Swimming Against The Current

Deeply entrenched in the hearts of the Salt Rock community is a profound love and passion for our remarkable beaches. Recognising that our beautiful yet sometimes temperamental ocean demands respect and knowledge, the Salt Rock Nippers initiative is proudly stepping up to equip the next generation with essential sea safety skills.

Salt Rock Nippers was founded around 1986, following the establishment of the first “Salt Rock Lifesaving Club” by Steve Honeysett and a couple of locals. The club has been kept alive by locals for the last 40 years, passing down vital ocean knowledge and developing a passion for all water activities we are privileged to have access to on our coast.

Growing up on the North Coast, I have watched the Salt Rock Surf Life Saving club (SRSLS) evolve with the community. My dad coached Nippers when I was young and was chairman of the club for several years, so the beach, ocean, Nippers and SRSLS club are incredibly close to my heart.

When I moved back to the North Coast in 2019, I was thrilled that the Nicolson family were carrying on the Nippers programme that had been reignited by Dylan Smith and Matt Atwell when their kids were ready to start learning. We took over from the Nicolsons in 2023 after coaching with them for a few years.

I recently heard a coach use the analogy of an elastic band to explain growth to her group of Nippers, which I love: “Imagine an elastic band around your fingers at the start of the session. Spreading your fingers too quickly will cause it to pop off, but keeping them closed will also make it fall off. The goal is to stretch and grow, little bits at a time.”

For our smaller age groups, the large Salt Rock shorebreak can look incredibly intimidating, sometimes leaving them too scared to even put a toe in the water. Nippers is about developing confidence through understanding and stretching boundaries each week, one small step at a time. I watch these kids transform from nervous, cautious Nippers to confident, ocean-loving youth who swim out to the backline and thoroughly enjoy the sea. Several former Nippers have progressed to become valuable support coaches during sessions. These individuals are knowledgeable about the ocean and the skills needed to be proficient with watercraft, enabling them to offer essential assistance to older age groups, particularly during longer swims.

This confidence enables our Nippers to react and respond to new and challenging situations calmly and rationally. Recently, during a session, one of the Nippers got stuck in a rip tide during a backline swim. One of the others noticed her peer’s distress and swam over to her and calmed her while raising a single arm (lifesaving signal they learned) to the coaches to advise they needed help. Instantly, the coaches were able to respond appropriately and aided the girls in navigating the current back to shore.

A session kicks off with a warm-up on the beach, followed by the groups heading off to their respective ocean activities, either in the sea or in the tidal pool, depending on the conditions. The parents are encouraged to spectate the younger groups as they build and grow in confidence, and in many instances, grow their own knowledge as they observe the sessions. Without the continued support of the families of Salt Rock Nippers, this initiative would not be possible.

I am incredibly grateful for the community that SRN harbours and the impact on the next generation of locals who want to preserve our precious coastline and the incredible lifestyle it inspires.

Words by: Fiona Carleton Trytsman
Website: www.saltrocknippers.co.za