The NSW 2023-24 surf season officially closed yesterday, Sunday, April 28 with the final patrol for all 129 Surf Life Saving clubs across the state.
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All six clubs in the Lower North Coast Branch held ceremonial Newcastle Permanent Lowering of the Flags functions - some included extra celebrations such as Forster club's annual Formal Run-Swim-Run in which clubbies adorned themselves in ball gowns, dinner suits and other fineries such as a wedding dress before hitting the water.
The 2024-25 surf season will open on Saturday, September 28 which is the first day of the NSW school spring vacation.
During the five months from May to September, there will not be any surf club rostered patrols, meaning that beach goers will need to exercise greater responsibility for their own safety and for the safety of any vulnerable people they have with them.
This includes being aware of swimming abilities, understanding the risks associated with winter swimming, and knowing how to recognise and respond to emergencies.
Lower North Coast Surf Life Saving branch life saving director, Nathan de Rooy, has issued a number of suggestions as to how beach swimming safety may be enhanced during the next 150 days by taking extra precautions such as those listed below.
- Know the conditions: before heading to the beach, check the weather forecast and be aware of any potential hazards such as strong currents, rip currents, or high waves. Download the Surf Life Saving Australia Beachsafe app onto an iOS or android device. The Beachsafe app includes the location, weather, surf conditions and hazards plus the local facilities for all Australian beaches.
- Be visible: swim on a popular beach where passing people can observe you.
- Stay within your depth: only swim in areas where you can comfortably touch the bottom and stay within your depth. Avoid going too far from shore, especially if you're not a strong swimmer.
- Always swim with a buddy: this way, you can keep an eye on each other and provide assistance if needed.
- Learn rip safety: rips are the number one hazard on Australian beaches. If you're caught in a rip current, it's crucial not to panic. Swim parallel to the shore until you're out of the current, then swim back to land.
- Be sun smart: although the weather may be cooler, protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses.
- Be aware of tides: keep an eye on the tide schedule and be mindful of changes in water depth as the tide comes in or goes out.
- Know your limits: don't push yourself beyond your swimming abilities. If you're not a confident swimmer, it's best to stay in shallow water or enjoy other beach activities.
- Emergency preparedness: familiarise yourself with basic first aid and CPR techniques in case of an emergency. Also, make sure to have a fully charged phone with you to call triple 0 for help if needed.
- Winter weather: shorter daylight hours make it more challenging for both swimmers and rescuers to be seen and to navigate safely.
- Cooler water: swimming in water below 20 degrees Celsius should be treated with caution. On our Lower North Coast beaches, winter water only falls marginally below 20 degrees during July, August and September with 19 degrees historically averaging the coolest.
When travelling further southward along the NSW coastline, August surf temperature at Sydney drops to 17 degrees while Tathra on the Far South Coast drops below 14 degrees.
In these waters, there is a risk to unfamiliar people, especially those with a heart condition, high blood pressure, or asthma, due to cold shock response or due to a progressive decrease in swimming efficiency or hypothermia.
When cool water swimming is practiced by experienced people, such as the Forster-Tuncurry Mud Crab and Forster Turtles swimming groups, who are in good health and undertake a regular, graded mode, it can bring health benefits.
Both these groups swim all year round and new members are welcome with details online.
