GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - What was supposed to be an evening watching rugby with friends for a Glentana resident, turned into his being waist-deep in an incoming Spring tide when he helped rescue three adults, stranded on rocks on Saturday, 6 July.
A husband, wife and a woman friend were safely taken to the mainland at Glentana by members of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), with the assistance of local resident Stefan de Klerk, deemed a "good Samaritan" by the NSRI in a statement the next day.
NSRI Mossel Bay duty coxswain Dawie Zwiegelaar noted in the statement the crew members were activated to assist the three at Glentana at about 16:00 on Saturday.
Rescue swimmers
He said NSRI rescue swimmers, in their private vehicles, an NSRI rescue vehicle carrying NSRI rescue swimmers and Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services responded, while the Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Police's Water Policing and Diving Services remained on alert.
It was around that time that De Klerk was getting ready to watch the rugby.
"I was about to watch the game. I had my rugby jersey on, long pants and my new shoes," said De Klerk.
Stefan de Klerk. Photo: Supplied
Sirens
It was then that he heard sirens in his street.
"I have saved a few people from drowning in the past, so I decided to go to see what was happening."
De Klerk said that when he arrived at Glentana Beach, he saw two women from the NSRI making their way up some rocks.
"I went to ask them what was going on and they told me that some people were trapped. I thought there were two places where they could be stuck with the Spring tide coming in."
De Klerk said he told the NSRI members that he had been living in the area for 21 years.
"I know these rocks like the back of my hand and I told them I knew where they were probably stuck."
Volunteering
After volunteering his help, he was given the go-ahead and he said he rushed down to look at the first spot he thought they might be, but the three were not there.
He said that by then, two NSRI members in their wetsuits were there and they all made their way past the rocks to Happy Bay.
De Klerk said there was another volunteer, also called a "good Samaritan" by the NSRI, who was with the crew.
Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services members were standing atop a hill nearby and were in radio communication with the NSRI team.
Fire and Rescue Services made contact with the NSRI to say they had spotted the stranded three and the crew, along with De Klerk, and the other volunteer made their way to the stranded trio.
Channel
"I waded in. There was one channel we had to go through and we went through the water and back with the people. Everything went well; the NSRI is very good at what it does."
Zwiegelaar said in the statement that the three were trapped on rocks above a gulley.
He said the NSRI members accessed the gulley down a cliff path and waded through the water, timing the incoming wave sets. During a lull in the incoming waves they reached the three.
Zwiegelaar said life jackets were placed on the trio and they were helped in reaching the mainland and in traversing a cliff. The three required no further assistance once they reached the main car park.
He also commended three people, who were visiting from Johannesburg, for raising the alarm and waiting for assistance rather than risking wading through the channel or waiting for low tide which would have only been well after 22:00.
He said the rescue was completed just after 18:30.
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