With the cool days of autumn settling in on the Mother City, authorities have called time on summer swimming as pools close and lifeguards climb down from their watchtowers for the season.
Cape Town’s beach and pool lifeguards officially wrapped up their duties for the 2024-2025 summer season on Monday, 21 April, and many seasonal swimming pools are now closed to the public.
Public swimming pools across the city are now closed until spring, with only five pool facilities remaining open year-round. If you fancy a dip, you’ll have to head to Blue Downs, Long Street, Retreat, Strand, and Sea Point. Feeling brave? You could always brave one of these awesome tidal pools close to Cape Town?
Although it’s outdoors and alongside the chilly Atlantic, Sea Point is always a hit with locals and visitors. Nearly 4000 swimmers visited on Boxing Day (26 December) alone! It was certainly a busy season for the city pools, with over 660,000 people laying out their towels, and nearly two-thirds of them children.
Keeping them safe was a team of lifeguards, who are now off-duty for the winter. It was a busy season for Cape Town’s water safety teams, which responded to dozens of emergencies across beaches and pools, saving many people from drowning.
But with the lifeguards off duty until next summer, the City is urging swimmers to remain cautious.
“Don’t become another statistic,” said Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health. “Avoid isolated beaches, learn to identify rip currents, and stay within your swimming ability.”
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