Sooooooo, this may come across as pretty harsh but listen to a story I tend to tell a few times every summer spoken from a bloke living on the coast. Hear me out:
Two tourists died near me during the week with another missing. Three other people in the same group were lucky enough to be rescued and / or saved from the sea. the facts:
-The people in the water were not local and were not known as potential Olympic swimmers.
-The beach they were swimming it in not patrolled and to get to it you need to wade across a tidal estuary or walk around via an adjoining headland.
-The area they were swimming was a crazy outgoing tide from the river mouth. We have had 374527289373623 inches of rain this week and the water was basically mud and full of debris.
So, this area is a small town just north of the more populated Coffs Harbour. There is a nearby caravan park which I can only assume these people were visiting. Its a decent mission to actually get out to the beach once you've negotiated the crazy swirling water course that feeds the river and creek into an even crazier swirling mouth into the sea. Apparently this group of people were fucking about in the mouth of the creek where it meets the sea and whammo, off they went. By the time some locals and lifeguards got to these people, two were unconscious and were not revived. One of the people rescued was collected by a random on a board nearly 700m from the shoreline. 700m! The people who somehow survived collapsed with exhaustion on the sand. Now, I don't know what sort of magic voodoo shit went down but some of our local Coffs Harbour lifeguards who were off duty were on the scene within 20 minutes of the crazy shit going down. Its a twenty minute drive from Coffs to the picnic area and another ten to swim out to the waves then whatever it took to get those people on boards. By some miraculous feat, those guys risked everything to get to those people. I was parked at one of Coffs Harbour's 49 sets of traffic lights when I saw one of their vehicles motoring through the traffic and it was damn impressive, I'm not sure what rights those guys have to push the way they did but I'm a little more relaxed knowing they go hard at it to try to save you.
I feel so bad for the people who had this tragedy happen. I feel so bad for the guys and girls who risked their hides to get to those people. You can have as many warning signs and flashing lights and fairies twinkling little stars saying don't swim here but people either ignore it or can't read it. One thing I've learned over the years being a coastal lass is to talk to people who like like they could potentially get into a bit of strife heading into the water. Sure I've had some people straight up tell me to fuck off but they were still around the next day to tell another person to fuck off. We've got this kind of unwritten code thing that you do the world a favor and just talk to people that might be making a shitty choice. "Hey guys, there's a pretty decent current under there and see where the waves aren't breaking? That's a rip, just stay out of that stuff or it'll grab ya. Best bet is stay knee deep today" is something I try to say and I tell you, its 99% Asian people and the other 98% are Indian people.
I've had three things happen that prompt me to speak up:
-One fuckwit wearing all the surf brand gear chucked a ball into a rip and his dog went after it. a Dog's ball is not something he wants to lose so of course he went after it. This hero was fucking about on his phone with headphones in, chucked the ball and kept walking with his back to the dog. I was way behind him on the beach walking my doggo with my wife and this poor dog got belted. This jerk was oblivious to it as he wasn't watching and couldn't hear me so I ran in after the dog that was struggling, got him and got the living fuck clawed out of me as he was panicking. My dog was watching on and was wanting to come out after me (she swims with me a lot but not in the waves) and wifey held her back. As I got near the shore carrying this guys almost limp dog, he comes strutting over with a grin on his face; a fucking grin! I helped his dog as best I could who was mobile but hacking up salt water and not doing great and this prick pops the head phones out and says "he's alright man, he can manage those pissy little waves". You guessed it folks, he copped one right on the left jaw bone, such a fuckwit. I stood over him and got all macho and said he should keep his dog away from the water unless he wants to kill the poor thing. He turned and kind of ran off and his dog hobbled after him. Never saw him again thankfully.
-An area I swim with my dog is a calm but tidal area waist deep where I throw a floating toy in, walk out with her and stay right next to her. We only do it on calm currents and clear water and I primarily walk out with her to grab her quickly if a dark shape appears in the shape of a shark. It also helps to keep her from getting dragged out.
One day during summer in the same spot I said hi to two Japanese tourists who were jumping in the same spot, getting carried out a bit by the current and running back in. I didn't swim with my dog that day as it was the outgoing tide of a king tide from that morning and I said to the young guys that it wasn't a good spot to play, head over to the sheltered jetty beach and have some fun in there. They didn't understand a damn word I said and smiled, said "okey" and jumped back in. The media the next day was that one Japanese tourist had been swept out and drowned in that spot. I dunno if it was them but I saw them at 2pm and it happened about 3.30pm.
-In the same spot where I swim with my dog, we've had a nearby bank wash away and a few big trees went with it. Its natural, it happens every few years but one of the trees was submerged and was in a spot that you'd avoid in fear of getting stuck on it in a changing tide. Three weeks ago swimming with my dog further towards the calm area I saw a little dude paddling out with the outgoing tide. I don't think he knew of the tree until it was too late but he got jammed into it and had some grief getting out. Ol' Doze cruised over and was surprised by the speed of the current and how deep it was, it'd really changed quickly. I had to pull this kid by out of the fork of this tree in four feet of water and he's tangled his shorts and rashy in the smaller branches. I made a bloody mess of the poor little bugger getting him off it, he had scratches all over him. I got him to where he could walk and he's crying and slobbering and the bottom lip was vibrating so much, poor kid. I asked where his Dad was, where is your Mum etc but he was pretty shaken up and just legged it back towards the car park. Our local Council then put up a message on Fakebook saying they were clearing the submerged trees this week due to several incidents where people were being caught on the trees....................I never got a chance to talk to the kid or his carer but they must have been one of the ones who bought it up.
All of those incidents, including the sad recent one this week can all be avoided. Do not under estimate the power of moving water and do not assume that the calm part between waves is safe. It isn't, look up how to spot a rip and make the right call.
Moral of my long winded summer rant? Please, pretty pretty please do not swim in the sea or the adjoining fancy looking pools of flowing water unless you know your shit. If you're a city slicker wanting to get a few photos playing in the sea then please just stay knee deep in area that aren't patrolled by a few dudes with stupid red hats that say LIFEGUARD. If no one else is swimming in that spot then there's a bloody good reason for it. Say G'day to someone in that town and ask what areas are good for swimming etc, it'll probably save your life.
Be considerate of lifeguards and other people who may have to risk their lives to save you too, a successful summer at the beach means you can do many more summers.
Two tourists died near me during the week with another missing. Three other people in the same group were lucky enough to be rescued and / or saved from the sea. the facts:
-The people in the water were not local and were not known as potential Olympic swimmers.
-The beach they were swimming it in not patrolled and to get to it you need to wade across a tidal estuary or walk around via an adjoining headland.
-The area they were swimming was a crazy outgoing tide from the river mouth. We have had 374527289373623 inches of rain this week and the water was basically mud and full of debris.
So, this area is a small town just north of the more populated Coffs Harbour. There is a nearby caravan park which I can only assume these people were visiting. Its a decent mission to actually get out to the beach once you've negotiated the crazy swirling water course that feeds the river and creek into an even crazier swirling mouth into the sea. Apparently this group of people were fucking about in the mouth of the creek where it meets the sea and whammo, off they went. By the time some locals and lifeguards got to these people, two were unconscious and were not revived. One of the people rescued was collected by a random on a board nearly 700m from the shoreline. 700m! The people who somehow survived collapsed with exhaustion on the sand. Now, I don't know what sort of magic voodoo shit went down but some of our local Coffs Harbour lifeguards who were off duty were on the scene within 20 minutes of the crazy shit going down. Its a twenty minute drive from Coffs to the picnic area and another ten to swim out to the waves then whatever it took to get those people on boards. By some miraculous feat, those guys risked everything to get to those people. I was parked at one of Coffs Harbour's 49 sets of traffic lights when I saw one of their vehicles motoring through the traffic and it was damn impressive, I'm not sure what rights those guys have to push the way they did but I'm a little more relaxed knowing they go hard at it to try to save you.
I feel so bad for the people who had this tragedy happen. I feel so bad for the guys and girls who risked their hides to get to those people. You can have as many warning signs and flashing lights and fairies twinkling little stars saying don't swim here but people either ignore it or can't read it. One thing I've learned over the years being a coastal lass is to talk to people who like like they could potentially get into a bit of strife heading into the water. Sure I've had some people straight up tell me to fuck off but they were still around the next day to tell another person to fuck off. We've got this kind of unwritten code thing that you do the world a favor and just talk to people that might be making a shitty choice. "Hey guys, there's a pretty decent current under there and see where the waves aren't breaking? That's a rip, just stay out of that stuff or it'll grab ya. Best bet is stay knee deep today" is something I try to say and I tell you, its 99% Asian people and the other 98% are Indian people.
I've had three things happen that prompt me to speak up:
-One fuckwit wearing all the surf brand gear chucked a ball into a rip and his dog went after it. a Dog's ball is not something he wants to lose so of course he went after it. This hero was fucking about on his phone with headphones in, chucked the ball and kept walking with his back to the dog. I was way behind him on the beach walking my doggo with my wife and this poor dog got belted. This jerk was oblivious to it as he wasn't watching and couldn't hear me so I ran in after the dog that was struggling, got him and got the living fuck clawed out of me as he was panicking. My dog was watching on and was wanting to come out after me (she swims with me a lot but not in the waves) and wifey held her back. As I got near the shore carrying this guys almost limp dog, he comes strutting over with a grin on his face; a fucking grin! I helped his dog as best I could who was mobile but hacking up salt water and not doing great and this prick pops the head phones out and says "he's alright man, he can manage those pissy little waves". You guessed it folks, he copped one right on the left jaw bone, such a fuckwit. I stood over him and got all macho and said he should keep his dog away from the water unless he wants to kill the poor thing. He turned and kind of ran off and his dog hobbled after him. Never saw him again thankfully.
-An area I swim with my dog is a calm but tidal area waist deep where I throw a floating toy in, walk out with her and stay right next to her. We only do it on calm currents and clear water and I primarily walk out with her to grab her quickly if a dark shape appears in the shape of a shark. It also helps to keep her from getting dragged out.
One day during summer in the same spot I said hi to two Japanese tourists who were jumping in the same spot, getting carried out a bit by the current and running back in. I didn't swim with my dog that day as it was the outgoing tide of a king tide from that morning and I said to the young guys that it wasn't a good spot to play, head over to the sheltered jetty beach and have some fun in there. They didn't understand a damn word I said and smiled, said "okey" and jumped back in. The media the next day was that one Japanese tourist had been swept out and drowned in that spot. I dunno if it was them but I saw them at 2pm and it happened about 3.30pm. -In the same spot where I swim with my dog, we've had a nearby bank wash away and a few big trees went with it. Its natural, it happens every few years but one of the trees was submerged and was in a spot that you'd avoid in fear of getting stuck on it in a changing tide. Three weeks ago swimming with my dog further towards the calm area I saw a little dude paddling out with the outgoing tide. I don't think he knew of the tree until it was too late but he got jammed into it and had some grief getting out. Ol' Doze cruised over and was surprised by the speed of the current and how deep it was, it'd really changed quickly. I had to pull this kid by out of the fork of this tree in four feet of water and he's tangled his shorts and rashy in the smaller branches. I made a bloody mess of the poor little bugger getting him off it, he had scratches all over him. I got him to where he could walk and he's crying and slobbering and the bottom lip was vibrating so much, poor kid. I asked where his Dad was, where is your Mum etc but he was pretty shaken up and just legged it back towards the car park. Our local Council then put up a message on Fakebook saying they were clearing the submerged trees this week due to several incidents where people were being caught on the trees....................I never got a chance to talk to the kid or his carer but they must have been one of the ones who bought it up.
All of those incidents, including the sad recent one this week can all be avoided. Do not under estimate the power of moving water and do not assume that the calm part between waves is safe. It isn't, look up how to spot a rip and make the right call.
Moral of my long winded summer rant? Please, pretty pretty please do not swim in the sea or the adjoining fancy looking pools of flowing water unless you know your shit. If you're a city slicker wanting to get a few photos playing in the sea then please just stay knee deep in area that aren't patrolled by a few dudes with stupid red hats that say LIFEGUARD. If no one else is swimming in that spot then there's a bloody good reason for it. Say G'day to someone in that town and ask what areas are good for swimming etc, it'll probably save your life.
Be considerate of lifeguards and other people who may have to risk their lives to save you too, a successful summer at the beach means you can do many more summers.
