Durban Sailing Communities donate money to National Sea Rescue Institute Rescue 5

Point Yacht Club

NSRI Fundraiser

Donations from the Barrel Race 2014 were presented to the National Sea Rescue Institute Durban Station with the Durban sailing community raising a whopping R109,075 to the volunteer organisation.

The annual Barrel Race is an event hosted by Point Yacht Club and organised jointly with the Bluff Yacht Club, Island Sailing Club and Royal Natal Yacht Club.

Fundraising activities included a beach party at PYC’s Beach Site, a fine dining event at PYC, a party at Royal Natal Yacht Club and the main Barrel Day during which all clubs contributed and took part.

The fun-filled Barrel Day included a fun race in the harbour, where a number of the NSRI volunteers joined the sailors on their romp around the bay. After all the water based activities, the fun returned to the shore for the land-based festivities.

In addition to the events, the money raised was through various donations, including the generous contributions from Seaport Supply, Offshore Sailing Academy, Dockleveller Supplies, Decorland and Alexander, Cox Attorneys.

The Durban sailing community handed over a cheque to the value of R80,000 to the NSRI in 2013, growing their support by nearly R30,000. The money raised will go towards helping with their maintenance that is a constant drain on their finances as well as adding to their savings towards a new 12meter rescue boat that they are hoping to launch in Durban in 2015.

“Local support for Sea Rescue is critical. It is extremely expensive to run a NSRI station and having the support of local business, clubs and individuals helps us to afford to keep our equipment in tip top condition, make sure that we always have fuel, excellent Personal Protective equipment like wetsuits and lifejackets as well as carrying out general preventative maintenance.” affirmed Clifford Ireland, the Station Five Station Commander.

Ireland joined the NSRI in 1992 and soon became a Class 1 Coxswain, and then the Durban Station Commander in 2010. “Last year the NSRI nationally had 662 rescue responses, spent 3,992 hours on operations and 7,903 hours on training across all 35 stations. We rescued 1,131 people.” Ireland proudly explained.

The hard working Durban establishment is one of four in the KZN province and their team is constantly training for any instance that could happen in our coastal waters, “Training depends on the station, but a norm would be a crew meeting each week, often on Wednesdays and then training on one day of the weekend. Again this changes station to station. The smaller stations will have one crew who will be training each weekend and the bigger stations four crews who train one day a month on their weekend on duty.”

Looking ahead at the 2015 Barrel Race, Ireland commented, “Thank you to all who took part and to all who put so much time and effort into making the 2014 Barrel Race unforgettable. Monies raised in this year’s event will be used to replace wetsuits and life-jackets. And of course towards the big one, our new rescue boat that will cost in the region of R13 million!

This year the Barrel Race hosted by all of the Durban yacht clubs will be held on Sunday 28 June

For more info visit the yacht clubs websites.

Chatting to young sailor Chad Stevenson

Royal Natal Yacht Club

RS Tera World Championships

Weymouth, England: 28 July – 5 August

The twinkling eyes of Chad Stevenson (13), from Durban North, sparkle as he talks about his about his burst onto the sailing scene and his next big event, the RS Tera World Championship that takes place in Weymouth, England from 28^th July 2013.

Chad first began sailing with the 57^th Sea Scouts in the late 2009 under the encouragement of his mother and hasn’t looked back. Being the first sailor in the Stevenson family, the young lad quickly advanced from  Sea Scouts to Sail Africa, where he was introduced to dinghy racing. “I love RS Tera’s! It’s fun and fast. I have a need for speed.” The sprightly sailor has competed in the Oppie Class, Hobbies but utterly loves the small one man monohull and has an impressive long list of achievements from his fresh career in the RS Tera`s.

Last year, he competed in the RS Tera World Championships in August in Italy, coming 12^th. “The conditions were trying, and being my first ever overseas big competition, it was a bit overwhelming but I loved every moment of it. Lake Iseo was awesome.”

Asked what he is most looking forward to when racing in the UK, he quickly states with a beaming smile on his face, “Not the weather!” The sun worshiper however follows this statement with, “The wind, it is going to be the best! It gets to around 25knots at this time of year. Also where the event is being held, that is where the London Olympics was held last year, so I will be sailing on the same waters and at the same venue as some of the current great names in the sport.I want to come in the top three this year.”

The determined face admits, “Would you like to know what my four year plan is?  In 2016 Rio Olympics, I will be sixteen then! And then my eight year plan is the 2020 Olympics. I am training hard and would like to thank my coaches , Rudy Mc Neal and Michael Dickinson, in helping me to achieve this. After the Olympics, I would then love to compete in an America’s Cup campaign, which is the ultimate in racing.”

The Crawford La Lucia schoolboy is a sport fanatic, competing in everything that his schedule allows, having been awarded KZN Colours for sailing and was also trying for cross county but had to stop and go sail Worlds in Italy. He also participates in hockey; soccer at school and Juventus FC, mountain biking at Mudman and the Spur Mongoose series, swimming and triathlons. “I like being competitive, it is my life. I have done extremely well in my sailing, I have mostly won every single event I have participated in. I have travelled to the Eastern Cape Provincials, Western Cape Provincials and KZN Provincials and  the SAS Youth Nationals where I dominated all the races in the RS Tera Sport class.I also won the inter-schools regatta for Crawford.”

This  young Durban sailor is looking for support and sponsorship to make his dreams become a reality. He needs to raise around R40,000 for his upcoming trip to Weymouth which will be for flights, kit, boat chartering, transport and accommodation. If anyone is able to assist, please contact Gayle from the Royal Natal Yacht Club on 031 301 5425 or Gary Stevenson on 079 555 1068 or chadsports@mweb.co.za.

On The Couch with Evita Bezuidenhout

South Africa’s most famous white woman, Evita Bezuidenhout, the razor-sharp self proclaimed tannie of the nation, famed hostess, socialite and former ambassadress of the homeland of Bapetikosweti, will be in Durban’s Glenwood for one night only at the KZNSA Gallery as special guest for their Gala Benefit Evening on Wednesday 5 June.   

To honour Mrs Bezuidenhout, the KZNSA Arts Cafe is creating a special menu for the evening, preparing dishes straight out of Evita se Kossie Sikelela cook book..

For more information, or to book, phone Emme on 031 277 1705.

A perfect evening would entail?

EB: Alone with the cat, a glass of  wine and a Mimi Coertse CD

A word that you use often?

EB: 'O Liewe Aarde!'

Where were you when Nelson Mandela was released?

EB: In my Embassy kitchen watching with my staff on their b/w TV

Favourite South African comedian? EB: Any of the Guptas

Can you list the eleven official languages in South Africa?

EB:   English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, North Sotho, South Sotho,  Venda, Swati, Pedi, Cape Coloured

Proudest moment of being a South African recently?

EB: Not being invited to that wedding at Sun City

Who would you most like to enjoy a cup of tea with and haven't had the opportunity to yet? EB: Julius Malema (not out of Winnie's tea pot....)

Best thing about living in Darling?

EB: The name is English for 'Skattie'!

Favourite quote?

EB: "Moenie panic nie; alles sal regkom!"

Do you know any Justin Bieber songs?

EB: Who?