Bystanders helped save struggling swimmers in the latest after-hours rescue at an Illawarra beach. Photos: Surf Life Saving Illawarra/Anthony Turner.
Illawarra surf lifesavers have seen a spate of after-hours incidents on our beaches, with more than a dozen people rescued or assisted from the water between 7 pm and 7 am in the past week.
Lifesavers are pleading with the community to avoid swimming in unpatrolled areas or entering the surf after the flags have gone down, with a high number of recent rescues showing a concerning trend.
“We’ve seen dramatic increase over the week of after-hour incidents where bystanders and lifesavers have risked their lives to go in and rescue people that are swimming at unpatrolled locations and then some locations quite dangerous in rip currents,” Surf Life Saving Illawarra duty officer Anthony Turner said.
“That’s including early mornings right through to 7:30 to 8 o’clock at night.
“There’s been a lot of close calls, near misses; we can’t plead enough to the public to please only swim at patrolled beaches.”
Two females are said to have struggled in a rip current for almost 20 minutes on Monday (12 January) evening at Coniston beach near WIN Stadium before the alarm was raised, with bystanders activating the emergency response beacon at the location and entering the water with a rescue tube.
“These girls could swim, thank goodness; they were able to float; they didn’t panic, but they were concerned,” Anthony said.
“It was just lucky that members of the public happened to be walking past, saw what was unfolding and heard calls for help.”
Surf Life Saving crews from Wollongong City and North Wollongong quickly responded, with both clubs fortunately holding events nearby, and arrived as the swimmers were reaching the shore.
The swimmers were assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital.
Bystanders used the emergency response beacon and rescue tubes to save the people from the water.
It comes just two days after eight people needed to be rescued in separate incidents at North Wollongong and Bellambi beaches outside of patrolled hours.
Multiple after-hours rescues also unfolded at Woonona Beach on 8 January and at Austinmer Beach on 7 January.
“It just highlights that the ocean is a dynamic environment; the conditions are always changing with wind swell, high tide, low tide,” Anthony said.
“There have been a lot of off-duty lifesavers at the beach that have to perform these risky rescues without back-up and putting their lives in danger including bystanders and family members that have gone out and rescued children and loved ones.”
He urged the community to always swim at patrolled beaches between the red and yellow flags and to check ahead with the Beachsafe App.
“If you feel like a swim in the morning or late evening, we’ve got another option of great rock pools,” Anthony said.
“We have scattered rock pools all the way up and down the coastline; nearly every second beach has a rock pool – it’s a lot safer than going out in the ocean.”
The risk of disaster becomes even greater when it starts to get dark.
“Definitely don’t go out at twilight or darkness; it’s just common sense,” Anthony said.
“You can’t see what’s coming, you can’t see the size of the waves, you can’t see anything in the water which could be submerged such as reefs or rock platforms. It’s just high risk if you go swimming at night-time.
“If you’ve consumed any alcohol or taken any drugs please don’t enter the water at all, it impedes your swimming ability.”
And he reminded the community that water safety wasn’t just for those intending to swim, after a rock fisherman was swept into the water at Kiama on Sunday (11 January).
“If you’re planning to go rock fishing, look at the Bureau of Meteorology, check the weather conditions, check if there’s any warnings in place, check the conditions upon arriving, wear light clothing, wear non-slip footwear.
“It’s very critical that you wear a lifejacket; this person was wearing a lifejacket and if you do get washed off the rocks that buys you essential time; it keeps you afloat; it keeps you safe until emergency services arrive.
“Never turn your back on the ocean. Carry a phone and fish with a friend.”
For more information about patrol hours and hazards at local beaches, download the Beachsafe app.
