Rescue Tuesday 26/08/14

RESCUE 16.45 - Rescue water craft launched to patrol point area by volunteer lifeguard due to large surf and strong current. The surf conditions were some of the largest of the summer. A number of surfers were given safety advice as they were drifting rapidly towards the point. One surfer was struggling in the strong current and getting blown out by strong offshore winds and was having difficulty trying to catch a wave into the beach. He was in danger of being swept around the point. He was picked up by the RWC on the rescue sled and transferred to a safer area of the beach down towards the golf club.

View video from the day here:

BCBC Duty Lifeguards: Chris Bluck, Gavin Davies, Lewis Campbell

Volunteer RWC Driver: Chris Page

Conditions: 5-6 foot clean surf, strong offshore winds, sunny spells

HW: 19.57 (incoming at time of incident)

Assistance x2 Monday 18/08/14

ASSIST 14.50 - Surfer on rental board struggling in current near point.Lewis Campbell paddled out on a rescue board to provide assistance and advice. The surfer declined further help from Lewis and swam up onto rocks with board.

ASSIST 16.10 - Surfer on rental board drifting down close to point. Lewis Evans paddled out on rescue board to provide assistance and advice. Surfer caught wave into beach without the need for any further assistance from Lewis.

BCBC Duty Lifeguards: Chris Bluck, Lewis Campbell, Lewis Evans

Conditions: 2-3 foot messy surf, Overcast / showers

HW: 19.15 (incoming at time of incidents) 

Medivac, Assist x4, Rescue x1 Sunday 17/08/14

MEDIVAC 12.10 - 68 year old female tripped whilst getting out of car landing awkwardly on her hip. Complaining of pain and numbness in left left. Suspected that the lady had broken her hip. Casualty was monitored and made comfortable by Chris Bluck (voluntary lifeguard) and Gareth Davies (BCBC lifeguard). Ambulance called to take the lady to hospital.

RESCUE 15.00 - Rescue water craft launched to rescue a 14 year old boy on surf board struggling in the current near the point. 2 surfers paddled across to assist whilst the RWC was being launched. The boy was picked up by the RWC and returned to the beach where he was given safety advice.

The RWC remained on patrol at the point following the rescue and was involved in these additional incidents:

x3 ASSISTANCE 15.10 - 3 surfers all swept towards point due to current. Each was picked up by the RWC and transferred to a safer area of the bay down towards the golf club.

ASSISTANCE 15.30 - A 57 year old male capsized his kayak in the area of the point. He was swept around the point by the rip current and was in close proximity to the rocks. Due to the surf conditions and his proximity to the rocks the RWC had some difficulty getting close to him. The RWC made contact but the man didn't feel he had the strength to pull himself onto the sled. At that moment a wave broke over the RWC and washed the man back onto the rocks. He was assisted from the water by land based lifeguards who had climbed down onto the rocks to assist.  

Duty Lifeguards: Chris Page, Gareth Davies, Arran Bluck
Voluntary Lifeguard Involved in Incidents: Chris Bluck
RWC Driver: Chris Page
Conditions: 4-5 foot surf, Overcast
HW: 17.50 (incoming at the time of the incidents)

Rescue 06/08/14 17.30

RESCUE 17.30: 15 year old girl surfer at Rest Bay rescued by father and son lifeguard team.

A 15 year old girl who had hired a surfboard was struggling in the rip current at the point during the outgoing tide. Initially she was given advice by club junior lifeguard Ioan Bluck who was in the water training nearby on a rescue board at the time. He encouraged her to paddle her board towards the beach and catch a wave in. However it soon became clear the girl was making no progress and drifting further around the point so Ioan made the decision to get the girl on his rescue board and paddle back against the current. Ioan was making good progress and was met by BCBC lifeguard Chris Bluck (Ioan's father) who had swam out to assist. Chris took over from Ioan who was now becoming tired himself. All made it safely back into the beach at Rest Bay and the girl was grateful for the assistance from Ioan and Chris who is also chairman of Rest Bay lifeguard club. Afterwards she joked that she probably should book in for some surf lessons. Ioan acted entirely on his own initiative and put himself in a potentially dangerous situation to provide help and in doing so prevented her from getting swept onto sharp rocks. Very proud of Ioan and his actions as a junior lifeguard assisting the BCBC lifeguards today :)

Please be wary of the rip near the point on incoming and outgoing tides as it can be strong during both. When the beach is flagged stay to flagged zones. If no flags stay to golf club side of lifeguard station. Only visit lifeguarded beaches this summer.