Safety at beaches and swimming pools remains high priority for municipal officials and volunteers of the local National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) station as the festive season is officially in full swing.
Despite predictions of inclement weather, Helderberg beaches were packed on the first official weekend of the season. Last Thursday (15 December) also saw the City of Cape Town launch its annual Identikidz campaign at beaches across the metropole, including Strand, Harmony Park and Gordon’s Bay beach.
The programme sees council workers stationed at 16 identified beaches to register children and issue identification wristbands on traditionally busy festive days. This will allow parents, guardians or carers to be contacted should a child go missing on the crowded beach on that particular day.
Although no major incidents were reported on local beaches this weekend, the NSRI issued an urgent appeal to all water users and bathers to be safe this festive season. This as rescuers have have intervened in hundreds of cases countrywide since the start of the month.
One incident occurred on our shores on Friday (16 December), when the NSRI Gordon’s Bay duty crew were called to come to the aid of three people whose boat had apparently capsized about 1,5 nautical miles from Kogel Bay.
Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordon’s Bay station commander, said the crew was alerted to a vessel taking on water at 10:40. “As a precautionary standby for the ‘silly’ season we already had two rescue vessels on the water,” he related. “Both vessels responded and we reached the casualties within minutes.
“On arrival we found a capsized boat with one person clinging onto the hull and two in the water. All were wearing life jackets. Before they capsized, they had deployed an emergency pencil flair. It was seen by various vessels in the vicinity, who also came to their aid.”
All three crew members were rescued and taken to safety on the rescue vessel. “There were no injuries, and they were thankfully not in the water long enough to become hypothermic,” Meiklejohn pointed out.
“We then proceeded to right the upturned cabin boat, towed the vessel back to Gordon’s Bay, and rafted her into the harbour without incident. The vessel was assisted onto her trailer. No further assistance was needed. It was the first rescue operation utilising our recently acquired rescue vessel.”
Following the incident, the NSRI appealed to boaters, paddlers and sailors to download and use the NSRI RSA SafeTrx smart phone app and wear gear appropriate for the expected weather and water temperatures. It also urged people to wear life jackets and bright colours, carry a referee whistle and red distress flares, and to ensure cellphones are fully charged and in water tight plastic sleeves.
Also inform someone you trust of your launch time, route and return time.
In case of emergency, beachgoers can call 112 or 087 094 9774 to raise the alarm.
