Farewell to Rico of Still Bay

We bid farewell to a very dear friend and Station Commander, Enrico Menezies. Rico has been a valuable asset to the community of Still Bay and will be sorely missed. He will be moving to the Kei River to start a new career.NSRI's Graeme Harding attended his farewell yesterday as well as the awards ceremony for the Sea Reacue Junior Academy that Rico has piloted in Still Bay. Enrico Menezies (right) receiving a Directors' Thanks Award for his valuable contribution as a Station Commander at Still Bay.The citation reads as follow:The Directors of The National Sea Rescue Institute accord their thanks to Enrico Menezies on the occasion of his standing down from the position of Station Commander ofStation 31, Still Bay, in October 2016.Enrico, also known as Rico and nicknamed 'Dundee', joined the station on the 3rd of February 2004. He held a Master Class 5 Open Water Skipper’s qualification from Queensland Maritime Safety in Australia and in 2011 he achieved his SAMSA Class B skipper’s ticket.Rico served as Deputy Station Commander to the late John Muir and Johan Serfontein. He stood down from this position when he worked at sea, but stayed on as Sea Rescue crew. John van Tonder took leadership of the station during this period. On his return to Still Bay Rico took over the Station Commander position from John van Tonder on the 1st of October 2008. Rico ran Station 31 with great dedication, sometimes in challenging circumstances.He was instrumental in starting Sea Rescue’s Junior Academy Programme in Still Bay, which has had many positive results for the station, among them being the inclusion of youngsters into the Sea Rescue family, thus ensuring the survival of the station through bringing new blood and the enthusiasm of youth into the fold. Rico has hosted numerous interviews with local radio stations, as well as a television interview with the SABC about this initiative, and can be proud of the legacy that he has left in Still Bay through the Sea Rescue Junior Academy.Enrico led Station 31 in a firm manner from the front. If he was not at sea during an operation, he was in the rescue vehicle or on the radio offering advice and waiting for the rescue crews to return safely to the slipway. During his eight years at the helm of Station 31 Enrico oversaw 256 operations, Station 31 rescued 198 people and assisted 101 boats.We are most grateful for Enrico’s contribution to the NSRI’s mission of saving lives on South African waters. Enrico's son Max proudly wearing a Sea Rescue Junior Academy t-shirt. All the Junior Academy kids receiving certificates where they are taught knots, first aid, cpr, safety in water and how to work as a team.Rico, you will be sorely missed and you will always a hold special place in our Sea Rescue family.