services Director

St Lucia 40

KWAZULU-NATAL 19

Ballito 41

Port Edward 32

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

In an emergency

call 112 from your cellphone or NSRI Emergency

Durban

Shelly Beach 20

Richards Bay

Operation Centre (EOC)

5

087 094 9774

39

Rocky Bay

is standardised among crews. Specialised equipment used for specific rescue operations, such as medical evacuations and swift-water rescue, is constantly being assessed so that everything our crews need to perform their rescue work is in line with the latest technological developments and safety standards. Our most prized assets are our volunteers and keeping them well equipped to perform their jobs safely and efficiently remains a key focus area.

GAUTENG

35

Hartbeespoort Dam 25

Witbank Dam

27 Gauteng

NORTH WEST

MPUMALANGA 22

Vaal Dam

FREE STATE RIB station

Air-sea rescue

Class 1 station

High-angle rescue

Lifeguards/Surf rescue swimmers

Swift-water rescue

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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INFRASTRUCTURE

WESTERN Table Bay

Bakoven

Strandfontein

3

Hout Bay

Monwabisi (Satellite)

2 8 26

16 10

Kommetjie

38

9

Theewaterskloof Dam

Gordon’s Bay Strand (Satellite)

Kleinmond

Simon’s Town

Hermanus

42 17

Agulhas 30

43

In an emergency

Port Nolloth

call 112 from your cellphone NORTHERN CAPE Strandfontein (West Coast)

45

Lambert’s Bay Mykonos

24

4 34

Yzerfontein 18

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Melkbosstrand

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

or NSRI Emergency

Operation Centre (EOC)

087 094 9774

CAPE Wilderness

Sedgefield (Satellite)

Plettenberg Bay 23

Mossel Bay 15

Knysna

Witsand 33

14

12

31

Still Bay

RIB station

Air-sea rescue

Class 1 station

High-angle rescue

Lifeguards/Surf rescue swimmers

Swift-water rescue

Port St Johns Mdumbi

EASTERN CAPE

Kei River Mouth 7

St Francis Bay

36

37 21

East London

Port Elizabeth 11

Oyster Bay

Proposed New Bases

6

Port Alfred

Jeffreys Bay

SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

| 43

ENVIRONMENT

ROCKPOOLS micro-ocean worlds Naturalist Georgina Jones shares the wonderfully intricate goings-on in rockpools, where coexistance and predation occur in equal measure, largely invisible to the untrained eye.

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SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

South Africa’s rocky shores offer a treasure of rockpools just waiting to be explored.

O

NE OF THE TREASURED memories of many childhoods is time spent

peering into or splashing about in rockpools. These fascinating places offer a glimpse into the complexity and beauty of the marine world.

Seaweeds, powered by the sun and buoyed up by the ocean’s water, provide the base for life in most rockpools. Grazers, ranging from limpets and snails to roving urchins and pool-dwelling fish, feed on their fronds and spores. Some limpet species are farmers, grazing selectively on a preferred type of seaweed and actively removing others from their gardens. Urchins, feeding under shading fronds, are spiny protectors for juvenile perlemoen, sheltering them from predatory kreef. Although they are safe from hungry crustaceans, urchins protect themselves from the sun by wearing shell or debris hats.

Wave action in rockpools can damage seaweeds, tearing their fronds or ripping them loose completely, making them more easily accessible to adult perlemoen.

SCAVENGERS AND HUNTERS Some animals living in rockpools sit and wait for food to come to them. Mussels have sacrificed brains in favour of enlarged feeding filters. Sponges can build themselves into turrets and use whip-tailed cells to propel water-borne food into their bodies. Redbaits siphon food-rich water into their feeding baskets. Anemones attach to rocks or hermit-crab shells and snag passing prey with their tentacles.

Barnacles have specially adapted feeding legs that extend into the water to sieve out passing snacks.

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ENVIRONMENT

Then there are the busy detrivores. These include crabs

which to lay their eggs and then ensure the developing embryos are safe and oxygenated while they develop.

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Above: A four-colour nudibranch hunting for prey. Left: Orange tangleworms lurk in cracks. Bottom: Unusual stalked jellyfish nestle under overhangs.

COPING STRATEGIES Rockpools are not the easiest of homes. They are subject to extremes of temperature, water depth and salinity, not to mention wave action and sand inundation. The plants and animals inhabiting them have developed various coping strategies.

Plum anemones live under overhangs and close up tightly when they are exposed to air. Fish must find the remaining water in the pool during low tide.

Wave action is good for filter feeders such as mussels and barnacles, bringing them food – but they have had to develop means of keeping themselves in place while waves break over them. Barnacles have developed a strong cement, whereas mussels attach themselves with strong threads. Mobile animals must find places to hide when waves and storms scour their pools.

Sand inundation is a significant challenge.

Some species can survive for up to months under sand, simply shutting their metabolisms down and waiting for the sand to recede. Other species rely on their dispersed larvae to recolonise the pools once they are again habitable. Some reappearances remain a mystery.

Be it a camouflaged octopus, a fish darting for an overhang, a slowly moving starfish or an unfurling tubeworm, rockpools offer life in abundance for observing adults as well as children to delight in.

PHOTOGRAPHS: LISA BEASLEY

and snails that patrol the rockpools in search of leftovers from other animals’ meals, discarded exoskeletons or the dead and dying.

Rockpools have predators too. Klipfish hunt tubeworms and small crabs. Although some starfish are grazers, carnivores like spiny starfish are enthusiastic predators, tackling mussels, clams and even seafans. Octopuses, the master camouflage artists of the ocean, hide under rocks or in plain sight, disguised as seaweed or even a rock, and wait for unwary prey.

As in any healthy ecosystem, reproduction is an ongoing feature. Some animals rely on the ocean to disperse their offspring, sending millions of eggs and sperm into the water to find their adult homes. Others, like some of the crabs, brood their babies either on their bodies or, in the case of some brittle stars, inside themselves.

Cuttlefish and octopuses find choice dens in

STATION DIRECTORY The NSRI is manned by 1 350 volunteers at 41 bases around the country, including five inland dams. Our volunteers have day jobs but will always respond to your emergency.

STN 2 BAKOVEN StatCom: Luke van Riet ✆ 082 990 5962 STN 3 TABLE BAY StatCom: Marc de Vos ✆ 082 990 5963 STN 4 MYKONOS StatCom: Michael Shaw ✆ 082 990 5966 STN 5 DURBAN StatCom: Jonathan Kellerman ✆ 082 990 5948 STN 6 PORT ELIZABETH StatCom: Justin Erasmus ✆ 082 990 0828 STN 7 EAST LONDON Management Committee: ✆ 082 990 5972 STN 8 HOUT BAY StatCom: Geoff Stephens ✆ 082 990 5964 STN 9 GORDON’S BAY StatCom: Alan Meiklejohn ✆ 072 448 8482 STN 10 SIMON’S TOWN StatCom: Darren Zimmermann ✆ 082 990 5965

STN 11 StatCom: STN 12 StatCom: STN 14 StatCom: STN 15 StatCom: STN 16 StatCom: STN 17 StatCom: STN 18 StatCom: STN 19 StatCom: STN 20 StatCom:

PORT ALFRED Stephen Slade ✆ 082 990 5971 KNYSNA Jerome Simonis ✆ 082 990 5956 PLETTENBERG BAY Marc Rodgers ✆ 082 990 5975 MOSSEL BAY André Fraser ✆ 082 990 5954 STRANDFONTEIN (FALSE BAY) Vaughn Seconds ✆ 082 990 6753 HERMANUS Andre Barnard ✆ 082 990 5967 MELKBOSSTRAND Peter O’Hanlon ✆ 082 990 5958 RICHARDS BAY Mngmt Committee ✆ 082 990 5949 SHELLY BEACH Jeremiah Jackson ✆ 082 990 5950 SEA RESCU E SU MME R 2020

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STATION DIRECTORY STN 21 StatCom: STN 22 StatCom: STN 23 StatCom: STN 24 StatCom: STN 25 StatCom: STN 26 StatCom: STN 27 StatCom: STN 29 StatCom: STN 30 StatCom: STN 31 StatCom: STN 32 StatCom: STN 33 StatCom:

ST FRANCIS BAY Sara Smith ✆ 082 990 5969 VAAL DAM Jake Manten ✆ 083 626 5128 WILDERNESS Garth Dominy ✆ 082 990 5955 LAMBERT’S BAY Avril Mocke ✆ 060 960 3027 HARTBEESPOORT DAM Arthur Crewe ✆ 082 990 5961 KOMMETJIE Ian Klopper ✆ 082 990 5979 GAUTENG Gerhard Potgieter ✆ 060 991 9301 AIR-SEA RESCUE Marius Hayes ✆ 082 990 5980 AGULHAS Reinard Geldenhuys ✆ 082 990 5952 STILL BAY Jean du Plessis ✆ 082 990 5978 PORT EDWARD Gerrit du Plessis ✆ 082 990 5951 WITSAND Thys Carstens ✆ 082 990 5957

STN 34 YZERFONTEIN Management Committee: ✆ 082 990 5974 STN 35 WITBANK DAM StatCom: Travis Clack ✆ 060 962 2620 STN 36 OYSTER BAY StatCom: Lodewyk van Rensburg ✆ 082 990 5968 STN 37 JEFFREYS BAY StatCom: Michael van den Berg ✆ 079 916 0390 STN 38 THEEWATERSKLOOF StatCom: Shane Wiscombe ✆ 072 446 6344 STN 39 ROCKY BAY StatCom: Kevin Fourie ✆ 072 652 5158 STN 40 ST LUCIA StatCom: Jan Hofman ✆ 063 699 2722 STN 41 BALLITO StatCom: Quentin Power ✆ 060 305 4803 STN 42 KLEINMOND StatCom: Schalk Boonzaaier ✆ 063 699 2765 STN 43 PORT NOLLOTH StatCom: Hugo Foot ✆ 063 698 8971 STN 45 STRANDFONTEIN (WEST COAST) Management Committee: ✆ 066 586 7992

GENERAL NEEDS Data projectors and speakers or flat-screen 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 | 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 | Training-room chairs.

YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A DONATION AND LET US KNOW WHICH RESCUE BASE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT. Cheques can be mailed to: NSRI, PO Box 154, Green Point 8051 For deposits and EFTs: ABSA Heerengracht Branch code: 506 009 Account number: 1382480607 Account holder: National Sea Rescue Institute Swift code: ABSA-ZA-JJ 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.

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