 | Name: Bryn Schievink Age: 17 years young Day job: Student/ Maccas Rep What is your role at St Kilda Slsc? General clubbie How long have you been with St Kilda? Around 3 years Why did you join? Dragged along by the D-dog himself Most memorable moment/incident at St Kilda SLSC and why? My first Rescue at Kilda/ Having a BBQ with the boys Pet hate? When people won't go paddling with me What do you like to do in your spare time? Hitting up the beach, Chilling with mates, Work What has been your greatest achievement in your time at St Kilda SLSC? Rescue of the year, Aims for 2016? Swim the white island race, Have a pumping summer Any message to readers? Get stuck in, If you're keen on being a lifeguard Hit me up |
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Some of our club members not only spend there time at the beach patrolling during the summer but are also a part of the SLSNZ Otago Search and rescue team who respond to afterhours callouts and searches around the Otago district 365 days a year 24 hours a day.
This team over the past few years have attended multiple incidents from surfers caught it rips outside of patrol hours to searches following possible sightings in the sea. Over the past week the team have been very busy. This started with a Friday night callout to St Kilda beach for a surfer in distress but were stood down on arrival at the surf club as the lucky surfer had made is way to shore. On Tuesday the 13 September the squad was turned out to an incident at Heyward Point where a recreational fisherman run into trouble when he discovered a fire is his engine room. The quick thinking of the skipper saw him radio a distress message across the marine radio before running his vessel aground on a secluded beach below the Heyward Point light and disembarking to avoid the fire. The St Kilda members responded by road with 1 IRB to Long beach where they launched. Upon arrival at the incident they saw the skipper being winched to safety by the Otago Regional rescue Helicopter. The team where tasked by Dunedin Marine search and rescue advisers to assess the safety of the vessel on the beach being the only service who could easily access the beach by water. One of the members Sam just so happens to be a qualified fire fighter and liaised with the Port Chalmers volunteer fire brigade to come and extinguish the blaze. The team used their IRB to ferry Fire fighters and equipment to and from the beach when they arrived on Coastguard Vessel. This was shortly followed by a Second IRB from the St Clair Surf Lifesaving club arriving on scene with 3 of their members who help form a part of the SAR team. The team assisted fire with keeping the suction for their pump submerged and assisted Coastguard with securing the burnt-out vessel to the rocks ready for the incoming tide to prevent it drifting out to sea and causing further problems. The following Saturday night saw the whole team with members from St Kilda, St Clair and Brighton surf clubs respond to Warrington beach where 4 people were reported in difficulty 100meters plus off shore. This rescue saw the first arriving member’s suit up in full gear ready for the night time operation including hi-viz, strobes torches and helmets. Fortunately the kayakers managed to swim to shore before the team launched. On the Sunday morning we were once again paged out for another job at Warrington beach, This time a search after a beach goer noticed an empty kayak and multiple sets of paddles on the beach. The team responded and performed a search but it was later proved the kayaks actually belonged to those who were involved in the incident the night before and the official stand down was given. Thanks to the members from St Clair and Brighton Surf Clubs who also make up the rest of the team.
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