A swimmer who knew the risks

Janine Lochrenberg, sixty-five, often swam solo in the open ocean off Orient Beach in KuGompo City. She was aware of the dangers but accepted them as part of her adventurous lifestyle.

“Ja, that is how it goes”

The shark threat in these waters

Great white sharks are believed to have migrated from the Western Cape to Chintsa Bay following allegations that orca hunting pair Port and Starboard decimated the shark population there.

Protection swimmers use

Open-water swimmers strap shark pods to their ankles, devices with electrified tails designed to scramble incoming sharks' sensory organs. Janine and Mike chose the lighter Sharkbanz two, a rare-earth magnet.

A perfect Tuesday morning

On Tuesday, October twenty-first, the conditions were ideal for swimming. A light south-westerly wind, clear blue sea, and water temperature of fifteen degrees Celsius. Perfect for a swim and great white sharks.

The swim begins

Mike Loewe and his friend Barbara Briceland, seventy-one, swam together. Janine disappeared to do her own thing as usual. A few minutes before eight thirteen am, Mike was three point seven kilometres into his swim.

Something is wrong

Suddenly there was shouting and waving from a group further out.Mike and Barbara swam harder to reach them.Janine was lying flat on her back, injured.There was an enormous wound on her upper right thigh.

Into the water to help

Joy Coach Roach and Mike got into supportive position around Janine. She was still alive and making small sounds. Barbara and Mandy raced back to shore while Joy and Mike cradled their friend.

The rescue paddle

Mike and Joy began a long, slow rescue paddle, kicking their feet and using their spare arm. It was quiet and eerie. Mike kept saying the same thing over and over to Janine.

“We are here, Janine”

Help arrives on the beach

Bronwyn de Sousa saw a large fin heading for a swimmer and a commotion in the water.She alerted Jessica Broodryk, an advanced life support medic, who ran to shore with Mark Roach, an Olympic swimmer.

The rescue effort

Mark Roach powered Janine to shore in the classic lifesaver rescue position. Jessica started CPR. Barbara kept feeling for a pulse. Mike tried to apply a tourniquet to the thigh wound but it was hopeless.

Declared dead

Beach officials mobilised and carried Janine to the road near the lifesaver complex. Medics arrived promptly and went to work. She was declared dead. Mike already knew intuitively that she had bled out.

The shark's wounds

East London Museum principal scientist Kevin Cole said the shark probably bit Janine at least three times.

Identifying the shark

Cole, working with shark researchers Dr Geremy Cliff and Dr Matt Dicken, determined the shark was a great white roughly three point five metres long.

Why not other sharks

Ocean temperature was fifteen degrees Celsius with clear waters. This ruled out bull sharks, which prefer warmer water and have only one non-fatal record here in two thousand six. Tiger sharks also prefer warmer waters.

The community grieves

The open-water swimming community is devastated and in mourning. They have gathered around Barbara Briceland, Janine's life partner, with love and care. They do not hate sharks and remain environmentalists.

Returning to the water

The swimmers will learn more about shark behaviour, return to using shark pods, hold memorials and pay tribute.They will campaign to return the lifesaver complex's top office to lifesavers with binoculars and a gas horn.

A right they will not surrender

The community will return to the water soon.They will not be denied their existential connection with the oceans and rivers.Drivers are not pulled from the wheel because of road carnage, nor climbers barred from soloing.

Orient Beach should be free

Orient Beach is the safest beach for swimming, nestled in the lee of Orient Pier and protected from ocean swells.This was the first shark attack in recorded memory here.