IN THE NEWS

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 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.

This is what the crew had to say about their new vessel:

‘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.’

‘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 comfortable. 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.’

‘It’s a privilege and an honour to be able to ride this vessel.’

‘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 corporates who identify with our purpose of “Saving Lives, Changing Lives and Creating Futures”.’ NSRI CEO, Dr Cleeve Robertson

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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

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).

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 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 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.

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

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.

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 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

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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