SIX drowning on NSW beaches since July have surf lifesavers nervous about the summer ahead.
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Lifesavers raised the red and yellow flags for the start of the beach patrol season on Lake Macquarie and Central Coast beaches on Saturday.
The latest drowning occurred on Monday when a 25-year-old man lost his life at Stanwell Beach, in the Illawarra, while swimming well outside the flagged area.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said there was concern among the lifesaving community that safety messages still weren’t sinking in.
“Unfortunately these tragic incidents are a reminder of the power of the ocean,” Mr Pearce said.
“As surf lifesavers we want everyone to enjoy their time at the beach safely and it’s crucial that people make the effort to swim at a patrolled location and between those red and yellow flags.”
Beach safety has been bolstered, meanwhile, at one of Lake Macquarie’s most popular beaches with the opening of a new lifeguard observation room at Catherine Hill Bay Beach.
Lake Macquarie City Council’s beach lifeguard service team leader Paul Stone said lifeguards at Catho previously had no permanent structure from which to base their patrols and monitor beach activity.
“Safety is our key priority, and the new observation room provides an excellent vantage point for our lifeguard crews,” Mr Stone said.
Ongoing residential development in the area has added to the popularity of Catherine Hill Bay Beach in recent years.
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“If last year was anything to go by, we’re expecting a very busy season – not just at Catho but across all our beaches,” Mr Stone said.
An estimated 1.5 million people visited Lake Macquarie’s four patrolled beaches last season, up 15 per cent on the previous year.
Lifeguards performed 341 rescues, up 50 per cent on the previous year, and provided first aid to more than 1500 beachgoers.
Mayor Kay Fraser praised the city’s lifeguards, describing them as the best in the business.
“All of our lifeguards maintain a high degree of readiness and training, and they know their beaches intimately,” Cr Fraser said.
“Many of them have been working, surfing and swimming along these stretches of coast for years.”
Mr Stone said that with another hot, dry summer on the cards, the coming season was expected to be even busier than the last.
“This is a good time to reinforce those safety messages we want to get across to the community: always swim between the flags, keep kids close at hand and don’t forget to slip, slop, slap before you hit the surf.”
Lake Macquarie’s four beaches – Blacksmiths, Catherine Hill Bay, Caves and Redhead – will be patrolled daily from Saturday until the season ends next April.
Lifeguards will patrol all four beaches seven days a week, from 8.30am to 5pm, with NSW Surf Life Saving Club volunteers also patrolling on Sundays.
Mr Stone said patrol times might be extended during particularly busy periods or during dangerous conditions.
On the Central Coast, council lifeguards patrol 15 beach locations from Monday to Friday, and the Grant McBride Baths, at The Entrance.
Surf life saving members patrol 15 beach locations at weekends and public holidays.
In non-peak holiday times (from September 29 to December 2, and February 2 to April 29) beaches are patrolled from 9am to 5pm.
During the summer peak period, from December 3 to February 1, most beaches are patrolled from 9am to 6pm, while some are patrolled from 8am to 6pm. Phone your surf club for patrol times and beach conditions.
