NSRI Sea Rescue Autumn 2022

SEA RESCUE

AUTUMN 2022 | NSRI MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE

A SUCCESSFUL

LIFEGUARD SEASON

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CONTENTS

AUTU M N 2022

26 16 2

LETTERS

8

RESCUED FROM HIGH WATERS After severe flooding, a man on a mission to save stranded egrets finds himself in trouble on the Vaal River.

12 A SAFE SUMMER SEASON A round-up of new stations, activities and initiatives during

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: ADRIAN VENTER

lifeguard season.

16 RESCUE AT J-BAY Gordon Cudmore shares how Jeffreys Bay lifeguards saved his life.

19 HERE’S TO THE NSRI’S PINK RESCUE BUOYS! How quick thinking and a Pink Rescue Buoy saved a life at Cannon Rocks.

26 NOT SUCH A WHALE OF A TIME Station 34 (Yzerfontein) has had a busy time with callouts involving entangled whales. We share the incredible stories.

30 IN THE NEWS Fundraising drives, events, and station and sponsor news.

38 ‘LET’S PRETEND WE’RE ON A WATER SLIDE’ An NSRI lifeguard finds a novel way to assist a family and their distraught child out of the water at a fast-moving river mouth.

42 SHY GUYS Find out more about shysharks, whose name gives away a lot about their lifestyle and habitat.

46 NSRI BASE LOCATIONS

23 KIDS’ CLUB Games and water-safety lessons for our young members.

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FROM THE HELM

I

’VE been watching the surf, and

needed and of a quality that honours the sacrifices made. We know there is a broad

the period seems so long now that maybe the fifth wave isn’t coming – wouldn’t that be nice? You’ll all agree that the past two years have been awkward at best and that it’s way beyond the time for ‘ops normal’. The NSRI has been ‘ops usual’ for some time now, as expressed in our 2021 data, which shows how busy we were despite Covid-19 and the impact of the lockdown.

We saved almost 1 000 lives last year, and our lifeguard season delivered 120 saves and more than 2 000 preventative interventions. The Pink Rescue Buoy programme has by now been involved directly in the saving of 109 lives thanks to more than 1 000 deployments of these public rescue devices.

A busy year across all activities, once again demonstrating the commitment of our volunteers and thousands of stakeholders.

The volunteer community and NSRI management have reflected on the sup-

ownership of the NSRI by all stakeholders, something we value and appreciate.

Not only have we maintained our operational response and preventative efforts, we also continue to invest in capital projects and our human capital to guarantee future sustainability. We have invested in the wellbeing of our volunteers and staff by contracting Life Healthcare to provide a comprehensive wellness programme across the country. The programme not only provides immediate medical advice and access to care but also provides assistance across a range of life’s screwballs! With our focus on people in 2022, this initiative is an important step. Our boat-build programme continues unabated (we are currently constructing ORC number five); our base-build programme expands daily; and we have most recently cleared ground at Kei River, and are nearly completed at Oyster Bay. We are very bullish about the year

port services we have had to provide in 2021, and we are sincerely humbled by a community of stakeholders that delivered R170m in direct funding, R15m in gifts-in-kind and immeasurable moral and motivational energy! The loyalty and consistency of our support, particularly during the pandemic, are amazing. I like to think that we’ve repaid and respected that faith by delivering services whenever

ahead and the future, and the morale within the institute is buoyant… floated, really, if you’ll excuse the pun, by you guys out there – thank you.

See you at the AGM in Knysna in July!

DR CLEEVE ROBERTSON, CEO

CAPE TOWN: NSRI, 4 Longclaw Drive, Milnerton, Cape Town, 7441; PO Box 154, Green Point 8051 Tel: +27 21 434 4011 Email: info@searescue.org.za Web: www.nsri.org.za www.facebook.com/SeaRescue

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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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 4 ­ 24 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 2022. 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 Shumani RSA ISSN 1812-0644

WINNING LETTER Thank you, Peter, for sending us your story.

Your prize is on its way.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A FREIGHTER A story I ought not to share with you, but…

A couple of years ago I headed off from Milnerton Lagoon Mouth to the Waterfront by kayak, alone and without advising anyone (naughty, naughty).

I was aware of a freighter moored close, off Robben Island, and was in relaxed ‘public holiday’ mode.

When I had covered about 50% of the distance, I noted smoke from the funnel of said freighter and adjusted my application to ‘focused’ mode.

I made good ground, but I suspect that the pilot seeing the freighter in took offense at me intruding in his territory and he put his foot down (or whatever they do on freighters).

I further adjusted my mode to as close as I might to ‘olympic’ mode. Not being a complete idiot, I eventually began to remember that I am a poor swimmer – so I sat upright, held my paddle above my head and signified defeat.

What remains strongly fixed in my mind is the disturbed water aft of the freighter that contained an absolute mass of plastic, approximately the size of a rugby field (I recognised a Pick n Pay packet, for one).

I did get to the Waterfront in one piece, though… and back. (Maybe I ought to have stayed on land as my name suggests!)

PETER LOVLAND

WRITE TO US AND WIN!

The writer of the winning letter published in the Winter 2022 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.)

LETTERS KUDOS TO NSRI LIFEGUARDS... AT J-BAY On 19 December I went to the main

their duties in a professional and calming manner. To the lifeguards, the people who manage them, the people who recruited

beach at Jeffreys Bay. The water seemed unusually cold that day, and after diving into a wave, my chest closed up and I had a severe asthma attack. I couldn’t make my way to shore, and was unable to get air into my lungs. I did remember one thing: to raise my arm. I did so and then saw that a lifeguard had seen me and was reacting. I was pulled out of the water and my family was able to get me my asthma pump. Twenty seconds later, I was able to breathe and recover, and the colour returned to my face.

My purpose of writing is to thank all the lifeguards involved. They carried out

them and the people who trained them: thank you.

GORDON CUDMORE Turn to page 16 to read the full story. ... AND AT SEDGEFIELD On Thursday 30 December 2021, we went swimming at the lagoon mouth in Sedgefield. After we went in, the water suddenly became very rough and I, my husband and our five-year-old daughter were stranded, unable to get back to safety by ourselves. I would like to personally thank Leith, the NSRI lifeguard who assisted us. He did an absolutely outstanding

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

job, especially with my daughter – he pretended we were in a waterslide. Afterwards, my daughter couldn’t stop talking about the ‘best day of her life’ with lifeguard Leith.

She did not even notice the danger as he kept talking to her and distracting her.

Thank you, Leith, for your exceptional service and to Xolani, too. Thank you so much for keeping our beaches safe.

NADIA VAN DER WALT Turn to page 38 to read the full story.

HOME FOUND FOR RESCUED DOG Station 25 (Hartbeespoort Dam) station commander Arthur Crewe was pleased to share the news that ‘Sea Legs’, the dog that was rescued from drowning in the dam on Friday, 17 September, has been

adopted by long-time NSRI supporters.

Sea Legs was placed in the care of Hartbeespoort Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) where she stayed for several months before her adoption. We are all very pleased this story has a happy ending and thank the crew for saving her.

Dirk Engelbrecht is reunited with his family after a harrowing night spent in a tree on the Vaal River.

RESCUED from high water

A coordinated and lengthy search for a missing man on the Vaal River turned into a successful rescue when he was found after spending the night in a tree to escape the flood waters. By Cherelle Leong

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

RE SCU E

W

HEN STATION COMMANDER Jake Manten of Station 22

area to cover and only a few hours of daylight left to search.

(Vaal Dam) received a call on Station 22 responded to the area, 3 January 2022 to search for a missing towing its rescue runner and equipped man on the Vaal River, his heart sank. He with the NSRI ARC inflatable and swiftknew the conditions would not be favourwater rescue gear. The volunteers were able. Gauteng had been experiencing very joined on the scene by the South African high levels of rainfall during the summer Police Service, including a police diving and most of the dams and rivers were unit, as well as ER24 and Netcare 911 overflowing. The Department of Water ambulance services. and Sanitation had four of the Vaal Dam’s The water was choppy and flowing very sluice gates open at the time, adding even fast. Knowing how physically demanding larger volumes of fast-flowing water to the it would be to helm the rescue runner in already swollen river such conditions, it downstream. During was decided the crew the summer season, would rotate, taking The water was choppy and the station had been turns to run search activated for several patterns and then flowing very fast. Knowing how similar calls and few swopping out so physically demanding it would be had had a positive that they could rest to helm the rescue runner in such outcome. As Jake in between search conditions, it was decided the sent out the call to sessions. crew would rotate, taking turns activate crew, he Launching from the to run search patterns and then seriously hoped this river bank, the rescue operation would have runner crew searched swopping out so that they could a happier ending. the banks and islands rest in between search sessions.

There had been in the area. There several calls from concerned residents at was limited information on Dirk’s possible Club 12 at the dam who’d seen a man in whereabouts and the swift water could a kayak being swept downriver. On further have taken him anywhere. The one good investigation, it turned out that the missthing was that the eyewitnesses reported ing man was Dirk Engelbrecht, the CEO he appeared to be wearing a blue lifeof Wild Serve, a biodiversity conservation jacket. That would hopefully keep him NPO. In a joint venture with the South afloat long enough to be able to grab onto African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, something more solid if he was swept closDirk had launched his kayak to rescue er to the river banks or one of the islands. egrets and their nests of eggs from the While the search was underway, eyerising waters. witness reports of a kayak capsizing It was mid-afternoon, and despite the further upstream came in, so the crew longer summer days, there was a huge then expanded the search upriver for a SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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RESCU E

further 45 minutes.

The stormy weather

On 4 January, a staging area was set up on the river bank to coordinate search efforts. Station 22 was joined by SAPS, including a police diving unit, as well as ER24 ambulance service and members of AfriForum. A police helicopter also joined in the effort, to provide an aerial view.

During the search, a kayak was located wrapped around a tree. This was good news, as at least they were able to narrow down the search area. It also confirmed that the eyewitness reports of a kayak capsizing were correct. But had the casualty been strong enough to pull himself to safety out of the fast-flowing water? That remained to be seen. When 10 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

A Station 22 (Vaal Dam) crew member eagerly awaits the arrival of the rescued casualty.

the radio at the staging area crackled to life with the news that Dirk had been found, everyone held their breath as they waited for information on his condition. A shout of elation went up when the news came through: he’s alive and well – cold, tired and dehydrated, but alive.

It had taken almost three hours of searching before Dirk was found huddled in a tree about 30m from his stricken kayak. Dirk recalls how hostile the conditions were and his concern for the safety of the rescuers as they tried to reach him. ‘After three repositions, they had to reverse very skilfully through trees into a convergence of multi-directional rapids, getting within 1.5m of the tree. Anything closer would risk collision. I had to jump.’

Once aboard the rescue runner, they all headed back to the staging area.

Dirk explained that after he had capsized, he managed to remount his kayak but then was hit by rapids that smashed him side on into a large willow tree. He tipped the

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

conditions made for poor visibility and the coxswains had their hands full managing the rescue runner in the chop while keeping a lookout for anything that might resemble a kayak or a blue lifejacket.

The search continued as far downstream as Groenpunt Prison, but as the night closed in, the search was suspended. Having found nothing in almost three hours of daylight, it would have been dangerous to continue in the dark and practically impossible to find anything.

With everybody feeling somewhat despondent but still determined, the search effort was set to resume at first light the following day. The crews went home to get some rest, knowing the morning would bring with it renewed challenges.

kayak to take the impact, slipped under it

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

and got swept downstream another 30m before ‘catching a tree’. Dirk’s perch was a mere 20cm from the rushing water below.

‘My biggest concern was falling asleep in the night. I was only able to wedge one foot at a time into the fork of the tree in a standing position. I didnt have enough fabric (other than my lifejacket) to tie myself to the tree. I started dozing after 12 hours, from 2am to 5am. This happened more than a dozen times and each time I jolted. Since I was standing, I would have fallen into the rapids,’ he says. ‘I was about 300m from either bank and in a dense treed area. If I had fallen in, I would not have made it out of “Hell’s Corner”.’

Despite his ordeal, rescuers noted that Dirk, although exhausted, was calm and alert when they found him.

The mood was celebratory when the rescue runner finally cruised to a stop and nudged the shoreline where the staging area was located. Shouts of joy and applause went up as Dirk set foot on the river bank. He took a moment to thank the search and rescue crew before walking up the bank to greet his sister,

family and friends. Paramedics stood by, and during an assessment it was determined that, aside from dehydration and exhaustion, he was in good health.

Before venturing out to rescue the birds, Dirk says, his team was aware of the river characteristics. ‘We were informed and as best prepared as we could be.

This type of rescue is our work and responsibility. We do not take it lightly and would like to stress that under no circumstances should a hobbyist or sport paddler risk getting into those water conditions,’ Dirk cautions.

For the crew who had been rotating the search on the rescue runner and those supporting from land at the staging area, it was one of those priceless feel-good moments. To be able to rescue someone and return them to their family alive and well is very special.

Having a lifejacket had undoubtedly aided Dirk’s survival. The NSRI is proud to be able to work with SAPS, its diving unit and helicopter, Netcare911 ambulance service, ER24 paramedics, and the members of AfriForum, and is most appreciative of everyone’s efforts.

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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LIFEG UAR D I NG

A SAFE SUMMER SEASON

As summer draws to a close, NSRI’s Lifeguard Unit can reflect on a job well done. By Wendy Maritz

T

HE NSRI’S COMMERCIAL lifeguard season began on 1 December and teams around the country had their work cut out for them. Having endured a festive season under lockdown the year before, holidaymakers and locals alike were going to make the most of the warm weather and time off.

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

‘From the outset, the 2021/22 season was going to be a busy one,’ says head of the NSRI’s Lifeguard Unit, Stewart Seini.

He mentions the sheer volume of people on the open beaches as one reason, but the weather was also fairly erratic as La Niña caused adverse conditions including dangerous swells. ‘On most days we

‘Swim between the flags’ temporary tattoos gave the lifeguards a chance to engage with children on the beach, educating them about safe swimming areas.

experienced all four seasons in one day,’ Stewart says, ‘but people wanted to swim no matter what. So our lifeguards had to ensure constantly that they had a safe area to swim while monitoring the surf and tide conditions.’

SIGNAGE AND ‘SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS’ TATTOOS The main function of NSRI lifeguards is to provide education, prevention and rescue services on public beaches. Thanks to bright new signage and temporary tattoos, they were able to manage beachgoers and ensure their safety proactively. The lifeguards could demarcate safe swimming areas as well as indicate where it was not safe to swim owing to the presence of rip currents. With the signage in place, the lifeguards were able to focus on what was

happening in the water rather than having to spend large amounts of time pointing out safe swimming areas or explaining why certain areas were unsafe. ‘The signage did that work for us,’ Stewart says, ‘so the lifeguards could concentrate on what they do best!’

In addition, temporary ‘Swim between the flags’ tattoos were given to children on the beach. This gave the lifeguards the chance to explain to the kids the importance of only swimming between the lifeguards’ red-andyellow flags, and also never to swim where no lifeguards are on duty.

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LIFEG UAR D I NG

A BUSY, BUSY SEASON The Lifeguard Unit reported beach attend-

Lifeguards are trained in first aid and can assist beachgoers where necessary.

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

‘It was like watching Baywatch, only faster!’

After an adult male slipped and fell down a cliff at the caves near Roman Beach, Agulhas, the on-duty lifeguards were alerted and immediately called the NSRI’s EOC for medical backup while responding to the area. The lifeguards responded as far as they could in their 4x4, after which they had to grab their medical equipment and make their way down the cliff to the casualty, who had multiple large deep lacerations to his head. The lifeguards dressed the wounds, stabilised the casualty and assisted him out of the area to the waiting ambulance. The lifeguards were thanked for their prompt and professional response, with one bystander saying: ‘We looked up to see three lifeguards running with hands full of advanced medical equipment, focused on getting to the patient as quickly as possible – it was like watching Baywatch, only faster!’

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

ance of about 257 639 people over the holiday season. As of 31 January 2022, lifeguards had performed 4 805 prevention actions (those that prevent people from getting into trouble). This is an important function of the lifeguard initiative, which is a proactive one and aims to intervene before people are at risk of drowning or being injured. Actual incidents amounted to 184 rescues and 176 first-aid treatments (48 of which were due to marine stings). Eleven missing people were found and two animals rescued.

But the lifeguards didn’t only keep an eye on swimmers and beachgoers; they also monitored what was happening in the sea. ‘On 15 occasions, the lifeguards had to close the beaches due to great white shark activity close to the bathing areas,’ Stewart notes.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

Lifeguards are kitted out in bright colours and this, together with colourful signage, makes for a strong beach presence.

LOOKING OUT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES In summing up the season, Stewart says: ‘The NSRI lifeguard service supports the community by providing the highest quality lifeguarding, the best and most advanced lifeguarding equipment, beach safety and the upliftment of local community members in the areas in which we operate. They provide a service that enhances the beach amenities available, and the information and statistics that

we provide in our end-of-season report really demonstrate the dedication of our lifeguard teams. Our local area managers ensure that the lifeguards are operating at the highest standards and have all the support they need. Good management is vital to be able to run a successful service.

As an organisation, we are proud to be able to report that no lives were lost between or near the flags during the season.

This is testament to the training, capability and effectiveness of our lifeguards.’

Lifeguard stations around the country ›› Matzikama: Strandfontein Beach ›› Cederberg: Lamberts Bay, Elands Bay, Clanwilliam Dam ›› Saldanha: Saldanha Main Beach, Hoedjiesbaai, Paternoster, St Helena Bay, Leentjiesklip ›› Mykonos: At Marc’s Beach Bar, Taverna Oceanis

›› Knysna: Myoli, Sedgefield, Swartvlei, Buffels Bay, Brenton-on-Sea, Noetzie, Buffs Wild, Leisure Isle, Karatara public swimming pool ›› Kei: Kei Main Beach, Morgans Bay ›› Agulhas: Struisbaai, Struisbaai North, Roman Beach, Kassiesbaai, Bikini Beach

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RESCUE AT J-BAY

Thanks to the quick actions taken by Jeffreys Bay lifeguards, one holiday maker is alive to tell the tale of his rescue. By Cherelle Leong

O

N 19 DECEMBER 2021, Gordon Cudmore headed down to the main beach at Jeffreys Bay for a swim. J-Bay, as it’s fondly known by locals, is a favourite holiday spot for Gordon and his family. Although Gordon is asthmatic and always carries his asthma pump with him, he didn’t think a quick dip in the sea would cause him to have the most severe asthma attack he’s ever experienced.

A strong easterly wind had been blowing in J-Bay for several days, resulting in 16 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

the sea temperature being colder than usual. In addition, recent stormy seas had resulted in an abundance of red seaweed being dislodged and swept into the surf zone. Unaware of how these two factors could combine to affect his chest, Gordon entered the sea and dived in for a swim.

(He has since found out that this type of red seaweed is often a trigger for asthma.

That combined with the cold water was an almost deadly combination.) The moment he went underwater, Gordon felt his chest

L IF EGUARDIN G

close up. He surfaced to breathe, and while he could inhale, his asthma prevented him from exhaling properly. He shouted to members of his family to get his pump

Municipality lifeguard, was on duty that day, patrolling between the crowds on the shoreline.

He saw Gordon wave his hand briefly

and they rushed out of the water to do so. The pump was in their car, however, and the car park was some distance away.

Gordon realised he was in serious trouble.

Unable to breathe and in the surf zone, he realised he’d lose consciousness and risk being pulled out to sea by the currents if help didn’t come quickly.

He recalled the words he’d overheard during a lifeguard talk: ‘If you’re in trouble, raise your hands!’ He did so and looked towards the beach. Would anyone see him?

Just before he felt he was about to pass out, he saw a lifeguard look in his direction.

Ettiene van Gent, an NSRI Station 37 (Jeffreys Bay) crew member and Kouga

and nothing more. But since becoming a lifeguard in 2012, Ettiene had been trained to look at the person’s expression. From 20m away, Ettiene could clearly tell from Gordon’s face that something was wrong.

He responded immediately, wading out while at the same time shouting to his colleague Luzuko Mkubeni to come and assist.

On reaching Gordon, all he could get out of him was that he couldn’t breathe. Ettiene signaled to the lifeguards on the beach that they needed oxygen, and with Luzuko’s help, brought Gordon out of the water to rest on the beach.

Just before lifeguards Thendo Booysen and Sean du Toit arrived with the oxygen, SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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LIFEG UAR D I NG

later, after using the pump, Gordon was able to breathe again.

But the lifeguards, knowing how close he had come to drowning, didn’t stop their care. Working as a team, they checked his vitals, constantly talking to him, letting him know what they were doing. Once he felt stronger, Gordon wanted to get up and leave, but the lifeguards’ calm and confident manner convinced him rather to sit and rest a while and let his body recover.

They even offered to drive him up to the car park on the quadbike.

Gordon is full of admiration for how quickly and professionally the Kouga Municipality lifeguards acted that day. He has no doubt that had Ettiene not been on full alert, he easily could have gone under and no-one would have noticed. His life was saved thanks to a quick reaction and the knowledge of how to respond.

This was not the first time Gordon was impressed by the actions of the J-Bay lifeguards (and he openly admits that he’s hard to impress).

In 2019, while enjoying a family holiday in peak season, they were on the beach, which was packed. Crowds of people swarmed on the beach and waded in the water. From a distance, it seemed like 18 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

Top left: Gordon Cudmore.

Above: Lifeguards Luzuko Mkubeni and Ettiene van Gent.

chaos. Suddenly, the sound of a whistle got everyone’s attention. The lifeguards were instructing people to move back into the swimming zone. In no time at all, the chaos was transformed into a more orderly and controlled crowd. There were still many people in the water, enjoying the waves, but now it would be easier for the lifeguards to keep watch and keep everyone safe.

The Kouga Municipality lifeguards were trained (pre-season) under the auspices of the NSRI Lifeguard Unit.

PHOTOGRAPHS: UNSPLASH.COM/JANILSON FURTADO, SUPPLIED

Gordon’s family returned with his asthma pump. Twenty seconds

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Here’s to the NSRI’s

PINK RESCUE BUOYS! NSRI Drowning Prevention

manager Andrew Ingram shares the events around yet another successful rescue using a Pink Rescue Buoy, this time at Cannon Rocks in the Eastern Cape.

N

IALL CAMERON HAS spent much of his life in or on the ocean. On Christmas Day 2021, he got a call from a mate down the road on the beachfront of the swimming bay at Cannon Rocks.

‘Have you got eyes on the ocean?’ the friend asked.

Running outside, Niall saw two men in the water, far off the beach, close to Port Alfred. It appeared they had

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Niall tells us what happened next: ‘When I ran out onto our front lawn, I saw two guys about 400m out. Far off the back line. It looked to me like they had been knocked off a fishing kayak and caught in a very strong rip current. An erratic and tumultuous southeastern swell was running, with 2.5m sets coming through. They were in a dangerous situation.

‘Realising the urgency, I asked my wife, Tess, to go to my Land Rover and fetch my long carbon spearfishing fins. I also asked Ngoni, a visitor from Zimbabwe who does not know the ocean, to run to the bay and get me the Pink Rescue Buoy and then to meet me in front of our house at the water’s edge.

‘Knowing that the ocean was cold – about 15˚C – I donned my full-length wetsuit, took swimming goggles and ran down to the water. Ngoni had pulled the whole Pink Rescue Buoy support pole out of the ground and ran to meet me at the beach.

Moments later, I chose a line to swim out, using the rip current, and soon reached the two guys,’ says Niall.

In danger of drowning were two brothers, Johannesburg residents who had been visiting Cannon Rocks since their childhood. It later turned out that the one had seen his brother capsize his fishing kayak and, realising that he was unable to remount, decided to swim out to help him.

A local surfer and a friend of Niall, Andre van der Spuy, had also seen the danger that the two men were in and responded on his long board. On reaching them, Andre asked the stronger of the two 20 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

To date, 109 people have been rescued with the aid of a Pink Rescue Buoy.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ABIGAIL CLARK/UNSPLASH, SUPPLIED

capsized and had been separated from their fishing kayak.

RE SCU E

brothers to hold onto his surfboard while he paddled him back to the beach.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ABIGAIL CLARK/UNSPLASH, SUPPLIED

Niall carries on: ‘Meanwhile I passed the Pink Buoy to the man who had capsized.

He was exhausted and held it under his chest while I finned on my back using the Pink Buoy rope and harness to pull hard, keeping a couple of metres between us, so that I could still watch and talk to him.

I was confident that, once we could get into the surf zone, we could use the waves to reach the shore.

‘The whole event took the best part of a 30-minute hard swim, followed by a twohour stabilisation on the beach, where he was treated for Ashlynn Wilkins and Niall hypothermia and Cameron help the casualty severe fatigue. onto the beach.

‘There were many trips back and forth to our house by my 12-year-old son Jesse to fetch towels, my oxygen kit and digital thermometer, as well as hot sweet black tea. The medical help from Ashlynn Wilkins, a fellow beachgoer and paramedic student, ensured we had all we needed. A doctor eventually came and we got the casualty off the beach to the ambulance in a mate’s 4x4. It was a close call. But another life was saved using a Pink Rescue Buoy,’ says Niall. ‘Thanks to all the Cannon Rocks locals for helping and keeping a keen eye on the ocean.’

According to NSRI Drowning Prevention manager Andrew Ingram, this was

The whole event took the best part of a 30-minute hard swim, followed by a two-hour stabilisation on the beach, where he was treated for hypothermia and severe fatigue.

the 84th person they know of who has been rescued using a Pink Rescue Buoy.

‘I was so proud of our programme when I spoke to the casualty about his rescue,’ he says. “I am very grateful the Pink Buoy was there. It really did save my life,” the casualty shared with Andrew.

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‘JUST THE TICKET’ TO SAVING LIVES

WIN PLUS YOUR CHANCE TO

ST 2 CARS 2 ND 1 CAR 1 PRIZE PRIZE valued at over R1 million

Winner drawn December 2022

3PRIZERD 1 CAR

Winner drawn July 2022

EASY WAYS TO ENTER: A ticket costs just R800 • Visit www.nsri.org.za/support-us • Contact Dina on 021 430 4703 or carcomp@searescue.org.za • Scan the codes alongside

NSRI CAR COMPETITION FULL PG ADT 210x148mm FA.indd 1

2022/03/18 6:36 AM

6 AM

KIDS’ CLUB Fun, games and lessons for our younger members.

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Once you have found the words, write us a water safety story using all the words in the puzzle. Send it to info@searescue.org.za. If you’re chosen as the winner, a hamper of prizes will be on its way to you.

Find the words Use the grid of letters on the left to find the following words: Lifeguard Shallow Buddy Deep Swim Dive Pool Drowning Flags Emergency Waves Carefully

Write us a story using all the words from the puzzle.

Competition closes on 20 June 2022.

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CROSSWORD 1.

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ACROSS: 1. Another word for dangers. (7) 2. The lifeguard ______ after people swimming in the sea. (5) 3. Parents of children must always __________ them near or in the water. (9) 4. To fill a bag with items before travel. (4) DOWN: 1. Word used to greet a friend. (5)

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Lessons from Nev and Peggy Our lovable characters Nev the turtle and Peggy the penguin continue to teach children at early childhood development (ECD) centres and schools around the country about water safety. Nev is always well behaved, while the very cheeky Peggy wants to go swimming unsupervised. Peggy ends up giving in to temptation and gets into trouble. The children can understand why Peggy wants to swim when it gets so hot, but they’re now also learning some very important lessons from the two friends.

THESE ARE:

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We only swim if a grown-up is supervising us.

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We call an adult to assist if we find that someone is in trouble in the water.

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Dial 112 in the event of an emergency.

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NOT SUCH A WHALE OF A TIME

The past few months have

been busy ones for Station 34 (Yzerfontein) with several callouts for whale disentanglements.

By Cherelle Leong

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HE WEST COAST of South Africa is home to a wealth of marine

they located the 8m juvenile humpback whale, which appeared to be anchored to

wildlife, and this past summer saw the relatively rare occurrence of a superpod of humpback whales. The pod of up to 200 individuals was seen just off Cape Town’s Atlantic beaches from Camps Bay to Scarborough. Marine biologists believe this unusual congregation is due to a combination of plankton blooms and other ocean conditions. A few years back the decline in whale numbers had been cause for concern, but seeing this many animals signals that humpback whale populations are recovering, which is exceptionally good news.

For Station 34 (Yzerfontein), it was a busier-than-usual season for whale disentanglement calls. These cases peaked in the first week of February, when the station managed three disentanglements in only four days and another a week later.

The first call came in on 1 February at 08h15 from a trawler just south of Dassen Island. Station commander Andre

the seabed, presumably by a rope wrapped around its caudal peduncle (the tapered region between the dorsal and tail fins).

When a second whale appeared close to some surface buoys nearby, the crew initially thought it may also be entangled, but were soon able to confirm this wasn’t the case once it was observed diving and swimming away.

The entangled whale, on the other hand, couldn’t raise its tail and wasn’t spending much time at the surface. To complicate matters, the water was so murky, the crew couldn’t make out the configuration of the ropes and buoys. Working alongside a distressed giant was hard enough without having to guess which lines to cut where.

A grappling hook was used to hook the line below the buoy and pull the rescue vessel closer so that a kegging buoy could be attached to prevent the whale from diving deeper. Using the lines, several unsuccessful

Livingstone-Louw placed Station 34 crew on standby while waiting for a member of SAWDN from Cape Town to join the operation. Thirty minutes after launching,

attempts were made to pull the whale’s tail closer to the surface so that the line could be cut free. Before they could try again, the crew had to divert to evacuate a patient

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ENVI R ONM ENT

Returning later, the crew found the whale still entangled but the kegging buoy gone. The whale was also even more agitated and slapped the water with its tail when the rescuers attempted to pull up the line to cut it. It was going to require patience and some careful manoeuvring to get the whale free. The trailing line was first cut shorter to prevent further entanglement. Then two more cuts were made, one close to the left flipper, which brought the tail closer to the surface, and finally a cut could be made close to the caudal peduncle, allowing the whale to swim free.

A whale disentanglement is a timeconsuming task, requiring patience and skill.

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AT 07H35 ON 2 FEBRUARY, the same trawler called in reports of two more whale entanglements in a similar location, roughly three nautical miles apart.

Station 34 put out a call for assistance from the other stations in Cape Town, as some of their crew members couldn’t take a second day off work. Crew responded from NSRI Head Office and Station 18 (Melkbosstrand). Arriving at the coordinates that had been given, they were unable to locate any whales.

A circular search was initiated, starting from the point where the second whale was last seen. Forty minutes later, a 9.5m juvenile humpback whale was located. It had lines wrapped around its body, behind the dorsal fin, and through its mouth.

While the lines anchored the whale to the seabed, they were long enough to enable the whale to dive and swim in a large circle, so it would disappear for two to five minutes at a time. This made for a very challenging disentanglement operation. Two kegging buoys

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

from a vessel and the disentanglement operation was put on hold temporarily.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

were attached to the line at 30m and 5m from the knotted lines. But every time the vessel came close enough to cut the line, the whale would get agitated and try swim away. There was no choice but to back off and wait until the whale relaxed enough for another approach. It was more than an hour after arriving at the scene that the volunteers were finally able to cut the line near the animal’s mouth. As the vessel repositioned for a second cut, crew members noticed that the whale had managed to free itself from the rest of the entanglement, and it wasted no time disappearing into the big blue.

Knowing there was another entangled whale out there, the Yzerfontein crew launched a search the following day, 3 February, but no whale could be found.

Then on Monday 7 February another call came in of a whale caught in the lines southwest of Dassen Island. Station 18 responded to assist Station 34 once more, this time joined by Station 4 (Mykonos).

Arriving on the scene, they found an exhausted 7.5m juvenile humpback pinned

down by lines wrapped around its tail and through its mouth. Two kegging buoys were attached, but as the first cut was made to the left of the whale, it dived, snapping both kegging buoy lines in the process. Even when the whale resurfaced, poor water visibility was making it difficult to locate and cut the line wrapped around the tail. Several attempts were made to lift the tail section closer to the surface, but no such luck. A call was made to the trawler to come and assist. While waiting for them to arrive, the volunteers made a last-ditch attempt to lift the tail line close enough to the surface to make a quick cut. This time the cut was successful, yet the whale remained motionless for a while. Then, with a sudden quick movement, it swam free.

For the crew this was an emotional moment. The entire operation had taken almost three hours to complete. To see a whale exhausted, frustrated and trapped is hard, but being able to help cut it free is indescribable. No matter how many disentanglements NSRI and SAWDN complete, each one remains memorable.

NSRI AUTUMN 2022

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NEWS

ORC NR 3 HEADS HOME TO STATION 17 (HERMANUS) AT the end of 2021, crew from Station 17 (Hermanus) sailed their brand-new 14.8m offshore rescue vessel (ORC) from Cape Town Harbour to Hermanus, accompanied for part of the journey by the NSRI’s

Class 1 coxswain Stephan Malherbe: ‘It’s enormous, wider, and a third longer than the Breede. But once you get to know her, she is amazing. Very secure, very stable, very manoeuvrable, and very com-

Executive Director of Capital Projects, Mark Hughes. It was an unforgettable journey that culminated in an unforgettable welcome by fellow crew, friends and members of the public at Hermanus Harbour. This is the third ORC in the NSRI’s fleet and the first one built in its entirety in South Africa.

fortable. The wheelhouse is separate from the hull, so it’s also quiet. Plus we have access to technology we didn’t have before, which makes finding casualties easier.’

Class 1 coxswain Jean le Roux: ‘It’s a privilege and an honour to be able to ride this vessel.’

HANDLING THE ORC This is what the crew had to say about their new vessel: Station commander Andre Barnard: ‘It’s state of the art and very comfortable to helm. If you close the hatch to the cabin, it’s nice and quiet, which is great for communications between crew and other entities.’

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OWH

‘The new ORC 15m fleet rejuvenates an ageing stock, providing better range, crew comfort, capacity and response to all maritime emergencies.

The south coast of South Africa is exposed to the southern ocean, it’s hostile and open, and so having a safe vessel in Hermanus is key to our capacity to respond under austere conditions. We are very proud that these vessels are made possible by an entire community of South African individuals and Station 17’s ORC is the third in the NSRI’s fleet and the first one built in its entirety in SA.

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NEWS NEW BASES THE NSRI’s proactive approach to water safety has included identifying drowning hotspots around the country and introducing a rescue presence in those areas. This is not without its challenges, especially in smaller and more remote towns, like those on the Wild Coast. Key people are needed to champion the cause of establishing a base, meeting with community members and leaders, municipalities and the SAPS, among others. It can be a long process, but it’s certainly a worthwhile one. Over the past year, five new stations were opened in areas that are traditionally frequented by locals and visitors and that until the 2021/22 holiday season had had no rescue-service presence. These include Kei Mouth (Station 47), Mdumbi (Station 49), Storms River (Station 46), Station 45 (Strandfontein, West Coast) as well as the

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Above: Mdumbi on the Wild Coast is now home to Station 49. Below: Training day for the crew.

station at Port St Johns (Station 28) that was reopened.

This year, the NSRI is planning to establish bases at St Helena Bay on the West Coast, Hole-in-the-Wall on the Wild Coast and at Gariep Dam in the Free State. There are already about 10 individuals willing to assist with the start-up at the latter, due to the incidence of fatal drownings and issues related to the increase in boating activity.

A satellite station is also being planned for Gqeberha, and Station 50 (Umhlanga) was recently launched in conjunction with Station 5 (Durban).

Training days included scenario training out at sea.

Below: Leeroy Caswell, Graeme Harding and Mark Caswell.

TRAINING DAYS ON ST HELENA ISLAND EVERY two years, NSRI Training Manager Graeme Harding travels to St Helena in the mid-Atlantic to conduct training with the St Helena Sea Rescue service crew. The station was established after the airport was built on the island in 2015 and has a permanently

and collision regulations exams,’ Graeme explains. ‘They also have access to our e-learning portal, so they can continue with training in this capacity.’ Graeme spent a month and a half on the island – leaving Cape Town on 4 December 2021 on the cargo ship the MV Helena, and returning on 24 January. He was fortunate to be able to enjoy Christmas and New Year on the island, which ‘are a big deal’ for the Saints, as the residents of St Helena are called.

employed crew of eight and several auxiliary crew members who assist when needed.

They’re led by Simon Wade, who has been station manager since the start of the service. Training days started with boat checks, as they are a running service, followed by lectures till lunchtime, after which the crew would do practical training. The days would end with the obligatory boat cleaning.

‘The training included navigation, radar training and scenario training. Basically, we’re getting the new crew up to speed and refreshing skills for the established crew.

We were busy for about eight hours a day, and followed the same training protocols we do at home. Crew also wrote the navigation SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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NEWS

MORE DROWNING PREVENTION INITIATIVES THE City of Cape Town and NSRI’s Drowning Prevention Department recently launched a Learn-to-Swim programme at Athlone swimming pool. ‘Only 15% of South Africans can swim,’ says Jill Fortuin, Executive Director of Drowning Prevention at the NSRI. ‘This, together with the World Health Organization’s Framework for Drowning Prevention, has been a key motivating factor in our drive to improve swimming skills and aid in decreasing the incidence of drowning in our country.’

Approximately 30 learners from Athlone Primary attended the launch. Other schools participating in the programme include Silverlea Primary School, and Peak View and Ned Doman High Schools. The programme will be offered at no cost to participants as part of the City of Cape 34 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

Attendees at the launch of the Learn-to-Swim programme that aims to teach swimming skills to children.

Town’s investment in youth development through recreation.

The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department has invested approximately R97 000 to establish the Learn-toSwim programme. In addition, the NSRI’s swimming education services are also provided at Strandfontein Pavilion Tidal Pool and Retreat Pool, and will be expanding to further locations in 2022.

The goal is to ensure that every municipal pool has this service as part of its offering.

SCHOOL COLOURS FOR LIFEGUARDING

The first Melkbosstrand High School learners who received their colours.

STATION 18 (Melkbosstrand) and Melkbosstrand High School are collaborating and acknowledging lifeguarding as an extramural activity for which scholars can receive their school colours.

In 2018, not long after the NSRI established the first lifeguard unit at Station 18, then station commander Rhine Barnes discovered that Melkbosstrand High School awarded school colours to their learners for achievements beyond the school environment.

Following a discussion with one of the teachers, a former trainee at Station 18, a formal meeting was arranged with the school’s senior personnel. At this meeting Rhine was able to share with them the requirements, effort and dedication it takes

who had qualified as lifeguards with their half-colours.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many activities had to be placed on hold, so no half-colours or colours were awarded. But on 3 March 2022, after just three days on the job, new station commander Hein Köhne had the honour and privilege of handing over half-colours to those lifeguards who had qualified and full colours to those who qualified as rescue crew.

Many of these lifeguards and rescue crew also act as the school’s first-aiders for the many sporting activities at the school and, as noted by one of the teachers, the learners who are with the NSRI can be identified, as they are more disciplined and they are always ready to get involved and help wherever they can.

It would be great to see more schools

to qualify as a lifeguard and to qualify as an NSRI crew member.

The school asked for a written proposal, which was duly sent, and a decision was made that any learner who qualifies as an NSRI lifeguard would be awarded school half-colours while those learners who qualify as NSRI rescue crew would be awarded full colours. (This is due to the qualifications and sea time required to qualify as rescue crew.) Melkbosstrand High School believed that the service their learners could provide to the community would reflect the ethos of the school.

This initiative proved a success and in 2018 Rhine was asked to present learners

up and down our coast recognising learners for their achievements within the communities where they reside. NSRI rescue stations could consider talking to the local high schools where similar programmes could be adopted. Not only does this provide a feeder route into the NSRI but it also gives our young people a sense of purpose.

Not only do our young crew honour themselves with this achievement, they honour their parents, their schools and, of course, their rescue stations.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@searescue.org should you require any information in this regard.

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SPONSOR NEWS ALEX BLAIKIE MUSEUM GETS A FACE-LIFT

WE’D like to thank Mike Bird from T+T Building Contractors in Knysna for doing the much-needed maintenance on the Alex Blaikie Museum at Station 12 (Knysna). The museum houses the 8m wooden rescue craft Alex Blaikie that was built in 1976 at Thesen’s Boatyard in Knysna. The vessel was in service for 32 years and retired in 2008.

Mike took it upon himself to find donors to supply the material needed, after which he repainted the entire shed, replaced electrical lights and fitted props to the Alex Blaikie. Mike’s company did all the work at no charge to the NSRI. Thanks to Mike and T+T Building Contractors for their support of the NSRI and for caring for our history.

LIFE HEALTH ONBOARD WE’RE pleased to announce that Life Health Solutions has come onboard as a Platinum Sponsor, concentrating on employee health and wellness. We were looking for a partner that could provide a wellness solution for our volunteer crew, volunteer and paid lifeguards and support staff, especially considering the emotional, mental and physical challenges they face. It was important that we found the right match in a professional partner to ensure our staff and crews are taken care of, in their roles as rescuers, and in their personal lives.

Life Health Solutions is proud to contribute to saving lives on South African waters 36 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

in this way. ‘This invaluable NPO’s dedication to saving lives through drowning prevention reflects our own commitment to compassion, excellence and a spirit of giving to those in our care. The NSRI is serviced by brave volunteers who put their lives at risk every day to save the lives of others, which is why we are so proud to have the opportunity to support them,’ says Nicole Corbin, Chief Executive Officer of Life Health Solutions.

PLATINUM PARTNERS

THANKS TO THE NATIONAL LOTTERIES COMMISSION THE National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has been supporting the NSRI since 2008. In the past, the grants funded new rescue vessels and vehicles, which had a significant impact on our reactive rescue services.

More recently the funding has gone towards our Water Safety Education and Survival Swimming programmes. The latter was created to prevent a drowning emergency when a child falls into water.

The programme covers four basic skills: breath control, orientation in the water, floating, and moving at least five metres (to reach safety). Our Survival Swimming lessons are run for groups of three students over a series of 13 lessons. The final test for the students once they have completed the lessons will be to demonstrate getting to safety out of deep water while wearing clothes. When this is achieved, we have avoided an emergency situation and the catastrophic disaster of another child drowning.

We thank the NLC for their loyal support of the NSRI. Both initiatives will save lives through drowning prevention.

THANK YOU FOR THE DONATIONS RECEIVED IN MEMORY OF: Hazel Humphreys, L Snyman, Heather (Bonnie) Frantz, Rob Barker, Geoff Sonnenberg, Ian Madden, Theodore Yach, Ann Claassen, Margaret Robinson, Brian Rogers, Dr Stanley Dubowitz, Don Perry, Rod Johnston, Malcolm Wright (crew at Station 17, Hermanus), Herbert Syre, Janet Feather and her son Mark Feather, Neil Jackson, Maggie Flint, Mark Koen, Stuart Heyns, Leon and Shirley Stein, Louise Fowler, Patricia James, Hans Klein, Pat Downing.

IN HONOUR OF: David Abromowitz (80th birthday), Theresa (birthday), Cowell Family (50th anniversary), Jane Ewing (birthday), Ali Wacher & Steve du Plessis (marriage), Piet

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNERS Denso / Barpro / Richards Bay Coal Terminal / Bearfish (Pty) Ltd / A&M Logistics / AMTEC / Marine Solutions / VVM Inc / HBS Aluminium Systems (Pty) Ltd / RF Design / Cohesive Capital (Pty) Ltd / Mix Telematics International (Pty) Ltd / Press Spinning & Stamping Co / Hoegh Autoliners (Pty) Ltd / Producer Ally (Pty) Ltd / Damen Shipyards Cape Town (Pty) Ltd / Ruwekus Fishing (Pty) Ltd / Marlyn Vulindlela (Pty) Ltd / Macs Maritime Carrier Shipping (Pty) Ltd / AMSOL / Freddy Hirsch Group / NCS Resins / Resolve Salvage & Fire (Pty) Ltd / Two Oceans Aquarium Trust / SMD Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd

and Amanda (marriage), Pete Shaw (60th birthday).

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‘LET’S PRETEND WE’RE ON A WATER SLIDE’ Lifeguards often have to find novel ways to help people, especially children who find themselves in trouble in the water. One lifeguard’s actions will forever be etched in the mind and heart of a little girl he helped during the December holidays. By Wendy Maritz

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VER THE 2021/22 summer season, the NSRI Lifeguard Unit and NSRI-trained municipal lifeguards had their largest ever presence on beaches around the country. Kitted in red and yellow, and based at bright gazebos with flags indicating safe swimming areas, the lifeguards busied themselves educating beachgoers, keeping an eye on people swimming and assisting those who got into difficulty. They were a welcome presence, for locals and holiday makers, many of whom noted they felt so much safer with the lifeguards on the beaches. We know this from the flood of letters NSRI Head Office received during and after the holiday season. Many of these singled out special individuals who had made a marked impression, not only by helping people in difficulty to safety, but doing so in a remarkable way.

The Van der Walt family from Gauteng was on holiday in Sedgefield. It’s something they do every year, as Nadia van der 38 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

L IF EGUARDIN G

Left: Lia having fun with her dad, Fanie.

Above: Lifeguards Xolani Qakatayo, Jaylene Engelbrecht and Leith Wardlaw with lifeguard trainer Mike Woods.

Walt’s sister, Jessica, lives in the town, and holiday time means family time. On 30 December, Nadia, her husband, Fanie, their daughter, Liamica, and Jessica went down to the beach and settled down at a spot near the lagoon mouth. Nadia recalls that Jessica, who frequents the beach fairly often, was thrilled to see that there were lifeguards on duty.

‘The water at the lagoon mouth was quite calm,’ Nadia says, so she, Fanie and Liamica, equipped with floaties, paddled their way across to the other side. ‘The idea was to paddle straight back again,’ she says. But, after reaching the bank, the family noticed the water becoming increasingly rough. ‘It was very unsettling,’ Nadia says, ‘and we didn’t want to risk

going back, especially with Lia. Then we realised we were the only people on this side of the lagoon, and everybody was looking at us.’ Nadia could see the lifeguards helping people out of the lagoon on the main beach side. This quick-rising turbulent water had caught quite a few people off guard.

Sensing danger, Lia began to cry. ‘She was super-scared,’ Nadia says. But, thankfully, a lifeguard had seen the stricken family, and signalled to them to sit tight; he’d come for them as soon as he’d helped the people on his side of the lagoon to safety.

The water, in fact, was estimated to be flowing at around 25km/h, so the decision to wait for help was the right one. The lifeguard, Leith Wardlaw, had just assisted another family with a young child. ‘It was spring tide and high tide, so the water was flowing fast,’ he recalls. One of my fellow SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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LIFEG UAR D I NG

lifeguards said there were more people stranded on the other

“Have you ever been on a water slide?” I asked. She shook her head and her mom reminded her about the time they went water-sliding. I said, “Well, this is gonna be just like a water slide and we’re gonna have a lot of fun. Are you ready?” She nodded her head and seemed to stop crying.

‘I guided the family to an eddy formed by a sand bank where the water was calmer. I told Lia to hold on to the torpedo buoy while we edged into the water and as soon as we got in, she started laughing. We calmly floated downstream while crossing. I assured Lia that we were safe while crossing and when I asked her age, she said that she was five years old. We 40 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

Above: Lia having fun on the beach at Sedgefield.

Above right: Nadia and Lia.

were deposited a few hundred metres downstream, and once I was sure that the family was safe, I left to go assist with more rescues.’

The relieved family were reunited with Jessica, who had watched events unfold with some concern. Little Lia, now safe thanks to ‘lifeguard Leith’ could not stop talking about what had happened. Nadia finds it miraculous that her child, who had been quite hysterical, had been calmed down by the gentle lifeguard. ‘In the end she was chatting to him and laughing, and probably didn’t even notice we were crossing the river,’ Nadia smiles. ‘And I can’t believe he’s only 18 years old!’ she adds.

‘What I saw on the beach that day just amazed me,’ she says. ‘One moment

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

side, so I went upstream, swam across the turbulent water to reach the family, and offered to escort them back across the river.’ Nadia and Fanie explained to Lia that the lifeguard was there to help them, but she was inconsolable.

‘I was not prepared to take a distressed child across dangerous waters,’ Leith explains. ‘So I knelt down in front of her and said, “Hello, my name’s Leith, what’s yours?’’ She did not reply and her mom said that her name was Liamica and that I could call her Lia. I then said, “Well, hello, Lia, are you scared?” She was still crying and didn’t answer. I continued, “I just helped another boy, about your age, across the river and we actually had a lot of fun.”

She looked interested and stopped crying.

‘What I saw on the beach that day just amazed me,’ she says. ‘One moment the water was calm, the next it was a mess. The lifeguards

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

helped a lot of people that day.’

the water was calm, the next it was a mess. The lifeguards helped a lot of people that day.’

Leith attributes the success of the rescues to the lifeguard team on duty.

‘We executed 30 rescues in the span of two hours. We would not have been so successful on that day, or any day, if it were not for the team,’ he says.

It was a memorable day for sure, but for Leith it was quite special that Lia asked her mom to please take her to him to say thank you and goodbye before they left Sedgefield after their holiday. ‘It meant a lot as she is quite shy,’ Leith shares.

‘Lia didn’t stop talking about “lifeguard Leith” for the rest of our time in Sedgefield,’ Nadia says. The mom of two will forever be grateful to Leith, but the bigger picture impresses her as well. ‘The lifeguards were so attentive; having them

there makes you feel safe, especially if you have children. It changes the whole beach experience,’ she enthuses.

For Leith, a Sedgefield local, lifeguarding is hugely rewarding. Depending on conditions, there are usually between two and five lifeguards on duty. On quieter days, when beach attendance is low, the lifeguards often engage with the children on the beach. ‘Entertaining the kids on calm days is really fun, especially splashing around with the small ones,’ he says. ‘Helping people is why we do this,’ he says, but also admits that swimming in rough water to assist people is quite thrilling. Overall, lifeguarding reinforces the idea that it’s better to prepare for and prevent hazardous situations than having to take part in a rescue or administer first aid. ‘Lifeguarding is a job that requires constant observation and alertness to ensure that when an incident occurs it is noticed and dealt with as soon as possible.

Competency in one’s skills and knowledge are important to ensure maximum safety on the beach or other water area. The job can be a lot of fun, with a new adventure every day and many interesting people to meet,’ he concludes.

Heroes don’t necessarily have to wear capes, sometimes they’re dressed in red wetsuits… One little girl certainly thinks so.

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SHY GUYS

Naturalist Georgina Jones delves into the world of shysharks and reveals a fish whose name tells us a great deal about its lifestyle and habitat.

O

CCASIONALLY, BEACH WALKERS find small smooth brown or striped pouches cast up on the sand.

They’re rectangular and have tightly curled tendrils at their edges. They’re usually empty and may have a small hole in them or, in some cases, be entirely open at one end. These are mermaid’s purses and they’re the capsules in which baby shysharks begin their lives.

Shysharks, or catsharks, are so named because of their habit, when threatened, of curling up into a defensive circle with 42 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

their tails over their faces. The idea is possibly to make it more difficult for a predator to swallow them. Certainly, to human observers, it makes them seem rather more cute than anything else.

The catshark family is a large one, including more than 150 species, and members are found in almost every ocean habitat, though many are found only in deep water. At least 17 species live in Southern African waters and luckily for local divers, most of those are inshore shallow water species. The average size

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Left: A puffadder shyshark peeks out from behind some feather stars. Above left: Just hatched, a fuzzy baby shyshark. Above right: Pyjama catsharks have nasal barbels that help them detect their prey.

worms, octopus and squid, echinoderms, snails and occasionally kelp or algae.

They are all relatively long-lived, and can survive to at least 22 years of age.

They’re mostly nocturnal, and are usually seen under overhangs or in caves having a snooze during the day though they can also be out and about, investigating the reefs for food or mates. In our waters, mating seems

is about 80cm, though they can be as small as 30cm or grow up to 160cm in total length depending on species. They have the standard shark body format of two dorsal fins, one anal fin and a lower eyelid that closes up against the upper eyelid. Their eyes, though, are like cats’ eyes with vertical slit pupils, and are apparently unique to each animal in pattern.

Though they’re somewhat lacking in the big teeth area, shysharks are predators that eat small bony fishes, crustaceans,

to take place year round, again, unlike the catsharks in other parts of the world, which have definite breeding seasons.

Mating can be rather an arduous process for the males, though at first glance it seems that the females have the worst of it. The male begins by biting the female and changing his grip until he has her firmly by the pectoral fin. This ensures leverage for inserting his clasper(s) for fertilisation. The biting, however, doesn’t appear to affect the females, and it is the males that land up with bleeding or grazed claspers, which then calcify with age.

The female meanwhile develops the fertilised eggs in cases in her oviducts and SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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ENVI R ONM ENT

in due course lays two (or occasionally more)

inside the case. Sometimes though, shining a torch onto one side of the mermaid’s

Above: A recently-hatched dark shyshark and a finger for a size comparison.

purse and looking into it from the other side will reveal the little shark swimming around inside the egg case as it grows, connected to the yolk. Other times, the egg cases are empty, either because the baby shark has grown and left, or else because the contents may have been eaten by snails, starfish or other sharks – the yolk and shark embryo make a desirable meal.

If the mermaid’s purse remains intact though, when the baby is big enough, typically after several months, it chews its way out of the case and swims off, as a mostly functioning shark. At this stage fatal accidents can easily befall them: one baby hatched in an aquarium was speedily eaten by a waiting anemone.

In fact, the just-emerged babies are adorably terrible swimmers, bumping into anything in their paths. Whether this is because they need to practise their swimming or whether they simply haven’t quite got the hang of how their eyes work is anyone’s guess. They’re also covered with what looks like a short fuzz, and watching them bumble around is enough to convert anyone to thinking of the shysharks as entirely delightful.

Left: You can’t swallow me! A puffadder shyshark makes a defensive circle.

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SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

PHOTOGRAPHS: GEORGINA JONES

mermaid’s purses. The tendrils emerge first and, watching laying behaviour, it looks as though they irritate the female as she then swims to a gorgonian or a kelp holdfast and slowly swims in circles around it. This may help with pulling the egg case out of her body. A couple more twirls of tendril follow on after the egg case proper has emerged, and these then secure the purse against a support for the incubation of the baby catshark. In the case of the shysharks, the attachments often seem rather casual, with egg cases seen dangling from sea fans or rolling around with reef debris.

Initially, the yolk is clearly visible through the walls of the mermaid’s purse. As time goes on, the larger egg cases become encrusted with many different forms of life, from barnacles to limpets to moss animals, making it difficult to see what is going on

FISH TALES

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Have some fun and colour in the shyshark in your favourite colour!

Shysharks are fascinating creatures that have clever ways of hiding from predators.

Test your knowledge and see how many of the questions you can answer. Don’t peek at the answers.

1. What is the name given to the capsules in which baby shysharks begin their lives?

2. What is another name for shyshark?

3. Name three things shysharks like to eat.

4. What are shysharks covered with when they are born?

5. How does a baby shyshark get out of its shell case?

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Find the words

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See if you can find the following words:

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Shyshark Purse Snail Habitat Kelp

Cave Teeth Squid Fin Reef

Answers: 1.. A mermaid’s purse 2. Catshark 3. Small bony fish, crustaceans, worms, octopus, squid and snails 4. Short fuzz 5. It chews its way out SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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NSRI BASE LOCATIONS The NSRI is manned by more than 1 350 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.

43 Port Nolloth

NORTHERN CAPE

Strandfontein (West Coast) Lambert’s Bay

45 24

4 Mykonos Yzerfontein Bakoven Hout Bay

ASR

Kommetjie Simon’s Town Strandfontein Monwabisi (Satellite)

34

WESTERN CAPE

Melkbosstrand

18 29 3 Table Bay Mossel 2 16 9 38 Theewaterskloof Dam 8 10 26 42 31 Hermanus 33

17

30

Kleinmond Gordon’s Bay Strand (Satellite)

46 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

Witsand

Agulhas

Bay 15

Knysna 23

12

Wilderness Sedgefield (Satellite) Still Bay

14

46

25 Hartbeespoort Dam

35 Witbank Dam 27 Gauteng

NORTH WEST

MPUMALANGA

22 Vaal Dam

KWAZULUNATAL

FREE STATE

St Lucia

Richards Bay

40

19

41 50

Durban 5 39 20 32

Ballito Umhlanga

Rocky Bay

Shelly Beach

Port Edward

Port St Johns [Aux] 28

EASTERN CAPE

49

Kei Mouth [Aux]

47

Mdumbi [Aux]

7 East London Plettenberg Bay

46

11 Storms River Port Alfred [Aux] 6 37 Port Elizabeth 36

21

Jeffreys Bay St Francis Bay

Oyster Bay

Save these numbers under emergency contacts in your phone: • your closest NSRI station • NSRI’S EOC: 087 094 9774 Alternatively call 112 in the event of an emergency

Find a location on this map or on our website nsri.org.za

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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GENERAL NEEDS 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

› › › › › › › ›

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

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

RESCUE BASES NORTHERN CAPE 43 063 698 8971 Port Nolloth WESTERN CAPE 45 066 586 7992 Standfontein (Matzikama) 24 060 960 3027 Lambert’s Bay 04 082 990 5966 Mykonos 34 082 990 5974 Yzerfontein 18 082 990 5958 Melkbosstrand 03 082 990 5963 Table Bay 02 082 990 5962 Bakoven 08 082 990 5964 Hout Bay 26 082 990 5979 Kommetjie 29 082 990 5980 Air Sea Rescue 10 082 990 5965 Simon’s Town 16 082 990 6753 Strandfontein 09 072 448 8482 Gordon’s Bay 42 063 699 2765 Kleinmond 17 082 990 5967 Hermanus 38 072 446 6344 Theewaterskloof Dam 30 082 990 5952 Agulhas 33 082 990 5957 Witsand 31 082 990 5978 Still Bay 15 082 990 5954 Mossel Bay 23 082 990 5955 Wilderness 12 082 990 5956 Knysna 14 082 990 5975 Plettenberg Bay

EASTERN CAPE 46 076 092 2465 36 082 990 5968 21 082 990 5969 37 079 916 0390 06 082 990 0828 11 082 990 5971 49 087 094 9774 47 076 100 2829 07 082 990 5972 28 082 550 5430 KZN 32 082 990 5951 20 082 990 5950 39 072 652 5158 41 063 699 2687 05 082 990 5948 50 082 990 5948 19 082 990 5949 40 063 699 2722 MPUMALANGA 35 060 962 2620 GAUTENG 27 060 991 9301 NORTH WEST 25 082 990 5961 FREE STATE 22 083 626 5128

Storms River [Aux] Oyster Bay St Francis Bay Jeffreys Bay Port Elizabeth Port Alfred Mdumbi [Aux] Kei Mouth [Aux] East London Port St Johns [Aux] Port Edward Shelly Beach Rocky Bay Ballito Durban Umhlanga Richards Bay St Lucia Witbank Dam Gauteng Hartbeespoort Dam Vaal Dam

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE DUTY PHONE: 087 094 9774 48 |

SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2022

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.

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