The silly season is almost upon us. It is the time of year when thousands of South Africans pack their bags and head for rivers, dams and the sea. New boats are hitched up and holidaymakers seem to lose all sense of caution.
This is the time of the year that volunteers at Sea Rescue stations are kept on their toes and are called to help people in trouble in our seas and dams on a daily basis.
Here are a few tips from the NSRI and its educational arm, WaterWise, to keep you safe while on holiday.
“Never let your children out of your sight when they are playing in the water, or swimming,” says Andrew Ingram, manager of Sea Rescue’s WaterWise programme.
“Contrary to popular belief, children do not thrash around and shout for help when they are drowning. They may be able to wave and shout for help when in distress, but drowning is silent.
“A person who is trying to tread water, with their head tilted back… is a person in desperate need of help,” said Ingram.
When planning a trip to the beach, choose a beach that has lifesavers on duty, and swim between their flags. If you do this you don’t need to worry about rip-currents, and if you get into difficulty the lifesavers will come and help you.
If you are caught in a rip current and feel yourself being pulled out to sea, do not panic. The current will slow down as it gets further out. Simply swim parallel to the beach then use the waves to help you get back in. Or, if you are tired, float and wave for help.
Sea Rescue spokesman Craig Lambinon advises boaters to take note of weather warnings and forecasts for the area that they will be visiting.
“Wear a lifejacket. If something goes wrong and you land up in the water without a lifejacket your chances of survival are much worse than if you had put it on before launching. And putting a lifejacket on when you are already in trouble is very difficult.
“Let a responsible person know where you are going, when you will be back and who to call if you are not back when you said that you would be. Have a look at www.searescue.org.za for emergency telephone numbers.
“Make sure that you have a cellphone with fully charged batteries in a waterproof pouch, a cd or mirror and a referee’s whistle to signal with. These should be attached to your lifejacket and not in a cupboard or locker. Make sure to check your safety equipment and practice using it before you need to,” said Lambinon.
“And never turn your back on the sea,” adds Ingram. “This is most important for anglers on rocks, and something that should be reinforced in children on holiday in an unfamiliar place.”
Take the time to put emergency telephone numbers into your cellphone before your holiday. In a real emergency it is difficult to stay calm and remember what number to use. Make sure that you have the ambulance telephone numbers before you need them.
l If you would like to support the Sea Rescue volunteers, all of whom are unpaid, go to www.searescue.org.za and click on the “ Donate Now” button to make an immediate donation, or click on the “Ways to support us” link for more information. All donations will go towards rescue equipment. – Saturday Star