The Accidental Lifeguard
The following article was written by blindboy.
If you were around in Sydney on Wednesday you will know there was a fair amount of swell. Not huge or intimidating, but enough size and power, you would think, to induce caution in those unfamiliar with the ocean. I knew there were better waves around, but the sight of some A-frames running into longish walls at my local was enough to get me straight into the water without even looking anywhere else.
It was fairly hard work to stay on the bank and the peak was shifting around, so after half an hour, I had only had two waves. There had only been one other surfer on the bank when I paddled out but it was up to 8 or 10 by this time. My third wave was a long right that took me so far down the bank it wasn't worth trying to punch back out through the swell so I caught one into the beach and walked back to the corner where the rip would deliver me straight to the peak. As I started my paddle I noticed a group of inexperienced surfers floundering in the rip close to the beach. I ignored them.
Not long after I got to the peak I noticed one of the beginners had floated out all the way out and was now sitting more or less in the take off zone. I watched him for a while before realising that he wasn't a beginner. He had no idea at all. From his attempts to paddle, I judged that this was almost certainly his first time on a surfboard. He saw me look at him and called out "Help me get in!" I looked around and everyone else looked away quickly.
I thought that it would be straight-forward to tow him far enough on to the bank so that he would just be washed in. He might not like it but I absolutely did not want to get caught inside with him clinging to my leg rope. That was the plan and the first stage went smoothly. I let a set go through, told him to hold on and paddled onto the bank. There was a longish lull, so by the time I saw a small set coming, I had towed him far enough to avoid it actually breaking on him. I cut him loose and headed for the shoulder. I really did not want to be near him when those waves came.
The first wave washed over him and I waited for him to come up. I suppose it was a frightening experience but he came up in total panic, and without his board. The leg rope had come off his ankle. It was now obvious, that not only couldn't he paddle, he couldn't even swim! I reached him before the next wave and he clambered onto my back. I locked my legs around him but, the board being dead in the water, the wave just washed over us and pulled him away from me.
I've rescued swimmers before by putting them on my board with the leg rope on and pushing them onto a wave but I didn't trust this guy to cope with that so I let him clamber onto my back again and started paddling. It was like trying to paddle through wet cement. The waves washed us into the inshore current which connected to another rip running out so progress was slow.
I finally got him into waist deep water about five metres from the beach and stood up assuming that he would be able to wade in with me but even that proved too difficult, the first little shore break knocked him off his feet and the rip pulled him off the bank. I fetched him again and dragged him upon he beach.
I was angry and gave him a blast. The whole thing was so stupid and I had wasted huge amounts of energy that should have been devoted to catching waves. He was grateful and kept saying he was sorry but somehow that wasn't enough to compensate for the initial stupidity. A woman on the beach said I had been very brave but that wasn't true. I made absolutely certain at every stage not to put myself in danger. I was never going to make the mistake of being a second victim even if it cost him his life. That's what the professionals advise and that was foremost in my mind through out the whole incident.
Let me suggest you approach similar incidents in the same way. We all carry the primary responsibility for our own safety. Seriously risking your own life to save a stranger may be brave but, as numerous cases every year testify, too often it ends up with two casualties instead of one. Stay safe! // blindboy
Comments
That last paragraph is the one that hits home and I have a similar story but it doesn't end as nicely.
A couple of years ago I was down around Pebbly Beach on the NSW South Coast.
As I arrived at the bush car park there was a police car and a few people looking out towards the ocean from a grass hill overlooking the bay. There wasn't too much urgency in the police so I continued on a walk/surf search through the bush.
Only half a kay into the bush I saw a guy coming towards me, soaking wet, with no shoes and in no real hurray. I figured the police were looking for him and asked if he was OK. He said he'd been washed off the rocks and taken around the large long headland, and then into the next bay. He seemed well enough (although a little shaken) to continue back to the car park by himself so I let him be.
I continued through the bush and arrived at a low lying rockshelf looking over the ocean to the north. One of the rescue squadron boats was patrolling the water while a rescue chopper was flying low overhead as well.
I tried signalling to them to let them know I had seen the person they were looking for and that he was OK but they continued on despite me being clearly in view to them.
After an hour or so I headed back and the police were still there in the car park but I headed on my way.
Later in the day I heard on the radio that a man had been washed off the rocks and a passer by jumped in to save him.
As is mostly the case in these circumstances, the initial man in distress made it back to safety in the next bay over (the person I saw) but his would be rescuer was never seen again and could not be located after thorough searches.
Spookily enough a month later the body was found in the exact same bay.
I guess this was some consolation for the family.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/06/2735450.htm?site=southeastnsw
I've got a similar story to BB's but I won't bother repeating it.
But Wow! I was reliving my experience and got my heart racing a bit. Nicely written BB, glad it turned out ok for both of you but bummer for your ruined sesh.
Craig, sad, hope he's at peace.
Nice work BB, very proud of you for sure.
Safety is the paramount! is that the right word?
Its like when giving CPR, the first thing you negotiate is DANGER, i.e. Next set of waves as explained by BB, on coming traffic, especially electricity, many numerous dangers are out there.
Good work BB for thinking outside the square, be proud of yourself as good Karma will come to you.
Did he offer to buy you a box of beers or some red wine for wife at least?
Thanks for the kind words zenagain and wellymon, but as I explained to Stu when I submitted it, if he had called out to someone else I would have been turning my head away just as quickly as the rest. He didn't offer to buy me a case of beer or whatever but I gave him such a mouthful he probably couldn't have fitted a word in anyway.
Sad story craig but it's one, with a few variations, that comes around with depressing regularity.
Glad everyone is ok in this situation....but it's weird how often these scenarios seem to play out over your area(the east coast). makes you wonder what people think over there? whether they see surfers sitting out the back catching waves making it look easy.or the height of the waves never really seem as big for a novice standing on the shore..or how dangerous the waves are? No-one would consider paddling out where I surf..they are either shit scared of sharks or the waters too fuckn cold or maybe they realize the danger involved..just out of curiosity was the person and Aussie?..Definetly owes you a carton at least!!
@Craig,I know exactly where you are saying, went to pebbly beach a few times whilst living in Ulladulla.
I remember hearing about that same episode after I had left , shame tho.
At least it gave the family some answers, A month later, pretty spooky?
I've been a professional rescue worker since 1995. Rescue response protcol world-wide is:
- self first
- bystanders second
- victim last
BB instictively knew (well done) that you're no good to anyone if you get yourself in trouble trying to help, and Craig's story tragically illustrated this.
People will on occassions find themselves in poor situations, either by accident or ignorance/stupidity (or both). Hopefully there'll be someone around who has the wherewithall to help - professional or otherwise.
Goodonya BB for not turning away, and doing the right thing.
Thanks rushy.
Good on you BB. Did the right thing and made sure you did it in a safe manner (see Rushy's comment).
Surfers rescuing swimmers/novices is probably one of the least reported statistics in life saving.
Well done BB.
The more I read the more I'm convinced BlindBoy is modelling himself on a classic TV grump. The sort of character played by Walter Matthau. A curmudgeon with a permanent scowl but a heart of gold.
I've rescued a few people, when panicking they'll try and drown you. I give them my board and wait until they settle down a bit before getting them ashore.
Theres an initiative run by surfing nsw at the moment called surfers rescue 24/7 that teaches CPR and rescue techniques specifically for surfers thats free. Its being rolled out at the mo. As a professional lifeguard and rescue worker for me its an acknowledgement that surfers are always around using rips and rescuing swimmers that are often unreported. Good course, good price access thier website for details. Onya Blind boy your karmas just been topped up.
Re: my karma. Surfing the same place this morning, some young guy threw his board away directly under me as I was setting up a bottom turn, knocking my rail fin out. Good karma? Well the plugs came out neatly is as good as it got!
Hey BB, keep smiling mate. Not everything works out the way you would like it to. I don't know much about karma, but if you do the right thing, it never goes unnoticed. As the Good Book says, a good turn is it's own reward.
I once had a guy run up the back of me at a stop sign. Just a bent goose neck on the tow bar and a small dint in the bumber bar. Car was less then 3 years old, but as the guy was a young family man, I told him just send me the 20 bucks to cover the cost of getting the goose neck straightened and I won't worry about the dint.
Never heard from him again. Oh well, he brings judgement on himself.
Karma!...
Sorry about bringing Karma up but...
I'm sure it is a thing of good and bad?
It is well balanced, I believe.
I had wasted huge amounts of energy that should have been devoted to catching waves'.
let me re-phrase mate blindbaby
'I wasted energy saving a life when I should have been catching waves.'
.. now that sounds more like it doesn't it .. shocking waste that, unacceptable. Bravo. Could be a medal in it.
........an infinitely small amount of common sense on the part of the guy I rescued would have allowed me to direct my energies where they belonged. I saved the dickhead, I don't have to pretend to be pleased about it.
You come over as completely elitist, as if you think that the drowning man was beneath contempt, in fact deserving of it - despite his attempts to thank you. Not good enough for blindfellow, so you gave him a Bondi Rescue serve for being a goose, and copped a heroes welcome on the beach and amongst the posts here.
So, well done, good job. He's not dead and you're still pissed off ..
OK I am elitist. I admit I feel contempt for those with so little sense that they recklessly endanger not only themselves, but others. I apologise since this is clearly an unacceptably judgemental stance and I readily acknowledge that I am a lesser human being for feeling that way but as I don't know you and in all probability will never meet you anywhere but here I'm not sure why you should care about my personal failings but feel free to continue with my character analysis if you feel so inclined.
@peterb leave it out please.
Blind Boy did something awesome , with judgement.
His words were only emotion?
Have you done similar?
Awareness.
Now you sound like someone out of a Charles Dickens novel, poor blindboy, All I know about you is what you've told me, here. Which is plenty.
Back to the Test cricket eh, either that or a forum where poverty of character and reckless endangerment promotes a better understanding of what it's like to be a surfer, all of whom are the only ones who know the feeling.
Thats funny peterb cause who's gonna win the ashes?
It's all over Wellym, blindapple has gone home in a sulk.
Blindboy, I'm gonna put you up for a bravery award just so I can hear your acceptance speech next Australia Day: "I saved the dickhead...."
Should be good for a laugh and appropriately offend the gentry.
And hey up Pete, rained in on the north coast?
who's next?
Agree with Peterb, we've all been dickheads caught out of our depth at some point in life.
Yes the bloke was a dickhead, but blindboy proved he was a bigger dickhead by belittling the poor bloke whilst he tried to thank him and we all know there is nothing better than publicly humiliating a lesser person with the crowd patting you on the back.
I suggest all the braveboy admirers should nominate him for the surfing hall of fame, because he is starting to sound like a "surfing legend".
Shaun's next.
Yeah, go Shaun get into the bastard, on ya mate you show him what a dick he is, your the best, you know it all. That braveboy needs a good dressing down on a public forum.
Morris, one thing. - you're the best, other than that you might as well carry on.
Thanks for the free character analysis. Now that I know I am an arrogant elitist dickhead I feel a wonderful sense of freedom to act out my role. So next time, and I think you should vote on this, should I (a) let the dickhead drown (b) negotiate a financial arrangement to my benefit before performing the rescue (c) rescue him and thank him profusely for the wonderful experience of dragging his saggy arse through a 100m of white water (d) do the strong, silent," it's all in a normal day's surfing for watermen like me" routine. Remember as you vote that my personality type almost certainly prevents any other options.
Oh and Peterb, what's the view like from up there on the moral high ground? They tell me it's very pretty.
Fair dinkum, this is like pinching lollies off kiddies .. Blindlad, it's all over mate. You lose, no high moral ground involved. Anyone who writes a story about (1) saving a bloke in the surf and (2) dumping on him when you get him ashore - needs a little encouragement in order to see things in a better light.
You see, the yarn ^ was all about YOU blindfellow - and who knows, the poor chump who nearly carked it might have had something to add to your yarn if you'd stayed and chatted with him for a while.
You didn't .. so why don't you just cop a serve yeself, seems you don't mind giving one out.
Hardly a water man braveboy, you sound more like an unfit pleb if you didn't have the energy to paddle out for a few more waves.
I've been caught out of my depth and not had to be physically rescued, but have been talked in with a few guys keeping an eye on me, they didn't abuse me on the beach later, they actually gave me pat on the back for handling it and then gave me a few hints about that spot.
Those sort of guys are the real watermen.
Oh what fun! Two idiotic comments to deal with Peterb and littlesirecho, aka shaun.
Shaun first. What the fuck would you know about my abilities in the water? Nothing except what I' ve written here so I suggest you keep your comments to something you know something about, limiting no doubt but you'll cope. As a matter of fact I have never described myself as a "waterman" it has always struck me as a fairly meaningless boast. That said, I would still back myself against most of those twenty years younger than me paddling around on the over sized boards necessary to float their bloated bellies.
Now petey petey petey, if you're not on the high moral ground but are still prepared to make stupid judgemental comments about my behaviour then you are even more smug than I believed from previous comments.
So now that we have exchanged insults why not think about what I actually wrote and why I wrote it. If you had got to the end of the piece you would have, presuming basic literacy skills, noticed that it is quite explicitly about NOT being brave. That was the point. I lose? Not yet mate, give it your best shot, from what you've shown so far I shouldn't need to get out of first to deal with it. Shallow, illogical, smug crap.
Count the personal pronouns up there myblindboy, I stopped at 40. That's the test and you're the winner. Like I said - you should get a medal. Now can we stop this please, you are too big a target to miss. Too big and too easy.
Pleading for mercy already petey? How disappointing that you should miss such a large target but never mind. Oh and basic literacy point, as you seem to be struggling. A first hand account, such as this one, has to be written in the first person so first person pronouns are essential. Now if I had been writing an opinion piece about rescues in general or a description of a rescue by someone else then I would have avoided them. Got it? Good, then try to remember not to make such silly comments in the future.
- attaboy, all things up for re-phrasing so let's go: The chump had got almost all the way out the back on a big day, that's from the carpark, where lots of watermen may have been gathered at the time. Like North Avalon.
And they let the chumper through to the beach, probably laughing, watched him get thrashed about for a while in the shore dumps and just when they looked and back away the silly fucker was all the way out and into the IMPACT zone.
Plenty of onlookers out there too, more watermen.
But you stepped up bb, and it didn't sound like an easy pick up and dump on the beach, you had complications with him - and the seas.
You got him in.
They all watched.
That was a good effort, solid, but can the fucken pronouns will you - invent someone. Writers can do that.
And a solid effort by you too, Scoresby.
ta stu, so where's my shit?
Your right, I can only make a judgment on what you have written about yourself, which is quite a bit. But you still didn't give me much to be impressed about.
Angry old pleb aren't you.
Shit's coming, the inspiration to write ain't.
use this
Oh I am, it's both a kickstart and a kick up the bum.
that day comes bb and I'll buy the beer ..
Stop it fellas, come on now.
This has turned into pathetic squabble.
BB did something good, Leave him alone peterb!
Tell us some good things that you yourself have done, accept ridicule?
Did someone mention beer? Count me in! Pathetic squabble? I thought it was a distinguished intellectual discussion that became perhaps a little heated on my part but you must be used to that by now.
mmmmmmmmmm...
I'm starting to realise that now.
I'm with Wellymon - ease up on BB.
If a professional gets up someone for doing something bad, well that's just unprofessional. But a "good Samaritan"? It wasn't BB's job, but at least he bothered to get involved and sounds like he might just have saved a life - who knows? Things can happen pretty quick.
Leave it at that.
Better this story than his family telling us another version of Craig's story above.
Good on you Rushy. Blessed are the cheesemakers.
That's it mate. All us rats love cheese ;)
Yes Blindboy, I can only judge you on what you have written here, and sometimes you come over as a an arrogant no all dick. But I am getting a bit better of and understanding of you, you seem to get quite toey if you have not had a drink but the mere mention of beer calms you down. This would be no doubt how you came by the name of blindboy, though I could be way off target there and you are just an average pensioner that gets exited at the thought of anything free.
Congratulations Shaun you are the only person who has ever correctly guessed the origin of my name! Pensioner? Yeh watch out for my walking stick you cheeky sprog!
I see things others can't, like that 360 aerial I did on the weekend, no one else was aware.
Always happens to me too, whenever I pull off a rodeo clown - no-one looking.
Is that even legal? I for one am certainly glad no-one's looking when you do it. Some stuff should - nay, must - be kept hidden.
^
ha ha
I hope you ask the rodeo clown first, maybe buy him a drink.
Then steer him towards the exit. Give him no bull. Stay off the horns of any dilemma. Hoof it if you look like getting trampled. Hide if it looks like you're in for a tanning.
And if you do manage to get a leg over, don't pass the buck.
For those born after the great flood "pull off" was a euphemism for masturbation. Out of date locally by about forty years but apparently still current elsewhere. But yes, a small foo par on my part.
Dunno what YOU'RE talkin' about BB, but Zen and I are cattle sport fans from a long way back. Those boys in the paint and big pants do great work in the clinches.
And leather Chaps never go out of style.
March just doesn't come fast enough these days.
Please, no more talk of clowns, they scare me.
Persist, Morris. They won't seem so scary after you've pulled a couple of 'em off.
Apparently...
ha ha, thats gold whaaat,
EEHHH, no wonder every beach on the east coast has a shower, with such sick acts going on in the line up, one would need a good wash off. Just quietly I'm not surprised, glad I don't live there.
We're glad too:)