It’s easy to forget that the public can be our best advocates for water safety, if we just reach out and harness that power. Today I’d like to relate an example of how a mother reached out to the life saving professionals in her community to challenge and change the signage and safety promotion of a local beach.
This mother, inspired by the unexpected danger she and her daughter faced, has been tireless in her determination for change. She reached out to Viraj Ramharai of Surf Lifesaving Mauritius, and the two of them have formed a very effective partnership to reach the appropriate government officials, provide them with accurate information about water safety, and push for change.
As a fellow mother, I can only observe that woe be the person who dares not put our children’s safety first. We need the voice, the power, and the dedication of mothers like Bina, coupled with the professional expertise of life guards and aquatics professionals, to bring water safety to the attention of public officials and the media globally.
Hats off to Viraj and Bina for their outstanding teamwork and perseverance.
The full story, in their own words, first from Bina and then Viraj.
“Yesterday, 9th April at around 4.30 pm, I and my 9 year old daughter and two other Mauritian men (who are not acquaintances of ours) were quietly swimming in the cordoned/ safe zone. The weather was nice: blue skies, hot and humid, the water was intermittently choppy. The sea was not as clear as usual and it was even murky in some places i.e. we could not see the bottom so well when using our masks and tube. It was not a windy day.
Suddenly, the situation changed — in the sea. My estimate is that we were within the safe zone and about 15 m from the other cordoned zone (i.e. where a red plastic triangular buoy marks the “dangerous bathing” zone), when the near-drowning incident happened. I was quietly swimming and barely had footing at that point in time. My daughter was swimming close by me. Suddenly, I felt a strong breeze blowing and the waves started getting bigger and the water choppier. We were now being tossed by the waves and pushed towards the cordon on the far right that borders the danger zone. Our natural instinct was to swim away from that zone, but we were swimming against the current and we were not moving forwards at all. At the same time we were being pulled by a strong undertow towards the dangerous zone
I have swam many times at Flic en Flac and at that same place, but it’s the first time I experienced such a strong undercurrent. And, I am a fairly good swimmer, but yesterday’s experience was very frightening. The two men ( strong looking people) were likewise being pushed and pulled towards the danger zone. One of them had been pushed over the cordon and was struggling to find his footing, much like my daughter who was now fighting the current and running out of breath. I was pushed against the cordon. Instinctively, I grabbed hold of the cord even though it was slippery due to the mass of seaweed growing on it and I shouted to my daughter to grab it, but she couldn’t hear me. I could see that she was being pulled away and was fighting in vain against the current. Still without footing, I hung on to the cordon and reached far out to grab my daughter. By then she was over the safe zone cordon and being pulled towards the danger zone. So, with one arm I was hanging on to her and with the other arm I was hanging on to the slippery the cord, while one of the men was being pushed against me by the waves. He heard me call to my daughter and he hung on to the cordon too. I could feel my daughter slipping away due to the slipperiness of the water on our arms. It was all happening so fast. The water had suddenly grown rough and deep.The cordon with us hanging on to it were all being shaken. But, we hung on.
Then it all subsided just as suddenly as it had begun. The undertow grew weaker and I was able to inch my way back to where I could get my footing again. I clung on to my daughter who was trembling with the trauma of it all.The entire episode must have lasted not more than 2 minutes, but we could have drowned in that time. We were all out of breath. I have swam many times ( since childhood) in that safe zone and have never experienced what I did yesterday.
I called up the National Coast Guard this morning to report the incident as I was too shaken to do so yesterday. Constable Ganoo took note of my complaint. He explained that the cordoning is based on international norms. I understand this, but the fact it that cordoning should also be adapted to local realities. Had I not grabbed my child she would have drowned and I would be a grieving mother today or maybe I would have tried to swim to save her and both of us would have drowned….Mr. Ganoo suggested I report the matter to the Ministry and the Tourism Authority Hotline ( 8910). However, the Tourism Authority referred me to the Beach Authority who referred me back to the National Coast Guard. Had I been mourning the death of my child today, I would have gone straight to the press. One can bear being thrown about like a ping-pong, especially after having experienced such trauma. There must be a single hotline for general coordination.
The coast guards were nowhere to be seen yesterday. The public cameras served no purpose — I wonder whether the incident is even on film ? If so, I would urge you to take a look at it so that you can see what happened for yourself and clearly identify and re-demarcate the danger zone. In fact, nobody on the beach had realized what was happening to us in the water…It was surreal.
May I suggest that this safe swimming area be rezoned as far as possible from the dangerous bathing area and that a “flag” system be set up so that a red flag would signal high tide and danger, signaling that anyone going into the water at that time will be doing so at their own risk and peril?
Thank you for listening and considering my suggestions and hope to hear from you very soon. I am doing this as a preventive measure to avoid any such incidents and despair in future.”
With Best Regards,
Bina
And now from Viraj:
The Surf Life Saving Association of Mauritius has been made aware of the problem, same day I had meeting with the Divisional commander of Police as my dad was a superintendent we have three months meeting for safety. Being the President of Surf Life Saving in Mauritius, I am requested to submit an urgent recommendation to the Ministry. The following day Mrs Bina met me on the beach where I explained her about rips and she now supporting surf life saving in Mauritius. 75% of the beach users for our beach patrolled were aware about beach safety, this is a record breaking and the rest 25% gradually will understand it. Without equipments were went to war and won the battle because of man power.
Life Saving is commitment, either you do it properly and do not DO ANYTHING AT ALL. Many people learn to do something or a skill without knowing WHY?
Three days ago being in civil dress and wanted to spend sometime lonely on the beach, after spending two days with relatives from India, I saw a group of people on the bridge and one guy crying, my reaction was ( I helped someody and lost my job) but I wanted to ignore this case, professionally I was out of control and went to see what happened, the guy was stung by stone fish, I introduced myself and did what should be done and call the police as it was a life-threatening situation, the boy as taken to hospital by the police. That is my 45th cases in 10 years career in lifesaving.
