By Ron Lane
It was another great weekend for our local beaches.
Over at Sunshine Beach club spokesman reported a busy weekend for the training team.
Proficiencies were conducted and the bronze squads continued their basic training.
The proficiency is the test that all qualified lifesavers under go at the start of the season; this ensures that all patrol persons are up to date in all aspects of patrol work, including physical fitness.
Also good to see club captain Scott Summers continuing his progress back to good health – careful of that beachfront restaurant food!
At Noosa, big crowds and safe conditions ensured our beach goers of a good weekend of sun and surf.
New SRC members – now on patrol rosters – continued their basic training with board work and patrol regulations.
Next weekend will be a big one for our town and our clubbies.
Once again our lifesavers will assist the running of the Noosa Triathlon. Sunshine will be providing IRB crews and water safety board paddlers as well as manning a water station for runners.
Now that the swim is in Laguna Bay area (Noosa’s Main Beach), the role of the duty lifesavers becomes more important than ever.
With the swim being over a good distance, strict surveillance is required, in particular for those not experienced in open water swimming.
Wednesday morning we will have the Kids Tri on Main Beach; Noosa will provide two IRBs plus rescue boards and Friday evening the traditional 1000 metre eyeliner swim will again be held on Main Beach. This will also be covered by lifesaver water patrol volunteers from the various clubs.
Remember the old saying, “you can’t keep a good man down.” Well this definitely applies to a young Noosa clubbie named Robert Lemon. Despite his youth – only 18 years old – and his short time in lifesaving (he joined in May 2017) he is already starting to make his mark.
Last June he was flown to Canberra where he received the Life Saving Award of Excellence for his rescue of another youth in the waters off National Park.
Last Saturday this young man sat for the Rescue Water Craft Certificate and happy to relate he passed with flying colours. This is the test for the Jet Rescue Ski patrol and as the driver who mans this, is a one man patrol. The test which includes helicopter coordination, is very tough and not all pass.
News of his success was well received by veteran members for it is this type that is considered to be not only the backbone of lifesaving but also our future. Apart from his attitude to all aspects of surf club life, his conduct in private life is a credit to his family.
Last year our support body, the Surf Club, had the honour and privilege of playing host to a return serviceman’s organisation known as Mates for Mates.
This is an organisation that caters for returned personnel who, as a result of their service, have received severe wounds.
On their visit to the Surf Club they were accompanied by a team of British servicemen in the same situation; they were visiting our men to promote their cause as well as endeavoring to kick backsides on the golf course.
Happy to relate Soldiering On – an Aussie team – accompanied by a similar British group known as Battle Back, will this year visit the Surf Club thus giving us a chance to again show some good old Noosa hospitality and say thank you for your service.
Both teams will consist of ten men and they too will be meeting on the local golf course to contest the Clyde Pearce Cup. We wish them welcome.
