RESCUE AT J-BAY

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

He saw Gordon wave his hand briefly 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, Gordon’s family returned with his asthma pump. Twenty seconds 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 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.