The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has cautioned beachgoers across the country to be careful over the coming days.
According to the NSRI, bathers and shoreline anglers around the coast should notice the high tide gradually becoming more elevated than normal and low tide retreating to lower levels than normal leading up to the peak of the full moon spring tide on January 6.
The NSRI said it was concerned that coastal bathers and shoreline anglers who are not aware of the full moon and new moon spring tides could be caught off-guard.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “Rip currents can be stronger in places during a spring tide. We are appealing to coastal bathers and shoreline anglers to be cautious, and bathers should only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards, and swim in between the safe swimming areas that lifeguards post using their red and yellow flags.”
Meanwhile, in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, the NSRI responded to multiple search-and-rescue operations across the province as thousands of residents flocked to the beaches.
According to the NSRI, its working officials conducted operations at more than six beaches, including Glencairn, Maiden’s Cove, Mossel Bay, Sunrise Beach and Plettenberg Bay.
In Plettenberg Bay, the NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew responded to an incident at the Robberg Peninsula where a man fell and was injured on the Robberg hiking trail.
The hiker managed to walk to the parking area where he was treated by NSRI medics for injuries before being admitted to hospital for further care.
Several hours later, at 7.13pm, the NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were called to the Piesang River braai area following reports of a drowning in progress.
“An NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue swimmer recovered an adult male from the water where cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts were commenced by NSRI Plettenberg Bay medics. Bitou Municipal lifeguards, Medlife ambulance services, Plettenberg Bay First Responders, Bitou Fire and Rescue Services and the SAPS were in attendance. After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly he was declared deceased.”
In Camps Bay, at Maiden’s Cove Beach, City of Cape Town lifeguards treated a 16-year-old girl for non-fatal drowning symptoms on Sunday afternoon.
The NSRI also responded to several incidents in Strand on Sunday.
Lambinon said the NSRI Gordon’s Bay assisted City of Cape Town lifeguards in responding to at least six incidents, including one in which a 12-year-old girl was assisted at Cape Sands.
In another incident, a young boy was assisted and hydrated after collapsing on the beach in the vicinity of the NSRI Gordons Bay satellite station on Strand Beach.
“At about 12.25pm, the NSRI Gordon’s Bay assisted a 7-year-old and 10-year-old boy who were involved in a motor vehicle accident in the vicinity of NSRI Gordon’s Bay satellite station at Strand Beach. NSRI Gordon’s Bay assisted lifeguards who treated the two patients, who were taken into the care of ER24 ambulance services,” Lambinon said.