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Be safe at the beach this festive season

Lifeguards are well prepared as the holidays are officially under way

December 14, 2018
Tamlyn Jolly 1 minute read
Alkantstrand temporary lifeguards Luke Ferreira and Khulekani Sikhosana demonstrate a malibu board rescue PHOTO: Tamlyn Jolly

ALKANTSTRAND lifeguards are gearing up for a busy festive beach season, with a team of 28 lifeguards to be stationed at Richards Bay’s swimming beach throughout the festive season.

With various rescue tools, including a jet-ski, quad bike, malibu boards and rubber duck at their disposal, the lifeguards are well prepared.

Alkantstrand life savers are thrilled at having received a quad bike and jet-ski from the uMhlathuze Municipality, which will greatly increase their ability to respond to crises both in the water and on land. Showing off their new acquisitions are (back) lifeguard Velaphi Masinga with (front) lifeguard Rais Hiraman, beach manager Cyril ‘King’ Mkhize, lifeguard Shadrack Mkhize and senior lifeguard Daniel Luba

The swimming zone is clearly indicated by the lifeguards’ red and yellow flags, and there is strictly no swimming anywhere that lifeguards are not present.

This is for the safety of the public, as the currents, rip tides and sudden underwater drop-offs elsewhere are extremely dangerous.

Lifeguard Keagan van Aswegen keeps an eye on Alkantstrand bathers and ensures they all adhere to swimming in the stipulated zone between the yellow and red lifeguard flags
PHOTO: Tamlyn Jolly

Alkantstrand lifeguards are on duty between 7am and 5pm, and the public is urged not to swim outside of these times.

Jumping off the piers are not allowed.

A team of 28 lifeguards will be stationed at Alkantstrand throughout the festive season
PHOTO: Tamlyn Jolly

Children must be supervised at all times and never left to their own devices in or near the water.

It is also not advisable to swim after consuming alcohol.

Alkantstrand lifeguards are expecting a busy festive beach season
PHOTO: Tamlyn Jolly

The public is urged to familiarise themselves with the NSRI’s sponsored pink buoys, with the first Richards Bay one having been erected at Bay Hall, an area notorious for drownings.

Lifeguards Keagan van Aswegen and Andrew Benson Chirwa keep an eye on bathers, ready to enter the water should anyone get into difficulty
PHOTO: Tamlyn Jolly

The pink buoys are easy to use and instructions are printed on the board.

Rais Hiraman displays the skill required to operate the lifeguards’ newly acquired rescue jet-ski
PHOTO: Orrin Singh

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December 14, 2018
Tamlyn Jolly 1 minute read

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