By RON LANE
Early Sunday morning the lifesavers at Sunshine Beach were setting up for the day’s patrol.
On the water’s edge a young couple in their early twenties decided to swim.
Without checking they entered a rip, were swept on to a sand bank, off the bank and out a further 40 meters.
As soon as the trouble started patrolman Jackson Law, a 16-year-old year 11 student at St Teresa’s College, started to move.
For Jackson, who started his career as an eight-year-old nipper at Sunshine, all the years of training suddenly clicked in.
Grabbing a rescue board, Law paddled out to the couple who were now floating behind the bank and after calming them moved them on to his board and back to the beach.
Safe, the couple regained their composure said thanks and all was well.
Down through the years people often ask about all the money, time and effort that are required to run the nippers. Is it worthwhile?
Well, this incident answers with a resounding ‘yes’!
Every weekend around Australia this type of rescue will occur, so it is only right that the lifesavers, mums and dads who work, train and eventually guide their nippers into the ranks of the senior clubs, should stand up and take a bow.
They deserve it.
On Saturday morning at North Burleigh SLSC the founding members and trainers of the Noosa Seahorse Nippers met with a special group of parents.
These were the parents of children with special needs and the reason for the meeting was to explain in detail the workings of the Seahorse Nippers. After visiting Noosa to watch the Seahorse Nippers North Burleigh Surf Club delegates with the support of their management committee, invited the Noosa people to their club to conduct a pilot program.
To say that the program was a success would be an understatement. Apart from Burleigh representatives, Assistant to the Minister for Disable Services Tarnya Smith, local MP Michael Hart and Gold Coast Regional Manager for Surf Life Saving Lachlan Sherrington were on the beach.
Also in attendance was Liz Pluimers, the winner of this year’s ladies Coolangatta Gold.
Liz has accepted the office of patron of the North Burleigh special nippers. Tarnya Smith, who stayed for the duration of the program, said: “I love the reaction of the children and I will certainly give this my total support.” Sherrington agreed. “The whole concept is brilliant.
“The kids’ parents and the young surf club volunteers were great.
“It was especially good to see the attitude of our young clubbies – you could see they loved it.”
Noosa co-ordinator Steve Mawby said: “It has been a big success, well receive and North Burleigh is totally supported.
“This was the first time that we held a program on an open beach but there were no problems.
“Also today we had the experience of handling four non-verbal children, but all went well.
“After all, this is what we do we help kids with special needs.”
To ensure all went well the Noosa team took all their own equipment and travelled by bus which was kindly loaned by St Teresa’s College.
“Many thanks to the college.”
The weekend saw the first round of the Navie Surf Boat Series, a two day event which was held at Surfers Paradise.
For Noosa the ladies finished in the top three and the Masters known as the Emues finished in the top two overall on a points score system.
The reserves performed well on Saturday but were wiped out on Sunday. The next in the series will be 2 December at Broadbeach.
