Anita Pretorius says her husband Vic (70) will be remembered for being ‘so full of life’.
From Sunwich Port, Pretorius tragically died in a kayak incident on the Mzimkhulu River last Saturday.
Gary Wolmarans, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Shelly Beach station commander, said it was while on routine training exercises that the crew were called to respond to the Mzimkhulu River mouth in Port Shepstone, following eye-witness reports that a kayak had capsized in the river.
“The paddler had separated from his kayak and was being swept out to sea through the river mouth,” said Wolmarans.
NSRI rescue vehicle, Saps Search and Rescue and Med-Evac ambulance services responded.
“At the scene, a sea and shoreline search commenced for the man, who is well-known to the NSRI. The man and his wife are long serving NSRI supporters.”
The kayak was found washed up on the shoreline.
“During a sea search the man’s body was located in the surfline. Sadly he was declared dead by paramedics,” he said.
Speaking to the Herald, Mrs Pretorius (82) said they had been married for 39 years.
She said her husband had been a manager of several different Woolworths stores in Gauteng for 25 years.
Being a highly driven and motivated, he, together with his wife, later opened a picture framing and art shop in Pretoria.
The couple, then went on to buy an advertising business in Richards Bay which they ran for many years.
“I never had a chance to get old with Vic. He certainly kept me on my toes. Between sailing, motorbiking, racing, darts and kayaking, Vic had an interesting and good life. He had a great zest for life!” she said.
When the couple moved to the South Coast about three years ago, kayaking became Pretorius’s passion, and his wife supported his love for kayaking as much as she could.
Last year, the couple completed a ‘big open water paddle’ where they paddled 242km on the Vaal River to raise funds for NSRI. They raised R25 000 for the non-profit organisation.
Pretorius had planned to do a minimum of 70km on the Mzimkulu River to raise funds for the Lower South Coast SPCA later this year. Avid kayakers, Mark Lawlor and Lana van Zyl, plan to carry on with the fundraiser.
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