As the waves lapped against the iconic six pillars at Humewood Beach on Saturday, a different kind of tide turned when a partnership transformed the beachfront into an open-air classroom.
Families were taught vital water safety and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills in the hope of preventing future tragedies.
The partnership is between the Rotary Club of Port Elizabeth South and the National Sea Rescue Institution.
This comes as SA continues to record nearly 1,500 fatal drownings a year.
Observed globally on July 25 and promoted by the World Health Organisation, this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day theme was “Unite to Turn the Tide”, highlighting the need for communities, workplaces and governments to work together to reduce drowning deaths.
The event formed part of the Rotary Club’s survival swimming programme, launched in Gqeberha in 2025.
Rotary Club of Port Elizabeth South member and NSRI volunteer Noelene Jorgensen said the aim was to spread life-saving knowledge throughout the community.
“We also had parents here,” Jorgensen said.
“There was hands-on CPR and posters to teach what you would need to do.
“We hope you would not need it, but if they do need to use it, they would be equipped to use it effectively.”
Jorgensen said the programme was influenced by the drowning of a Rotary Club member’s two-year-old son in a home swimming pool about two years ago.
“We thought we cannot bring him back, but we can prevent the same tragedy from happening to other people.
“We have two sides to the survival swimming training.
“One is classroom-based where we will give out the lesson that we gave out today about the plan, peer rescue and hands-on CPR,” she said.
Jorgensen said people needed to understand that drowning could happen almost anywhere.
“People need to be aware that it is not only the sea or a swimming pool.
“It can also be a puddle or a leaking drain where they can drown.”
Guest speaker Judy Venter said the programme had already reached more than 800 people.
“Remember to never swim alone, never use your hand to rescue somebody, because often the rescuer becomes the casualty.
“We always reiterate that before trying to help somebody, you need to call professional help, so calling 112 in any emergency is kind of your first port of call,” Venter said.
NSRI rescue crew member and lifeguard Leyla Gane recalled rescuing a woman who had been swept under by a river current at KuGompo after she had been drinking.
“It is scary when we resuscitate people, because when they come back they are confused, they do not know where they are and they are in a state of panic,” Gane said.
Swimmer Jill Theunissen, from Parsons Vlei, said campaigns like the one at Humewood Beach were vital.
“Swimming in the sea is different to swimming in the pool ... I think campaigns like these are really important for the public and people that come down to the beach when it is hot,” Theunissen said.
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