CENTRAL Coast lifesavers have received state recognition for their role in the rescue of two teenagers from a notorious cave at Snapper Point in September.
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The Central Coast Support Operations Team received the NSW Rescue of the Month award from Surf Life Saving NSW.
It was the second time this year that the team has received the award for responding to an incident at Snapper Point.
Their rescue in June was awarded the National Rescue of the Month Award, in Canberra, last month.
The latest rescue occurred when two teenagers became trapped in a cave with a rapidly rising tide.
Central Coast duty officers David Sneddon, Glen Clarke, and Josh Cole received the emergency call around midday.
It prompted a multi-agency response with police, and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter joining volunteer surf lifesavers at the scene.
It was decided that a jetski and inflatable rescue boat were the best assets to attempt a rescue.
The craft were launched at The Lakes Surf Life Saving Club, at Budgewoi.
Sean Leicester (The Lakes) was able to drop Brianna Coyte (Toowoon Bay) at the entrance to swim into the cave and assist the female patient to swim out to the jetski safely.
She then returned to the cave to rescue the young male.
Both patients were transferred to the IRB crewed by The Lakes’ members Anthony Smith and Gavin Brown, and taken to Fraser Park Beach.
They were unharmed from their ordeal.
Ms Coyte described the conditions as challenging and said the teenage girl had been shaken up when she reached her in the cave.
“The two teenagers were part of a group of seven who had been jumping from the rocks when the conditions changed catching them out,” Ms Coyte said.
“She was pretty scared of going back into the water, so I made a joke about being her Uber driver for the day and managed to get her to put on a lifejacket. She was eventually OK to swim out and it all went fine.”
Monthly winners of the state rescue award are eligible for the National Rescue of the Month.