The four surfers who worked together to save the lives of two individuals in near-drowning incidents at notorious East Beach last week, say their actions were purely instinctive and are unanimous in this: “We would do it again if we had to.”
The Kowie Boardriders Club quartet of Joshua Le Roux, Owen Heny, Carl Wiersma and Charlie Napier were checking out surfing conditions at East Beach pier when a friend, “Brody”, came running up to them say there were people in trouble in the water.
“We were so far down the beach (at the pier) we really couldn’t really see anything,” said Owen. “Then after that another guy came running asking for help and that’s when we all saw two heads bobbing in the ocean.”
The surfers said there had been a third person involved, but he had managed to swim back safely to shore.
“Charlie and Carl started sprinting down the beach followed by Josh and myself. I saw one of the guys who was closer in and the other one was past the breakers,” said Owen.
The three in trouble were opposite East Beach’s Middle Beach parking lot, about half a kilometre from where they stood.
To make matters worse, the two swimmers still out there were caught in a rip tide in a churning sea. “Their friends and people standing and watching were quite frantic, when we arrived on the scene,” said Charlie.
A quick discussion followed among the surfers.
“I saw the guy at the backline (behind the breakers) so I thought I am going to go out the rip and try to come back and get around him, while the others went out to try and save the other guy. All of us were paddling frantically through the beach break,” said Owen.
Meanwhile, Multi-Security’s patrol officer Nceba Gaga, stationed in a raised hut on the shoreline, had already alerted the NSRI to the situation.
“I got to our guy about 15 seconds before Charlie did,” said Wiersma, who is the current U16 SA surfing champion. “But this guy was like … huge a very big guy. I got to him … it took me so long to get to him, and I was stressing. He got on my board and my board just like sank. I was like ‘hey I’m so cooked now’. Then Charlie got there and we transferred him on to Charlie’s board.
“Josh was still coming out the rip … and the rip down the bottom was just insane … a huge rip and deep as well,” said Wiersma.
“The waves were very big. It took us like 20 minutes getting him in because he was a proper big guy and we just kept pushing him slowly but surely towards shore,” said a relieved Wiersma. “And, actually we had to push him out against the rip as well, which is quite a mission,” added Charlie.
Talk of the Town asked the brave surfers if they felt they were in trouble at any time given the challenges and rough sea.
“When I gave him my board I distanced myself about a metre from him,” said Wiersma. “Otherwise they stress, and they pull you down with them so I like kept my distance … as soon as I got to him, I calmed down so quickly hey … and he was so calm when I arrived.”
And Charlie chipped in: “He was properly properly [exhausted] though!”
“We were deciding which side to take him in (to shore),” said Carl. “And we landed like in an impact zone and pushing us in (to shore) from there, and Charlie and I kept nudging him forward and Josh came along later to assist us getting him safely back.”
The surfers said their rescue was pale and tired and shaken. He said he could walk and did not need any further assistance despite the close attention of an NSRI rescuer who arrived on the shoreline.
“He and his friends kept thanking us … he in particular was very thankful for our assistance,” said Carl.
By the time Owen reached the second swimmer beyond the breakers, the NSRI had already got there and managed to lift him up into the rescue boat.
“The sea was very rough at this stage, and it seemed the NSRI battled to haul him up .. .but fortunately they managed eventually and got to him in time … and I returned to the shoreline,” said Owen. “It seems that he had taken in a lot of water and we heard he had to be rushed to hospital.”
Talk of the Town asked the surfers if it’s something they train and prepare themselves for – going to the rescue of anyone who gets in to trouble at sea.
“It’s an instinctive thing. Yes we are at risk, but not so much because we know the ocean well, said Carl.
“We haven’t been properly trained it’s just like a natural instinct to help as we know all the dangers and risks and what to do as we surf the ocean regularly. Despite the risks, we’d do it again if we have to,” said Owen and the others nodded in agreement.
Confirming the incident, the NSRI said Port Alfred Station 11 through its rescue crew manning its Rescue 11 craft, answered a call of three persons in distress in rip currents while out swimming.
“On arrival on the scene one local male teenager, age 19, was found to have been able to get to shore safely unassisted and he was not injured.”
“A second local male teenager, age 19, was assisted ashore by local male surfers who were able to rescue the teenager safely to the beach using a surfboard.”
“That casualty suffered non-fatal drowning symptoms and was taken into the care of Gardmed paramedics.”
Another adult male, age 25, battling rip currents was rescued by the NSRI rescue craft and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Both individuals were admitted to hospital. “They are both expected to make full recoveries,” said the NSRI statement.
“The patrol officer who raised the alarm, the swift response of NSRI, Gardmed ambulance services and the Good Samaritan surfers, are commended for contributing to saving the lives of the two casualties.”
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, December 4, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
