- Following a tragic drowning incident at Kids Rock, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has installed two pink rescue buoys off Kleinbaai in Bloubergstrand to enhance beach safety.
- The buoys are dedicated to the memory of drowning victims, Pierre Lotter, Willem Pretorius, and their three Dachshund dogs, and aim to provide emergency assistance to those in danger of drowning.
- The NSRI urges individuals to prioritize safety and contact their emergency operations center if they find themselves stranded on rocks during rising tides.
In response to a recent tragic drowning incident that deeply shook the coastal communities, efforts to enhance beach safety have taken a significant step forward.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) recently installed two pink rescue buoys off Kleinbaai in response to the tragic drowning incident that occurred on Tuesday 14 May at Kids Rock.
The incident claimed the lives of two men, Pierre Lotter (23) and Willem Pretorius (47) and their three Dachshund dogs.
The two men from Kathu in the Northern Cape and their three Dachshund dogs had been fishing at Kids Rock, off-shore of Bloubergstrand, in the vicinity of the Blue Peter Hotel on Tuesday 14 May. Pretorius was found dead in Bloubergstrand (in the vicinity of the Blue Peter Hotel) while Lotter and three dachshund dogs were reported missing on the day. Their bodies washed ashore a few days later in Melkbosstrand.
READ: Bloubergstrand fishing trip: Body of missing Kathu man, dogs found in Melkbosstrand
At the time of their disappearance Hein Köhne, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Melkbosstrand station commander, said they were alerted by concerned relatives of the two men and their three dogs, who had last been heard from around 18:30 on Tuesday after going fishing in the Bloubergstrand area, on Kids Rock, in the afternoon.
“It is believed that they were fishing from Kids Rock and they had been there the day before, fishing at Kids Rock, as well,” Köhne said. “We believe they had reached the rock at low tide but during the incoming high tide, that peaked at 20:30, we suspect that somewhere between 18:30 and 19:30, they may have tried to swim across the channel.”
Safety enhanced
Located approximately 200 meters offshore of Kleinbaai in Bloubergstrand, the NSRI volunteers have strategically placed this public rescue equipment on Kids Rock in loving memory of Lotter, Pretorius, and their three Dachshunds, Ranger, Skyle, and Zia.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about the dangers of going out to these rocks and provide emergency assistance for those in danger of drowning when trying to get back to the shore.
“We encourage anyone on Kids Rock who find themselves cut off from the mainland during the rising tide to call the NSRI emergency operations centre at 087 094 9774 before trying to swim across to the mainland,” says Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesperson.
Anyone around the coastline who finds themselves in a similar situation should call the NSRI for assistance immediately.
Köhne says their tragic drownings have had a profound impact on the NSRI crew and the family and friends of Lottter and Pretorius.
“We trust that by putting pink buoys up at Kids Rock, we will remind people of the danger of going out to these rocks and provide emergency aid if someone is caught there in the future,” Köhne says.
The NSRI team worked with the City of Cape Town officials from Coastal and Environmental Management to make sure that the pink buoys would not be an eyesore or impact the view by breaking the horizon line, “but at the same time, be easily seen and accessible to people who may get trapped on these rocks”, Köhne says.
Growing number
Brett Ayres, Operations Director at the NSRI, commented on the initiative. He says since the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy project started in 2017, these pink rescue buoys have been used to help rescue 183 people around the South African coastline.
“We are sure that with the growing number of pink buoy custodians, they will be used to help many more people who are in danger of drowning,” says Ayres.
Ayres took this opportunity to encourage anglers to prioritise their safety by wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device when angling from a rocky shoreline or cliffs.
“Anglers should also be aware of high and low tides and pay attention to tide levels and the two monthly Spring tides at full moon and at new moon. Always ensure that someone knows where you are and when you will return. They should have the NSRI emergency number, 087 094 9774, saved to their cellphone,” he says.
The NSRI says they are grateful to Etienne Bulcke of O’Tool Melkbosstrand for lending a battery-operated drill and sponsoring the stainless steel rod and chemical anchor required to install the pink rescue buoys at Kids Rock.
