NSRI Sea Rescue Magazine Summer 2023 by The Publishing Partnership

SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023

NSRI MEMBERS’ MAGAZINE

SWIFT-WATER TRAINING

FOR VOLUNTEERS AND WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTORS

nsri ad2023-NOV-final2.pdf 1 2023/11/09 10:17:09

CMY

CONTENTS S U MM E R 202 3

6 2

LETTERS

A VILLAGE UNDER WATER Over the Heritage Day weekend, the Klein River near Stanford burst its banks. NSRI rescue crews worked tirelessly to evacuate stricken residents.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH: ANDREW INGRAM

12 TAKING THE SEARCH OUT OF SEARCH AND RESCUE After his kayak started taking on water and nearly sank, one recent SafeTRX convert shares why he will never go out on the water without this lifesaving app. 16 WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE We chatted to Alison Cope whose lifelong passion for swimming led to her involvement with NSRI’s Water Safety and Survival Swimming programmes. 22 KIDS’ CLUB Games and water-safety lessons for our young members.

24 LESSONS IN SWIFT WATER Sharing basic swift-water skills with our water safety instructors and lifeguards. 30 NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION The NSRI innovations that are promoting drowning prevention and extending the institute’s visibility. 34 STATION AND SPONSOR NEWS Station and Volunteer Support Centre news, and fundraising and sponsor updates. 42 A DUGONG BY ANY OTHER NAME More about these mermaids of the sea. 46 NSRI BASE LOCATIONS SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023 | 1

FROM THE HELM

pring sprung and it snowed!

across South Africa, a cause of fatal drownings each year. Our educators and

I guess climate and weather are unpredictable, which is the world our services live in, waiting expectantly for the next incident to happen. I guess loadshedding and the economy dominate the public discourse at the moment, and this conversation is no less topical in non-profits like ourselves who struggle every day to raise operational funding through donors. We have incredible support from almost 150 000 donors and we thank each one of you for staying in the game and riding the storms with us, literally. But it’s hard out there, as evidenced by the reduction in ‘tax donations’ to the government; businesses and individuals are struggling. It’s therefore important to say that we appreciate your give, big or small, and we work hard to honour those donations by providing a service you trust and are proud of – thank you. On the prevention front we’ve been

trainers are out there every day impacting children’s lives and it’s humbling to witness the commitment and passion they have for their difficult work. On a completely different tack, I think we recognise that our crew and staff frequently deal with the trauma of fatal drowning and injury – something we perhaps need to reflect on to make sure that we are providing the right level of empathy and support. We have a very solid Life Healthcare Wellness support system that does provide access to the requisite services but in this instance, I’m referring to more personal recognition, appreciation and compassion. Spread the love to our crew and staff: a simple chat or, if appropriate, a hug can go a long way. So bring on summer. It seems that normal cycles of weather have returned, and this could be a hot one with plenty of recreation going on in the water! Enjoy it,

busy: we held our first Drowning Prevention Seminar, we’ve delivered yet another Survival Swimming Centre up the West Coast, and the support we are getting funding-wise for these facilities is phenomenal. Such a big issue, and with support we will prevent drowning of children and save lives. We’ve even been consulted on the elimination of pit latrines in schools

stay safe, log in to SafeTRX and wear your lifejacket always! All the best.

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: magazine@searescue.org.za Web: www.nsri.org.za facebook.com/SeaRescue youtube.com/@NSRISeaRescue

2 | SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023

@nsri

@nsrisouthafrica @searescuesa

THE CREW THE PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIP MANAGING EDITOR Wendy Maritz ART DIRECTOR Ryan Manning COPY EDITOR Deborah Rudman ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Bernice Blundell MANAGING DIRECTOR Susan Newham-Blake PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Morkel 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 PRODUCED FOR THE NSRI BY The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018. Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2023. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not of the NSRI. Offers are available while stocks last. PRINTING Novus ISSN 1812-0644

LETTERS WATER WATER EVERYWHERE My daughter and I have been donors for many, many years. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would actually need the help of your services as I’m not a person who spends time out on the sea or swims unless it’s nice and calm. However, the events of Monday 25 September proved that you’re more than just a sea rescue team. On Monday morning at about 5.30am I had just given my five-month-old grandson his first morning bottle, as he’d slept in our room for the night. The toilet started gurgling and I woke up my husband to go and check. As he got up and pulled back the patio curtain, his heart nearly stopped. Someone’s boat, jetty and mooring posts were in our garden against the fence. The Klein River was a raging torrent, lapping onto our patio. Just the night before we had been looking at photos of the river when it was at its 100-year flood line, about 1.5m below us. We scrambled the family together – five adults, the baby, three dogs and a parrot – and grabbed our essentials to get into the cars and move out. Just minutes later, the water started pouring in to the front garden and as we were ready to leave, all hell broke loose. What we didn’t know was the river had diverted and spilt around our street. It was coming raging down the road and pouring into the driveway. We opened the garage door and the water rushed in. Within 10 minutes we were knee deep in water, and it just never stopped. When we looked out the window we could see the waves lapping above our 1.2m boundary wall. At this stage we were calling all the emergency lines we knew; we also posted a plea on Facebook that we were stuck with the baby and had nowhere to go. Our

The Kotze’s home in Stanford was flooded, and most of the family’s belongings destroyed. But they all made it out safely after their terrible ordeal.

townspeople were waiting to take us to a

family members started calling for help on our behalf. And the water just kept rising. As we went around the house throwing our valuables into high cupboards, my daughter sat on the dining room table with the baby and our dogs were barking in fear while we held them on top of a floating bed. The panic set in and we started to pray that someone would come soon as we had no idea how far the water would rise and no way to get the baby and animals out safely. Some boats were out on the road side doing rescue missions and I stood at the window whistling incessantly and waving to try and catch their attention. By this time we were waist deep in water. At last, at 9.06am we heard and then saw a boat coming towards our gate, the NSRI had arrived and we wept with relief. The team was phenomenal. So calm, kind and caring while they helped put the baby into his car seat and get him and my daughter onto the boat. They did three more trips to get all the adults, the three dogs and the parrot out of the house and in to the town where rescue helpers and

safe place. The team was incredible, even carrying all the dogs into the boat and holding onto them until they were safely on dry land (apparently one of the team has their own boxer dogs at home). I cannot give you enough thanks and praise for your angels who saved us. I wish I’d had time to ask names, but I’m sure you would know which team was on duty that terrible day. We lost almost everything in the house, including two cars, but you saved a family who are forever in your debt. God bless you all! With love and gratitude MERLE KOTZÉ AND FAMILY

One by one, the family, their dogs and parrot are loaded onto the NSRI’s JetRIB to be evacuated to safety.

SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023 | 5

RESCU E

A VILLAGE UNDER WATER Over the Heritage Day weekend, the Klein River near Stanford in the Overberg burst its banks in dramatic fashion. NSRI rescue crews worked tirelessly to evacuate stricken residents. By Cherelle Leong

he weather warnings for the Western Cape on Heritage Day had been dire. Heavy rain was forecast, in particular in the Overberg region, from the evening of Sunday 24 September. It had been a wet winter with dams and rivers already full. Residents of Stanford, located on the Klein River, knew that with more heavy rainfall, the river might burst its banks. But they never expected the floodwaters to put the entire village three-and-a-half metres under water! 6 | SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023

Early on Monday morning, as reports came in of the storm damage, NSRI Stations 17 and 42, Hermanus and Kleinmond, started receiving requests for assistance. Stanford was completely cut off and under water. Trained in swift-water rescue, the crews were tasked with helping evacuate the remaining residents from their homes. The callouts went out to crew shortly after 7am and within half an hour almost 30 crew had responded to the two bases. Willem de Bruyn, acting station

Homes in the town of Stanford in the Overberg were flooded, in some cases up to their second floors, and cars were floating down the road.

commander for Hermanus, recalls being amazed at the willingness to help, knowing it was going to be a cold, wet and strenuously long day. They’d be launching the JetRIB and towing the rescue croc (a floating stretcher) to ferry residents to safety. The JetRIB can only transport three people at a time including the coxswain, but having extra hands would be valuable. This way rescue crews could rotate, taking turns doing evacuations. NSRI crew knew the bridge crossing the

While the water was starting to subside a little by the time the crew entered Stanford, it was still well above the window height of most houses. The roofs of cars parked in the streets were barely visible above the water line. Some were even floating down the street, carried away by the swift current. The JetRIB coxswains had no idea what they were driving over as everything was submerged. To enter some of the properties they realised they might actually be driving over the gates and not through them. That’s how high the water was. Through community WhatsApp groups, Stanford residents had been informed that help was on the way. If they wanted to evacuate or needed assistance in any

Klein River into Stanford was under water, but they didn’t expect to be able to launch the JetRIB from the road. Normally the river was at least 4m below the road level. This was no ordinary flood. The swift flowing current meant the only safe way to cross the river was with a powerdriven vessel. The station commanders and senior crew of Hermanus and Kleinmond formulated a plan to launch the two JetRIBs and systematically go from one end of the village to the other to find out who needed help. They’d ferry rescue crew across the river in teams of two and three with inflatable rescue crocs to assist with the evacuations. SEA RESCUE SUMMER 2023 | 7

RESCU E

way, they were asked to hang a red towel or shirt

Crews had to carefully navigate the muddy water, not always able to see what they were driving over.

from a window – that way rescue teams could identify which residences to go to first. The first house Willem stopped at held 13 people, all holed up on the top level. They indicated they were happy to wait to be evacuated and suggested that the rescue crew first attend to an elderly couple, a few houses down. On arrival they found a woman in her mid70s attending to her husband, who was in his late 80s. He had recently had surgery, was disoriented and could not easily move about. He needed to be moved to a hospital where he could be monitored. The rescue crew made a plan to carry him out to the waiting JetRIB to be transported to the nearest ambulance pick-up point. Local Police Services, Disaster Management, Fire and Rescue and Western Cape EMS had set up a meeting point on the Stanford side of the river. It was here that

all evacuees were delivered. The elderly man was given into the care of medical services to be transported to hospital. When the JetRIB returned to evacuate the wife, she politely told rescuers that she would only leave if her cats and dogs could come with her. She was adamant that she would not leave them behind. Tog bags were transformed into makeshift crates to transport the cats, while the dogs had to be coaxed into the inflatable croc so that they could be ferried to safety with their owner. Schalk Boonzaaier, station commander of Kleinmond, was manning the second JetRIB, accompanied by crew. Moving up and down each street, rescue crews worked in tandem to assist people from their houses. It was slow going for rescue crews wading through the water with the crocs, ferrying residents to a safe pick-up point for the JetRIBs. One elderly lady noticed some heirloom items from her mother floating by as she was leaving her house. It was the only thing that brought

RESCU E

tears to her eyes as she surveyed her flood-damaged home.

and dry, this was their last chance. A few changed their minds and the evacuations continued until all were safely delivered to rescue services at the evacuation point. It had a been a long and tiring day for rescue crews, spending more than six hours navigating and wading through muddy waters. For Schalk, the overriding memory was the positivity and resilience of everyone. Most had suffered major losses in terms of the damage to their homes, yet still they were overwhelmingly grateful for the assistance being offered by the NSRI. One elderly gentleman who’d be evacuated separately from his wife, broke down in tears as they drove away from 10 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

Residents were told to hang something red from their windows if they needed help.

his home. He’d had to be strong for her, all through the storm, but now it was no longer all on his shoulders. Help had come and the relief was immense. Despite being from two different bases, once a plan was formulated, the crew co-ordinated the rescue operations effortlessly. Crews worked side by side to see that everyone, including their cats, dogs and parrots, were safely evacuated. Nine days later, as Schalk drove past Stanford, he saw a much more subdued river. It was almost back to its normal levels and was littered with flood debris; he knew he’d seen the area from a completely different perspective. A village entirely submerged in flood waters was not a sight he’d soon forget.

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

Rescue crew came to a home with two elderly residents and their Great Dane. The Great Dane was not too friendly and even less impressed to be separated from his owners. The owners were equally reluctant to leave him behind. But the JetRIB simply wasn’t large enough to transport all of them at once. It was only once the dog was on the water and realised he was out of options did he finally calm down. They also had to transport a parrot. It was amazing to see that no-one was being left behind unless by choice. Despite warnings that a second wave of flooding was possible, some residents simply didn’t want to leave. Still, rescue crews continued their systematic evacuations, working up and down the flooded streets, checking on residents. By mid-afternoon, most residents who wanted to leave had been evacuated and the crews started to make a final sweep. If residents wanted to go someplace warm

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

RESCU E

TAKING THE SEARCH OUT OF SEARCH AND RESCUE SafeTRX has become an invaluable safety tool for kayak fisherman, paddlers and other leisure water users. A recent convert tells his story and shares why this app is mandatory for anyone going out on the water. By Wendy Maritz

or Jeffreys Bay resident Josh Scheepers, buying a two-seater kayak was another fantastic way to explore the ocean, do a bit of offshore fishing, and spend time with his one of his buddies Daneille Venter. Josh could be described as a classic ‘water man’. He’s a qualified skipper, proficient in jet-skiing and will never say no to a thrilling cliff jump if the occasion arises. He’s an adventure-seeker for sure, but along with that comes a keen sense of safety. He and Jeffreys Bay NSRI station commander Paul van Jaarsveld are friends and conduct safety briefings together for water events in the area. Josh had also successfully completed his Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) that includes maritime first aid and personal survival courses. So, it was with a fair sense of confidence that Josh and Daneille set off on their 12 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

Josh Scheepers and Daneille Venter set out, in perfect conditions, for a spot of kayak fishing off Jeffreys Bay.

maiden voyage on Thursday 4 August. Josh had had rod holders installed on the kayak for their fishing gear, they packed bait, strapped all their equipment down, put on their lifejackets and set off for a spot of fishing. ‘It was a lovely afternoon, so we didn’t think to wear wetsuits – we weren’t really planning on getting wet,’ he says wryly. They were roughly 1km off the shoreline when they noticed the kayak began feeling a ‘bit top heavy’. ‘I thought “this isn’t good”, but because of all the safety training I’d done, I knew the importance of at least having a cellphone in a waterproof pouch on me. Then the wind started picking up, and water was splashing into the kayak. I noticed we were drifting, the kayak felt heavier and it was difficult to paddle. A small swell hit us, but it was

Happy to be back on dry land at Station 37. From left: Tristan Bayman, John Cuyler, Tristan Pillay, Paul van Jaarsveld, Josh and Daneille, and Dylon Holm.

enough to flip the kayak. We righted it, got back on and decided to try find another place to fish closer to the shoreline. But then we started taking on water, and the kayak began sinking…’ Realising the elements were against them, and with little hope of getting back

While waiting for help to arrive, Josh and Daneille took stock of their situation. ‘This coastline is quite “sharky”, and we really had to think on our feet. We had lost the fish and the bait was floating around us. The kayak was upside down, but the paddles were still attached with lanyards.

to shore on their own steam anytime soon, Josh called Paul for assistance. ‘We sent him a pin location, hoping that would help the crew locate us.’ While waiting for help to arrive, Josh and Daneille took stock of their situation. ‘This coastline is quite “sharky”, and we really had to think on our feet now. We had lost the fish and the bait was floating around us. The kayak was upside down, but the paddles were still attached with lanyards. There is a small rope from the bow to the stern on both the port and starboard sides of the kayak, so we hooked our feet underneath. It was one way to keep the kayak from sinking, but, more importantly, we also thought if a shark was to come from below it would hit the kayak first. We held the paddles S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 13

out in front of us to ward of sharks if they came, and I had my diving knife out and

help NSRI to spot us. We saw them change direction and head straight for us. When

ready as well,’ Josh explains. At one point Daneille suggested swimming for shore, but both guys realised they needed to stick together and stay with the kayak, which offered them a measure of protection. ‘We were joking and talking, trying to distract each other and keep each other calm.’

they reached us, they pulled us onboard and immediately started treating us for hypothermia. Daneille was shaking uncontrollably, and I ended up getting sick. I think from nerves.’ Thinking about it, Josh realised that both of them were starting to feel the effects of hypothermia. The water was about 14 to 16 degrees and they were in normal clothes that offered no insulation. The crew secured a towline and saved the kayak, although one of the fishing rods and some unfastened items were lost. But they were safe and the ordeal was over. ‘Although it didn’t save us from the lecture Paul gave us on the way back about SafeTRX,’ Josh says. While he’s not 100 percent sure where the leak may have occurred, Josh suspects it might have been a faulty seal at the point where the rod holders were attached. He decided to hang up his kayak paddles, but

Josh and Daneille hooked their legs around the rope that extends the length of the kayak to stop it from sinking completely.

The wait began to feel like an eternity. And the fact that they felt as though they were a floating ‘all-you-can-eat-dinner’ buffet didn’t help combat the panic that was descending on them. Josh called Paul again. Soon afterwards, they could see the tractor on the beach beginning to launch the rescue boattol. ‘Obviously the guys couldn’t see us, but we now knew they were on their way. They were about 100m away from us, searching, when Daneille thought of lifting his paddle into the air to 14 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

continues to enjoy fishing from his own boat, and has installed SafeTRX on his phone for any future emergencies and encourages every water user to do the same. ‘There are many ways we can keep ourselves safe and still have an enjoyable time. I know the safety and survival courses I did helped us, but I didn’t know about SafeTRX,’ Josh admits. ‘When you go out cycling, you don’t dress for the ride, you dress for the fall. It’s the same with going out on the water. Be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Educate yourself. Don’t go into situations if there are unknowns. The ocean can be a mean mistress and there are real dangers out there.’

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

RESCU E

SafeTRX – a game changer On 2 June, a group of five paddlers embarked

gone out on a long paddle off Paternoster on

on a downwind paddle across Saldanha Bay

the West Coast. His plan was to paddle out to

to Langebaan. ‘It’s a long downwind,’ explains

the ship anchorage off St Helena Bay about

Mykonos station commander Nic Stevens,

10 miles offshore. The wind picked up when

‘and we were aware the group was out, as

he was 6 miles out. He made it to the ships,

they had let us know.’ En route, one of the

but couldn’t get back because of the strong

paddlers capsized, and immediately activated

headwinds. He activated SafeTRX, which was

SafeTRX. With the position fixed at north-

picked up by staff at NSRI’s Emergency Oper-

west of The Candle in Saldanha Bay, crew

ations Centre. The on-duty team then alerted

launched Spirit of

Nic to the pad-

East London II and

dler’s plight. The

found the paddler.

crew launched

‘The wind was an

and were able to

issue,’ Nic recalls.

locate the casualty

One paddler had

without a

stayed with him,

problem.

but the other three

You’ll often

had continued. We

hear NSRI crew

brought him to the

say that SafeTRX

small craft harbour

takes the ‘search’

in Saldanha, and

out of search and

from there he was

rescue. Nic highly

taken to hospital

recommends this

for treatment. We

app for all water

commended the

users. It offers

guys for having

peace of mind and

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

SafeTRX, because

makes the NSRI’s

the wait would have been longer without it,

job much easier if there is an incident. It can

and he was already suffering from hypother-

mean the difference between being found or

mia when we got to him.’

succumbing to the ocean. Nic also suggests

Nic has noticed that SafeTRX is getting a lot

people go out in groups, and ‘always let a re-

of traction in the area among water users. ‘We

sponsible person know that you’re going out

push it big time, but the paddling community

and when you expect to be back, and wear

is doing that now as well. People are sharing

a lifejacket and bright clothing so that you

the benefits of the app. It’s a game changer!’

can be spotted easily in the water,’ he adds.

Nic shares another incident from the area

It also helps if your kayak and paddle tips are

that illustrates this very well. A paddler had

brightly coloured.

S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 15

We chatted to Alison Cope whose lifelong passion for teaching swimming skills developed into a hands-on involvement with NSRI’s Water Safety and Survival Swimming programmes, and a desire to see another Survival Swimming Centre constructed and in use in her lifetime. By Wendy Maritz

16 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

‘WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE’

SU RVIVAL SWIMMIN G

hen California-born Alison Cope retired

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

to Sea Point on the Atlantic Seaboard in 2013, the NSRI had already been on her radar. She donated to the NSRI and had a collection boat at her swimming school, but being the hands-on person she is, she felt it might be the right time to get more involved. Her background in all manner of swimming instruction as well as her involvement with SA Lifesaving meant she certainly had enough water-based knowledge to be useful. ‘I thought maybe I could become a shore crew member at Bakoven or the Waterfront, or sweep the storeroom,’ she laughs. ‘But I was too old to go out on the boats.’ Alison paid a visit to the NSRI’s former offices in Glengariff Road in Three Anchor Bay and chatted with Drowning Prevention Manager Andrew Ingram. It was decided Alison could make a contribution as a Water Safety instructor, which she duly did, starting at Ellerton Primary School in the area. Around 2018, Alison was asked by a friend to take over her position in social development at the Friends of Sea Point Pavilion (FSPP). Here she met committee member and former NSRI CEO Ian Wienberg and they talked about social development issues related to the pool. Andrew was roped in, and the three of them put a plan in place to implement water safety lessons at the pool on the lawns. These would be geared at groups of schoolchildren visiting the pool for the day. ‘We refined it a little and then arranged for a

The children of Steilhoogte Primary School in Vredendal queue to take a look at the new swimming pool.

water safety instructor to go to the school before the outing took place to deliver the message there and then recap once they arrived at the pool,’ Alison explains. ‘The children were so super-excited to be at the pool. When they first arrived they’d often run and jump straight in; we began to see that, after the lessons, their poolside behaviour changed and they began behaving a lot more responsibly.’ Andrew had mentioned that the NSRI was looking into developing a Survival Swimming programme and he wanted to run a pilot programme with Alison and Eoudia Erasmus, NSRI’s National Water Safety Team Leader. ‘I had developed a good relationship with Prestwich Street Primary School, and the headmaster was always so helpful, so I approached him and told him what we were planning. He arranged that we could teach 10 Grade 5 children each day for a week.’ S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 17

S URVIVAL SWI M M I N G

SURVIVAL SWIMMING STARTS That pilot programme was effectively the

Point Pavilion was my baby, Muizenberg is my grandchild!’

first Survival Swimming lesson given. ‘We learnt a lot about what worked and what didn’t work,’ Alison says. With financial support from FSPP and manpower from the NSRI (and later, older learners from Camps Bay High School, one of whom now heads the programme in Sea Point), Survival Swimming took off. Almost every Saturday, instructors clad in bright pink would facilitate lessons for anyone willing to learn, including adults. Covid-19 and lockdown hampered the development of Survival Swimming in its second year, but the team realised that valuable lessons had been learnt, and when they were once again able to resume the lessons, they put the refined learnings into place. And the movement was growing. ‘One volunteer who started with us left after a season to set up Survival Swimming at Muizenberg, which was really rewarding

She acknowledges the untiring support of FSPP in assisting the Survival Swimming teams. ‘They’re terrific. In fact, I happened to ask them for wetsuits for the instructors [they’re in the water for three hours at a stretch] and the next thing, there were 10 wetsuits of different sizes for us. Sea Point Pavilion Saturday pop-up Survival Swimming started at the end of October, will run until the school holidays and then resume in mid-January until mid-March. (Incidentally, last season saw the team deliver 1 000 Survival Swimming lessons!)

for us to see,’ Alison says, adding, ‘If Sea

‘When children finally master how to float, it’s like a light goes on in their eyes,’ Alison Cope says.

18 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

Encouragement is key to teaching a new skill. If a child even wiggles their toe in the water, it’s something to shout about.

‘I’m working on my succession plan, though,’ she says with a smile. ‘I am training another team member to take over from me – she’s 10 years younger than I am…’ GIVING WITH WARM HANDS Alison admits that she used to lie awake wondering how they could extend survival swimming to people who didn’t have the facilities. Turns out Andrew Ingram was thinking the same thing, and he came up with a plan – to convert a shipping container into an indoor pool. Alison was blown away by the idea, and then came up with a plan of her own. ‘My husband and I wanted to leave a donation to the NSRI in our wills. When I became aware that a fifth centre was being built, I rushed home and told him I wanted the money now. I’m not waiting till I die. I want to see that Survival Swimming Centre in a school, I want to see it up and running and I want to see children in it!’ she says. Her hus-

band agreed and so they funded Survival Swimming Centre 5 that has recently been delivered to Steilhoogte Primary School in Vredendal. There is a saying that goes: ‘Give with warm hands, not cold ones.’ Being able to see the results of their donation in their lifetime has meant a great deal to the Copes. Alison has been going to Steilhoogte and helping to train the Survival Swimming instructor stationed there. DOING WHAT YOU WANT NEEDS TO BE DONE After 60 years of swim instruction – which includes training professional athletes and developing swim strokes for competitive swimmers – Alison remains as passionate about teaching water skills as she did when she started at age 15 in the California sun. ‘I was very fortunate to discover my passion when I was young. Someone once said to me, “You discover your passion when S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 19

S URVIVAL SWI M M I N G

what you really want to do is what needs to be done.” I found something I enjoy, and something that needs to be done.’ Getting to the absolute basics of survival swimming instruction was initially a challenge. But the rewards have been manifold. ‘Every child who is taught survival swimming and water safety can teach their friends and family members the same. I always tell the kids that they are the safety monitors.’ Being able to give back to a sport that has given her so much means a great deal to her. ‘I’ve spent a lot of time swimming, scuba-diving, boogie boarding and kayaking. I’ve enjoyed so many water sports. Once you can swim, you can do so much.’ From her experience with teaching children, including those with special needs, Alison has realised that swimming is a major confidence booster for a child. ‘I’ve seen children transform in front of my eyes,’ she says. ‘Once they can float, their body language changes, there is a light that goes on in their eyes, and that smile…’ Alison chats to Steilhoogte Primary School headmaster Manus Spamer.

Swimming is a foundation skill that can lead to further development for a child.

On behalf of Steilhoogte, all the educators, all the learners and all of our community, it is a tremendous privilege to be able to thank our special friends from the NSRI Survival Centre for blessing us with this swimming pool. A whole new world has opened up for every one of us, and I am sure it has broadened our horizons and encouraged us to dream. The impact that you had and have on the minds of all of us is greater than you can imagine. We are deeply grateful. For our learners this is an opportunity that they never dreamed of, you have opened up your hearts, and we sincerely thank you for your generosity. Manus Spamer Headmaster, Steilhoogte Primary School, Vredendal

20 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

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KIDS’ CLUB With summer holidays around the corner, it’s a good time to remind ourselves to always be safe around water. And also to have a plan in case there is an emergency.

WORD

Try this word search puzzle and look for all the objects that we come across at the beach. Some are hazards and some are objects that we would see at the beach like the lifeguards’ flags.

D W

Waves Rocks Currents Dark water Glass

Q W G

E W

V W E

Animals Wind Flag Surf

REMEMBER REMEMBER the basic rules

➤ Be aware of hazards on the beach as these can cause us harm: slippery rocks, rip currents, strong winds, wild animals like seals and litter like broken glass and bottle tops. ➤ Never swim alone. ➤ Always make sure a parent or adult is watching you. ➤ Never swim in your normal clothes. ➤ Always swim in between the life22 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

guards’ flags and listen to them. ➤ Never approach wild animals on the beach. ➤ If a friend or anyone else gets into trouble, never go into the water to help them. Speak to the lifeguard or tell the adult that is watching you. ➤ Call for help by dialing 112 from a cellphone.

Please share this important water safety message with your friends and family. It is very important to be careful around water, especially rivers. Sometimes, after the rain, even small streams can become dangerous.

CALL 112 Copy and keep this guide on how to do CPR if someone is not breathing. Place a cloth, T-shirt or towel over the patient’s mouth and nose to prevent infection.

IMPORTANT:

FROM YOUR CELLPHONE

FOR HELP Posture: Keep your shoulders over your hands. Arms: Straight arms, elbows locked. Hands: Place hands in the centre of the chest, just above the nipple line. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest.

NEVER practise this on a friend. If you want to practise, do so using a pillow or a doll. Never on a person.

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From 11 to 14 September, members of NSRI’s water safety and lifeguard teams gathered on the Breede River for swift-water training and awareness under the guidance of the Training Department. The lessons learnt were invaluable. By Wendy Maritz

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

LESSONS IN SWIFT WATER

TRAIN IN G

‘We found that, especially after the flooding in KZN last year, people were looking to the water safety instructors for guidance. There is huge danger in swift water. We decided that offering the swift-water course to instructors would provide them with a good background and the practical aspects of fast-flowing water, which they could share with members of the community to make them more aware of the dangers. It was a matter of “How can we help our instructors and lifeguards to help their communities to be pre-emptive and be safe?”’ explains NSRI’s training manager Graeme Harding. ‘Also, in many cases, our water safety instructors are operating in remote areas where they are the only people educating about water safety, particularly around the danger of rivers and crossing rivers. Our lifeguards, on the other hand, are accustomed to operating on beaches and in oceans, and we wanted to give them the extra exposure to managing swift water.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

Practical applications of rope bags are discussed and demonstrated.

haring information and skills, building camaraderie and empowering water safety instructors and lifeguards with more skills to assist communities were just a few of the goals of the swift-water course. NSRI’s Training and Operations departments have been conducting swift-water training for station crew for the last eight years. Extending this to water safety instructors and lifeguards was a first.

The idea behind the course was not to train them to qualify in swift-water rescue, but rather to expose them to real-life scenarios to equip them with first-hand knowledge and experience that they could then share with the people they encounter in the course of their jobs.’ To this end, the heads of NSRI’s Drowning Prevention and Lifeguard departments, Dr Jill Fortuin and Rebecca Carter-Smith, were asked to select 11 candidates each to take part in the training, which would be overseen by the members of the Training Department. Twenty-two candidates and seven trainers assembled on the Breede River for four days for what would prove S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 25

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Members of NSRI’s Water Safety and Lifeguard teams were exposed to various aspects of swift water in order to empower the communities in which they operate.

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE ‘The training gave us a taste of just how dangerous and unpredictable moving water can be,’ says KZN-based Water Safety instructor Siyabonga Mthethwa who attended the course. Siya has been an instructor since April 2019, and he’s passionate about sharing water safety information and skills with the children he teaches. ‘The theoretical background and practical rescue activities gave me an understanding of more real-world situations,’ he says. Siya enjoyed the aspects of the course that covered swift water and river dynamics, what to do during flooding incidents, what equipment to use when, thinking outside the box and what a safe and effective rescue entails. Anything new will present challenges, and this course was no different, Siya explains. ‘But we learnt trust in our team members; every mo-

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

to be challenging, exciting, inspiring and eye-opening experiences. A secondary, but no less important, aim was to bring two teams together who would otherwise not be exposed to each other. Information sharing, camaraderie, teambuilding and teamwork in the context of a common goal are all things the NSRI wants to nurture among its members. The training involved the theory around fast-flowing water, river dynamics and flood and Incident Command System (ICS) disaster management, followed by plenty of practical applications. Real-life scenarios included what is known as live bait rescue, which involves the rescuer being secured at the shore by a rope that allows them to jump in the water to rescue a casualty. The throw bag technique was another, where a 20m rope is thrown into the water for the casualty to grab onto. Other onwater activities included setting up Z-lines across the river, and then candidates were given the chance to paddle through rapids, which gave them first-hand experience of navigating fast-flowing water on a craft.

TRAIN IN G

ment was a learning opportunity and every mistake was a chance to learn more.’ The

planned for each day. They gave us the opportunity to work together, learn from

group was also exposed to ICS and its importance to disaster management. Siya admits there were some nerves, especially in the beginning. ‘I wasn’t used to training in a group, but I must salute everyone in the team. The spirit was high, everyone showed courage and we all embraced the opportunity to learn together. I really wanted to get to experience everything the course offered, and I found once I learnt a particular technique, I was good to go,’ he smiles. Siya commends NSRI’s Training Department for their excellent planning. ‘They kept things exciting, with something new

each other and trust each other. Each day was different, and it was exciting to see the theory translate into the practical.’ His biggest takeaway? ‘The knowledge and skills we need as instructors to support our communities and pass on important knowledge to schools and other groups. I left the course empowered and with a better understanding of how to respond to swift-water situations more effectively.’ And how will the course influence the way he delivers his water safety lessons in future? ‘The course will have a huge impact on the way we conduct our water safety lessons; we can now explain swift water with the background we learnt and better understanding gained through being on the water ourselves. We learnt we can never underestimate the danger of fast-flowing water. And this is what we’ll share with the children.’ For Graeme, seeing the two departments working together with such synergy was a

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM

a thethw nga M Siyabo

great feeling. ‘It went off so well and was so well received. It’s humbling to see how passionate people are about working together and how the NSRI has grown in this regard. We certainly achieved what we set out to do.’ Members of two different NSRI departments showed that learnings are achieved through camaraderie, teamwork and joint problem solving.

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TRAI NI NG

The swiftwater training undertaken by rescue crews proved invaluable during the floods in the Western Cape. Swift-water training is as much about managing resources as it is about skills, as can be seen in these training photographs. 28 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

TAKING ON THE WATER

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW INGRAM PHOTOGRAPHS: SUPPLIED

INNOVAT I ON

Station 8 (Hout Bay) putting the rescue sled through its paces.

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION The NSRI is constantly developing ways to increase its drowning prevention and rescue capabilities. We take a look at a few innovations that have proved to be invaluable to water-safety education, saving lives and extending the organisation’s visibility and footprint. By Cherelle Leong

t the NSRI no two rescues are ever the same. As much as volunteers train according to standard operating procedures and use tested rescue equipment, they’re still required to apply their knowledge to the situation at hand. Constant changes to wind, tide and swell conditions require an ability to adapt. The upside is that it fosters an innovative mindset that has become part of the culture of the organisation. Debriefing after a training exercise or operation is often where innovative ideas are birthed. When crew discuss what they 30 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

learnt from the operation and how they could have done things better, it often leads to thinking about what equipment would help them achieve this. It’s no surprise, then, that in the past five years the NSRI has been nominated for and won the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Award for Innovation and Technology in Maritime SAR. It’s a tribute to Sea Rescue volunteers who are an integral part of the institute’s ongoing research and development. In this article we highlight some of these award-winning innovations and how they came about.

RESCUE SLED In May 2023, the coxswains from Station 8

The inflatable croc proved

Hout Bay, visited Station 23 Wilderness for a joint surf and swift-water training weekend. It was there that the visitors noticed the rescue sled in the boathouse and enquired about it. One of only two in the country, it had been designed and built by Station 14 Plettenberg Bay. (And won second place in the 2019 IMRF innovation awards.) The innovation came about because Plettenberg Bay is often called to assist hikers on the Robberg Hiking Trail, which is a steep and rocky peninsula, only accessible by footpath or sea. This means that if a helicopter extraction is not possible, the only two options left for rescue crews are to carry casualties out, or extract them by sea. Robberg is a particularly challenging area to operate in. There are sharp rocks, steep cliffs and crashing waves to contend with. The inflatable croc proved too buoyant in the surf and is bulky and difficult to

bulky and difficult to carry on

too buoyant in the surf and is the narrow hiking trail. The rescue sled was developed as an alternative. With solid foam rubber sponsons, it can be surfed through the waves and handle being dragged over rocky terrain. carry on the narrow hiking trail. The rescue sled was developed as an alternative. With solid foam rubber sponsons, it can be surfed through the waves and handle being dragged over rocky terrain. Near Hout Bay is the famous BOS400 wreck. It’s a popular day hike and relatively safe if hikers stay on the path. Unfortunately, social media influencers showcase it as a place to jump into the ocean, either from the rocks or from the wreck itself. This is a perilous pursuit and has resulted in many serious life-threatening injuries. The jagged metal edges of the wreck lie just below the surface and are difficult to see – especially as waves crash through the narrow gap between the rocks and the wreck, resulting in swirling white water and a strong ocean pull. It’s in these challenging conditions that Sea Rescue crew often have to extract casualties. To date Hout Bay has been using the inflatable croc for these operations. But the rescue sled would be far more effective. S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 31

INNOVAT I ON

After seeing it in the Wilderness and with funding already secured from a corporate donor, senior crew at Station 8 discussed what modifications should be made based on Hout Bay’s area of operations. These modifications included a wider hull so that a stretcher would fit inside the sled, and strong towing eyes at the front and back, so that lines could be attached for towing and hauling. Additional rope bags with lines were added at the front and back of the sled as well. And in order to hoist it onto the deck of that station’s rescue craft, lifting strops were added. This would enable the rescue crew to secure a casualty into a stretcher inside the sled and be able to keep them in that secure position while extracting them off the rocks and onto Hout Bay’s largest rescue vessel. With these modified specifications the order was placed for a rescue sled for Hout Bay. Once it was ready, the Hout Bay crew took it out to the rocky shoreline to test. It was during these tests that it was

Red containers and lifeguards have become a familiar sight at coastal areas around the country.

This is just one example of how volunteer crew are actively involved in research and development, and the ongoing improvement of rescue resources, keeping in mind there are many innovators, engineers and entrepreneurs among them. It’s really about the philosophy of identifying what’s needed to save lives and what will help volunteers be more effective in their mission.

EXPERIMENTATION AND ADAPTATION Addressing the need for water safety education has been a pillar for the NSRI, and a need was identified for a safe place where survival swimming lessons could be conducted. Most children who need to learn to swim live in rural areas where there are no swimming pools and no budget to build them. The NSRI’s response was to construct portable Survival Swimming Centres inside shipping containers. The solution won the 2022 IMRF Innovation and TechnolThe NSRI Survival Swimming Centre ogy Award. There are currently five being put to good use in the community. such centres stationed at schools

discovered more buoyancy was needed in the bow. The sled was returned to Lomar Marine for further modification.

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The Pink Rescue Buoys are another award-winning NSRI innovation providing flotation to casualties until help arrives.

in rural areas where survival swimming is being taught to learners, teachers and members of the community. But innovations are not just about winning awards. They are about encouraging experimentation – and, sometimes, accepting failure. There have been a few of those. Communication at sea is an ongoing challenge, especially when operating on the 4.2m RIBs and JetRIBs. Coxswains can benefit from having a hands-free radio and microphone. Helmet microphones that could plug into portable radios were tried out. While initially they proved useful, they couldn’t withstand the harsh operating conditions. The headset microphones failed after being continuously exposed to salt water spray and the cost to keep replacing them became unaffordable. While this project has been parked for now, the need for better communication solutions that are hands free, robust and affordable remains.

MAKING RESCUE RESOURCES AVAILABLE Along the Garden Route there are hundreds of kilometres of beautiful beaches, some running as far as the eye can see and others tucked in among rocky coves. There are also lagoons and rivers that invite adventure and play. Unfortunately, strong currents and swiftly changing weather often land people in difficulty and Sea Rescue crews receive urgent callouts for a drowning in progress. In these callouts every second counts. The closer to rescue resources, the better the chances of a successful rescue. This thinking has led to the establishment of several satellite bases along the Garden Route and Eastern Cape, many housed in the garage of a volunteer or local NSRI supporter. And where there aren’t satellite bases, there are other resources – pink rescue buoys, shark bite kits, and the stationing of lifeguards on beaches during high season. Resources like these have been put in place because innovation was embraced and different ways identified to continue to save lives on South African waters.

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NEWS WINE & ART FIESTA THE storm that lashed Hout Bay on Friday 25 August didn’t dampen the energised mood prevailing inside Suikerbossie Restaurant. Bubbly on arrival and delicious canapés to enjoy while browsing the colourful art gallery gave an early indication that it was going to be a night to remember. The Suikerbossie Wine and Art Fiesta was a sell-out event, organised by Station 8 Hout Bay to raise funds towards their base build. This was no ordinary wine and art auction. MC Mark Bayly welcomed everyone as they sat down to a delicious dinner with vibrant live music from local band The Samson Brothers. A host of wonderful spot prizes were given away, including meal vouchers from Hout Bay’s top restaurants. If you had a star under your coaster, you won a prize! And then the fun started as comedian Nik Rabinowitz stepped up as auctioneer. He swiftly got the bidding underway, interspersed with side-splitting comedy. The competitive bidding saw most auction lots

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go for top value. Guests also participated in a blind tasting, raffle and silent auction and sampled wine from a curated wine list throughout the evening. The event raised a gross sum of just under half a million rand, thanks to the many amazing sponsors and supporters who made it a huge success!

WORLD DROWNING PREVENTION DAY – A BIG DEAL! WORLD Drowning Prevention Day is observed on 25 July each year. The theme for 2023: Anyone can drown – no one should. In a show of solidarity for drowning prevention the world over, NSRI staff, volunteers and South Africans across the

in the campaign, wearing shades of teal, turquoise and cobalt, posting pics on social media using the hashtags #NSRIWDPD and #DrowningPrevention. NSRI water safety instructors also held water safety lessons in public places and at

country wore blue on Tuesday 25 July to highlight the urgent need for action to reduce drownings. Station commanders, the entire Volunteer Support Centre (VSC) staff, as well as various schools, organisations and individuals proudly participated

selected schools on the day. On the night of 24 July: East London City Hall in the Eastern Cape, Whalebone Pier in KwaZulu-Natal and the NSRI VSC in Cape Town were lit up with blue lights, in remembrance of those who have drowned.

The 25th also marked the beginning of a brand-new tradition at the NSRI’s Volunteer Support Centre: the ringing of the Māori Bell for every life saved. The bell, forged in 1893, was long considered lost after the SS Māori, a British cargo ship operating in Australia and New Zealand, ran aground in Llandudno, Cape Town. Following years of inquiry to find out what happened to it, and through an old friend of the NSRI, NSRI CEO Cleeve Robertson discovered that the bell was on a farm in Stanford, Western Cape. In 2023, the bell found its new home at the VSC, and will be rung in celebration of each life saved through the work of the NSRI.

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NEWS DROWNING RESEARCH PAPER WINS PRISM AWARD AN NSRI study on fatal drownings entitled ‘The SA Epidemiological Study of Fatal Drownings’ was recently recognised at the annual Prism Awards, Africa’s most highly regarded public relations and communication awards. The study, published in November 2022, was conducted by NSRI Drowning Prevention Executive Director Dr Jill Fortuin, NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson, research assistant Nongcebo Mahlalela and UCT Researcher Innocent Karangwa. It received the award in the Communication and Research category, an accolade that recognises the value of the research and its critical importance to the public good.

‘Winning this award is one of the proudest moments for the Drowning Prevention department, considering that the research division has been operational for less than 18 months,’ says Nongcebo, who attended the event to accept the award on her team’s behalf. ‘This research gives an accurate estimation of the drowning burden in the country. We provided the contributing factors related to the high number of drowning incidents. In addition, the inferences that we have drawn are consistent with what has been reported in global drowning research. All this information aids in making more informed decisions about the prevention strategies that are to be put in place.’

NSRI WINS SILVER AT 2023 LOERIES THE NSRI is delighted to share that the Survival Swimming Centre received the Silver Award at The Loeries in the Interior Design and Temporary Structures category. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Drowning Prevention team and would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors. The Survival Swimming Centres are advancing the cause of water safety and empowering countless children and adults in the communities in which they have been placed with life-saving skills. Our gratitude goes to those who have supported this cause and believe in our mission. Thank you for making a signifacant impact on our journey. 36 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

NEW BASE BUILDING FOR OYSTER BAY Having a place to call home makes a huge difference in the lives of NSRI crew, and so it was with much pride and happiness that on 26 August the Oyster Bay community gathered to celebrate the opening of Station 36’s new base building. The newly built station features a split-level design. On the ground floor there is a medical room and a storeroom, as well as changing rooms. The boat shed houses four rescue vessels and the rescue vehicle. On the lower ground floor you’ll find the kitchen, training area and braai area, and on the upper ground floor is the control room, with a magnificent view of the bay. The new base is a dream come true: it will provide not only a base of operations, but also space for crew to build camaraderie and spend time with one other and their families.

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NEWS

THE NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoy initiative, launched in 2017, has now been adopted in areas of New Zealand and is already seeing results. In July this year two teenagers were

‘I was absolutely thrilled to hear that our Pink Buoys have saved a life in New Zealand,’ says NSRI Drowning Prevention Manager, Andrew Ingram. ‘We have been working with

rescued with the aid of a rescue buoy in Hawke’s Bay in Napier, New Zealand. Hawke’s Bay has one of the highest drowning rates in New Zealand, and a number of these involve bystanders who attempt to rescue people who find themselves in difficulty in the water. It is hoped that Pink Rescue Buoys stationed there will reduce the number of drownings, allowing members of the public to provide flotation to a person in trouble.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand, sharing information and experience, for a couple of years now. After sending them two batches of Pink Rescue Buoys, which were used in various trials, they have developed a national standard for the rescue buoy and signage, and will soon be making their own version. With a country like New Zealand – which is highly regarded in Surf Life Saving – throwing its weight behind public rescue equipment, I am sure that many more lives will be saved.’

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ROGAN WARD

PINK RESCUE BUOY – NOW A PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN EXPORT

SPONSOR NEWS 300 CHILDREN GRADUATE THANKS TO JOHN DORY’S

PHOTOGRAPHS: ROGAN WARD

ON average, 29% of fatal drownings are children; this is approximately 450 children drowning over the space of a year in South Africa. Seafood restaurant John Dory’s and their Zero Waste Initiative teamed up with the NSRI on their Drowning Prevention and Survival Swimming programmes to provide 300 children with this vital life skill. The programme promotes an awareness of the dangers of water, what to do if someone is in trouble, how to react, how to perform CPR (taught to older children) and who to call for help. In addition, the children are taught four skills: controlling their breathing, orientating themselves in

the water, floating and moving at least five metres through water to safety. A total of 2 108 lessons were successfully completed and on 28 September 2023, a celebration was held at uShaka Marine World in KwaZulu-Natal where these 300 children received their certificates of completion and enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by John Dory’s uShaka. ‘We are very grateful to the NSRI for allowing us to contribute to such a great initiative. This was very important to promote water safety. The ocean is a big part of our business, and also for the youth. We want them to have confidence when enjoying water,’ said Donovan Cronje, John Dory’s COO. We’d like to thank uShaka Marine World, not only for hosting this event, but also providing a pool to NSRI to conduct these lessons.

R1 from every John Dory’s Hake and Chips sold is donated to their John Dory’s Zero Waste Initiative to fund projects such as this.

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SPONSOR NEWS SUCCESSFUL GOLF DAYS NSRI GQEBERHA GOLF DAY NSRI Gqeberha’s Golf Day, held at Humewood Golf Club, was a record-breaking event in terms of bookings and the amount raised for the station. In true Gqeberha style, the day dawned with a pesky, rather strong easterly wind coming straight off the ocean. The ‘beasterly easterly’, as it’s known, promised to make for a challenging 18 holes for the 124 golfers. The title sponsor, Mitsubishi at Maritime Motors, set up their five vehicles in prime view of the clubhouse. The station’s Triton with a trailer and JetRIB hitched was a colourful reminder to players of the worthy cause they were supporting. The GQ golfers seemed to embrace the weather challenge and set off in merry

spirits. All was well for a few hours; and just like that, the clouds rolled in, along with a spectacular lightning and thunder show. The remaining golfers were pulled off the course for safety, leaving us wondering how to allocate winners and prizes. But we managed to hand out amazing four-ball prizes, thanks to generous sponsors, to the top 12 teams and 7 field prizes for closest to the pin and most golf played. Judging from the feedback, the NSRI Gqeberha Golf Day is one not to be missed. Bookings are coming in for 2024!

NSRI EAST LONDON GOLF DAY The highly successful annual NSRI East London Golf Day, in association with the Oceana Group took place on 13 October. The rain bucketed down for a couple of days before the event which made the organisers a tad nervous, but the evening before, the clouds disappeared, and the golfers were greeted by sunshine the next morning. Hosted at the scenic Olivewood Golf Club, the day saw great rounds of golf and camaraderie. ‘Thank you to all the sponsors of this incredible day, especially the Oceana Group for their amazing support of our event. Thank you also to all the players who came out to play golf and at the same time support our rescue base. I also have to thank everyone who worked incredibly hard to make this day a success, my supportive crew and the Olivewood Golf Club for hosting us,’ said Catherine Pentis, East London station commander.

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STRANDFONTEIN BLESSES SPIRIT OF SANTAM ON Sunday 8 October 2023 we held the blessing and naming ceremony of the new JetRIB vessel at NSRI Strandfontein. Jane Poole, daughter of the founding station commander at NSRI Strandfontein, Abraham Poole, read a moving and engaging blessing that was written by her brother Roland Poole. Cherie Josephs of Santam then christened the vessel Spirit of Santam while pouring the customary champagne over the bow of the vessel. Though the southeasterly wind howled, and the waves were rough, the crew of NSRI Strandfontein took to the ocean, showing off the impressive abilities of the JetRIB. When asked if it was wise to go out in such conditions, station commander Nicky Whitehead replied, ‘These are the conditions we rescue people in every day. That is why it is so important that we have a vessel like the JetRIB. Thanks to Santam for their generous donation and support.’

THANK YOU FOR DONATIONS RECEIVED IN MEMORY OF: Dieter Weiss, Helen Myburgh, Klaus Muller, Mark Koen, Gavin Beckwith, Patrick Kelly, Rodney Clarke, Roy and Olwen Kingon. IN HONOUR OF: Josh Ackerman (birthday), Mrs JL Hirsch (70th birthday), Charl Coetzee (50th birthday). S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 41

ENVI R ONM ENT

A DUGONG BY ANY OTHER NAME…

Shy, elusive and slow, dugongs can be found off South Africa’s most northeastern shores. Naturalist Georgina Jones sheds more light on these mythical creatures.

ugongs, the only herbivorous marine mammals, are members of the order Sirenia. Most sources will immediately reflect on how strange it is that these slow-moving, rather blimplike creatures should be named after the mermaids of legend and how the sailors so naming them must have been a long time at sea. But dugongs have many other names, some stranger and some more valid than that of mermaids. On the mermaid front, adult females give birth to a single calf after a gestation of between 13 and 15 months. The baby

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is 1.2m long at birth and weighs around 30kg. And the mother nurses it for about a year and a half, even though the baby starts to eat seagrasses soon after being born. These are animals slow to mature and to reproduce: an adult female will give birth at intervals of two-and-a-half to seven years and usually to a single calf. They grow up to 3m in total length and weigh around 420kg as adults – so they’re big mermaids, with front flippers, no hind limbs and dolphin-like tails. Though they are social animals, they are usually found singly or in small groups,

gathering in groups of several hundred for short periods of time. Why they do this is still unknown: dugongs are shy and tend to stay away from people. We know that they have varied mating methods: in some areas, males establish a territory for display that breeding females will visit to choose their mate, a practice known as lekking. In others many males will attempt to mate with the same female, sometimes injuring both the female and each other. We also know that, like the sea cows they are sometimes called, they eat seagrasses. Unlike cows, though, they are not ruminants and instead have tremendously long digestive systems to cope with their seagrass diet. They are quite selective as to their species of seagrass: low-fibre highnitrogen species are preferred and dugongs undertake what is known as cultivation grazing. Their method of feeding, leaving cleared furrows in the seagrass meadows, encourages their species of choice to grow.

Far left: Feeding dugongs raise extensive plumes of silt. Above left: Dugongs are distinguished from manatees by their dolphin-like tails. Above right: Dugongs have small eyes and poor eyesight.

Dugongs live in the warm, clear coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific, in inshore bays and inlets, although they will also spend time in mangrove channels. Most of their lives are spent eating seagrasses, diving down to feed and sometimes piling up plants in one place before eating them. They will usually submerge for about two minutes, though they can stay underwater for as long as eight. They eat their seagrass diet roots and all, greatly aided in this by the whiskers of their oral disks, known as vibrissae, which are capable of helping them sense the seagrasses and helping them separate them from sand. Another name for dugongs is sea camels: unlike their closest relatives the manatees, dugongs never enter fresh water and don’t need it to survive. S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 43

ENVI R ONM ENT

It is thought that the seagrasses they eat

squirts and other marine invertebrates. Or perhaps it’s because of their small eyes and large snouts. Dugongs do indeed have poor eyesight and rely much more heavily on their sense of smell to find seagrasses. But the dugongs’ most well-developed sense is that of touch. Along with the

Western Australia are known to produce complicated whistling songs. Since the sirens of legend are in fact beings with alluring voices, listening to the delightful whistling chirps of a singing dugong, perhaps their family name is not so strange after all.

Southern African Sea Slugs is the definitive guide to the 868 known species of sea slugs in Southern Africa as documented by a dedicated group of researchers and naturalists. Photographs and illustrations identify the species, their known variants and egg ribbons. The text gives details of size, distribution, external anatomy, identifying characteristics and natural history. On sale to NSRI supporters at a discounted rate of R700 until 15 January 2024 on www.surg.co.za. Part of the sale proceeds will go to NSRI.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: GEOFF SPIBY

provide them with all the fresh water they need. Also, like other entirely marine mammals, they Dugongs usually stay underwater for two-minute feeding bouts, but can remain under for as long as eight minutes. tolerate a much higher level of salt in their tissues than any terrestrial mammal could manage. sensitive whiskers on their oral disks Evolutionarily, however, dugongs are that they use for efficient grazing, they not closely related to any other marine have sparse bristles all over their bodies. mammals. Their closest relatives are These bristles move as water flows dassies, aardvarks and elephants. Adult over them and act as a hydrodynamic males grow tusks at maturity, though these sense, aiding the dugongs in acquiring are not visible unless their mouths are open. information on tidal changes and, from They have dense bones that help them the water currents they stir up, where descend on seagrass meadows to feed and other dugongs or large animals are in to stay there while they root out their plants relation to themselves. of choice. Though they do not have external They are also known as sea pigs, ears, dugongs can also hear well over possibly because some dugongs have been a relatively narrow range of sounds. found to be more omnivorous in their diets: They produce a variety of whistles, chirps some have been known to eat jellyfish, sea and barks. Males in lekking groups in

FISH TALES

iz Qu iz q

Have some fun and colour the dugong in your favourite colours!

Dugongs are amazing mythical creatures of the sea. Test your knowledge and see how many of the questions you can get right. Don’t peek at the answers. 1. How much does a baby dugong weigh at birth? 2. How much do the adults weigh? 3. What do dugongs like to eat? 4. What is their method of eating called? 5. For how long can dugongs stay underwater? 6. What other names are dugongs called? 7. What do male adults grow that can only be seen when they open their mouths? 8. What is the dugong’s most developed sense?

D M

O M

A W G

M O

N K

Find the words See if you can find the following words:

Dugong Seagrass Mermaid Tusk Calf

Graze Camel Pig Ear Chirp

Answers: 1. 30kg 2. 420kg 3. Seagrasses 4. Grazing 5. Eight minutes 6. Sea camels and sea pigs 7. Tusks 8. Touch S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 45

NSRI BASE LOCATIONS The NSRI is manned by more than 1 445 volunteers at over 50 rescue bases, including satellite or auxiliary stations and inland dams. In addition, more than 30 seasonal Lifeguard Units have been established around the country.

43 Port Nolloth

NORTHERN CAPE

SSC 5: Vredendal

Strandfontein (West Coast) 45 Lambert’s Bay

St Helena Bay (Satellite)

4 Mykonos

Yzerfontein 34

WESTERN CAPE SSC 1: Riebeek Kasteel

Melkbosstrand Mossel Bay Knysna 3 Table Bay 2 23 14 16 12 Theewaterskloof Dam 9 38 15 8 10 26 42 31 Hermanus 33 Wilderness 17 Sedgefield Witsand 30 Herolds Bay Agulhas (Satellites) Kleinmond 18

Bakoven Hout Bay Kommetjie Simon’s Town Strandfontein Muizenberg to Monwabisi (Satellites)

46 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

Gordon’s Bay Strand (Satellite)

Still Bay

35 Witbank Dam

25 Hartbeespoort Dam

27 Gauteng

NORTH WEST 22 Vaal Dam

MPUMALANGA

Cape Vidal (Satellite) St Lucia 40

FREE STATE

Richards Bay 19

KWAZULUNATAL 41 Ballito 50

Durban 5 SSC 3: Mgolemi 51

Umhlanga

39 Rocky Bay 20 Shelly Beach

Gariep Dam

SSC 2: Tombo Village

EASTERN CAPE

28 Port St Johns 49

Kei Mouth 47 (Aux)

Port Edward

Survival Swimming Centres SSC 1: Meiring Primary School SSC 2: Noah Christian Academy SSC 3: Duduzile Junior Secondary School SSC 4: Sponsored on show in Spain SSC 5: Steilhoogte Primary School

Mdumbi (Aux)

7 East London

Save these numbers under emergency contacts in your phone: 11 Port Alfred Storms River • your closest NSRI station Kenton-on-Sea (Satellite) 6 37 Gqeberha • NSRI’S EOC: 087 094 9774 46 21 Noordhoek (Satellite) 36 Alternatively call 112 in the Jeffreys Bay event of an emergency Plettenberg Bay

St Francis Bay

Oyster Bay

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

S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | 47

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 Strandfontein (Matzikama) 24 060 960 3027 Lambert’s Bay 44 082 990 5966 St Helena 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 Storms River 36 082 990 5968 Oyster Bay 21 082 990 5969 St Francis Bay 37 079 916 0390 Jeffreys Bay 06 082 990 0828 Gqeberha 11 082 990 5971 Port Alfred 49 087 094 9774 Mdumbi (Aux) 47 076 100 2829 Kei Mouth (Aux) 07 082 990 5972 East London 28 082 550 5430 Port St Johns KZN 32 082 990 5951 Port Edward 20 082 990 5950 Shelly Beach 39 072 652 5158 Rocky Bay 41 063 699 2687 Ballito 05 082 990 5948 Durban 50 082 990 5948 Umhlanga 19 082 990 5949 Richards Bay 40 063 699 2722 St Lucia MPUMALANGA 35 060 962 2620 Witbank Dam GAUTENG 27 060 991 9301 Gauteng NORTH WEST 25 082 990 5961 Hartbeespoort Dam FREE STATE 22 072 903 9572 Vaal Dam 51 082 757 2206 Gariep Dam

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE DUTY PHONE: 087 094 9774 48 | S E A R E S C U E S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

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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