RESCUE BASES / 1 DECEMBER 2023

Base showcase: Station 37 (Jeffreys Bay)

The surfing haven, J-Bay, as it’s affectionately known, is home to one of the largest and most industrious NSRI bases, with plenty of plans in progress to expand its capacity to serve its community.

Originally founded by Rieghard Janse van Rensburg in 2010 as a satellite to Station 21 (St Francis Bay), Station 37 is now a surf launch station in its own right headed by Paul van Jaarsveld, who joined the NSRI in 2014 and was voted Station Commander by his crew in 2021.

Originally from Newcastle, Kwazulu Natal, he visited Jeffreys Bay for a holiday in 2000 as a student from Bloemfontein with his girlfriend and now wife. They returned for their honeymoon in 2002 but moved to J-Bay some years later. “We were working in Kampala, Uganda, at the time, and a job offer prompted us to relocate in about 2006. My oldest son, Timothy, was six months old, and we never imagined we’d end up settling in Jeffreys Bay,” said Paul. “But it’s been 17 years now.”

A software engineer and general media expert by trade who now also runs a SCUBA charter and dive school, Paul is an avid sailor, surfer, and spear fisherman. Joining the NSRI was a logical extension of his adventurous nature and love for the sea.

“I want to make a real change in people's lives. I enjoy being part of a team and feel good doing something selfless. I also love the ocean and everything about it. It's a passion, and it borders on an obsession. Perhaps I am chasing that feeling, but it's a win because, through the NSRI, I get to do good and feel good simultaneously. My years in sea rescue have developed and grown me as a person and exposed me to exciting opportunities and relationships I would never have encountered otherwise.”

Indeed, Paul is a qualified Class 3 and Class 4 Coxswain, and, with the skills gained through the NSRI, he also holds rescue, power, and sailing skipper qualifications and provides water safety and services for events like Ironman, the South African Longboard Championships, the South African Surfing Championships, and the World Surf League Corona Open, as well as water safety services for the film industry.

“Our station typically deals with drownings at any of the beaches in our area, assisting kayakers and boaters, responding to shark incidents, assisting the SAPS with access to remote beaches, as well as assisting with beach horse-riding accidents and a fair amount of animal call-outs,” says Paul. “We are the authorised local representatives of Bay World Marine Stranding Network, and do a lot of work with them. We've rescued and relocated penguins and other sea-birds, seals of all shapes and sizes, dolphins, disentangled whales, rescued loggerhead, leatherback and green turtles... We sometimes also join Station 6, 21 or 36 in larger operations, including medivacs, searches, and swift water rescue operations.”

Deputy station commander and Class 3 and Class 4 Coxswain Kristo Kritzinger, joined the J-Bay crew in 2017 and hasn’t looked back: “The genuine camaraderie and the sense of purpose captured me from day one. Our crew is truly exceptional – remarkably dedicated and passionate about our mission. Each member brings a unique set of skills and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of our community. Their collaborative spirit and enthusiasm create a cohesive team that thrives on making a positive impact.”

Training takes place most Sundays from 8 am to noon, with bi-monthly night training and occasional collaborative training with other regional stations.

The core crew for Station 37 consists of about 15 – including three Class 3 and five Class 4 Coxswains – however, including trainee crew, coast watchers, shore and sea-going crew, the total is 58.

“There are a few other potential Trainee Coxswains in the wings who are working on getting their hours together to apply,” says Paul, who would like to expand the crew. “With a larger crew, availability for a callout is much higher, and it also spreads out the load between crew.”
However, one challenge to this goal is the size of their current facility, as it lacks capacity – which is why the crew is so excited about their new base building project.

Launched on the NSRI’s National Open Day on 30 September, the crew are excited to channel their energy into fundraising efforts for the new station, with a fund-raising committee forming and some big plans unfolding soon. (If you’d like to donate to the new base building fund for Station 37, scan the convenient QR code at the end of this article.)

Artist rendition of new Station 37 base building (subject to change).

Equally exciting is the upcoming relaunch of the station’s Junior Academy in 2024. “There is already a lot of interest,” says Paul. “One of our crew members, Kenyon Clegg, pioneered the NSRI Junior Academy several years ago. We had to put it on ice for a while after some crew left our station, and we no longer had suitable people to run it. One of our crew, also a father of two, stepped up recently to take on the role, and we look forward to seeing the Junior Academy soar in 2024!”

While Station 37 has won several awards, including Most Improved Station on two occasions (2014 and 2021), and the RIB Station of the Year in 2018 – these do not top Paul’s achievement list.

Rather: “I am proud of how we have grown over the years, in numbers and capacity; in our ability to respond to call-outs, as well as animal rescues, and in the general culture and atmosphere on the station.” says Paul. “I am proud of how we interact with our community and of our impact on those around us. I am proud of the things we have implemented, like digital pre-launch and housing checklists for our vessels and the monthly checklists. There are also several checklists we have implemented, based on the NSRI career guide, to make sure when somebody is appointed as crew, trainee Coxswain or Coxswain, that they meet all the criteria stipulated in the guide. This document is submitted to the committee, and all information is checked and signed off before we decide. We also have a dedicated social media team that produces regular social media content, and this, combined with the great photography of Matthew Gebers and others, has elevated our station's public profile, putting the NSRI brand and NSRI Jeffreys Bay in the public eye.”

As the crew’s endeavours continue to shape the legacy of Station 37, they will leave a lasting imprint on both the shores they protect and the lives they've touched – and saved – in Jeffreys Bay.