Powerful surf on Sydney’s Northern Beaches was causing havoc on Thursday with one surfer fortunate that Lifeguards from the Australian Lifeguard Service were on hand after he got into difficulty while enjoying the swell.


Sets in excess of 6 foot on the old scale had drawn a number of surfers to the popular spot at the southern end of Newport Beach with the group keen to make the most of the morning conditions.



Due to the challenging conditions the beach was closed at the time, and there has been a hazardous surf warning in place for much of the last two days.



One of the surfers was a 58-year-old man who got into strife just before mid-day after he is believed to have collided with another surfer and as result suffered internal injuries.



Two Lifeguards from the ALS were on duty keeping a watchful eye on proceedings when they saw two surfers signal for help approximately 200 metres behind the break.



The first Lifeguard grabbed a rescue board and entered the water to paddle out while his partner raced to launch the Jet Ski.



When the two men reached the injured surfer they realised the best way to effect a rescue was to use the Jet Ski so in short order he was pulled aboard.



The injured man’s surfboard was given to the other Lifeguard who ferried it to shore.



Once back on the beach the ALS team assessed the surfer’s injuries and suspecting that he may have suffered broken ribs due to the force of the impact they administered pain relief.



He was later transported to hospital for further treatment.



Currently Newport Beach remains closed with conditions expected to ease into Friday.



General Safety Tips During Dangerous Surf Conditions:




  • Avoid rock fishing and water activities on exposed beaches/rock-shelves 

  • Only swim at patrolled beaches, between the red & yellow flags. See BeachSafe [external] for patrolled locations/times 

  • Check the official Bureau of Meteorology [external] (BOM) forecast before undertaking rock fishing and water activities 

  • Boaties should seek advice from Marine Rescue NSW [external] and always wear a lifejacket 

  • If witnessing an in-water emergency dial Triple Zero – Police



 



Thursday 2 November 2017


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