Parents of young Dalmeny Boardriders quickly switched from surfing to rescue mode to save a father and his daughter stuck in a rip on Sunday, February 7.
It was the first boardriders competition for the year when two swimmers were spotted in trouble at Dalmeny Beach, north of Narooma, about 12.30pm.
Under-8s competitors were being pushed on to waves in the white water when father Justin Black spotted a man waving his arms for help.
Boardriders member Danielle Campbell said parents saw a teenage girl had been swept 40 metres out to sea.
"Justin alerted Matt Hoar, president of the Dalmeny Boardriders, who was in deeper water with his daughter," Ms Campbell said.
"Matt told his daughter to go back to shore, while he quickly took her foam board and motored out to where he thought the girl was.
"He was a man on mission to get to her, it was impressive.
"I gave my daughter's board to Justin to paddle out too.
"It all happened so quickly.
"Myself and another mother watching the kids, jumped on boards and paddled to the father who was panicking and stressing about his daughter."
He was a man on mission to get to her, it was impressive
Danielle Campbell
Boardriders member Alysha Black picked up the man in distress and brought him back to shore, while Ms Campbell paddled out to check for others in trouble.
"It took a bit of coaxing to get him on the board, he was worried about his daughter, not realising he was in difficulty himself," Ms Campbell said.
The group debriefed with the exhausted pair who were visiting from Melbourne.
"We chatted to them on the beach and they said a big thank you," Ms Campbell said.
"If we weren't already in the water with foam boards, it could have been a different outcome.
"I think because there were so many of us in the water, they assumed it was safe to swim there - but it wasn't ideal.
"The swell was big and it was quite treacherous.
"You often hear of situations like this, when a child gets in trouble and the parent goes in afterwards, it can result in the parent drowning.
"The father didn't have a surfboard or anything to get to his daughter.
"They were physically okay but in a lot of shock; I could imagine they would have expended a lot of energy in that short time."
Ms Campbell was grateful of the club's surf rescue training.
"If you are ever going to get to someone in difficulty, take something that floats with you," she said.
Dalmeny Beach can be unpredictable with changing tides, swell and the influence of the lake entrance.
While conditions may be ideal for surfers, Ms Campbell said swimmers should consider safer options.
"Places like Bar Beach [Narooma], which is a netted beach, is safer for swimming on days when the swell is big," she said.
"It is always best to swim at a patrolled beach."
Dalmeny Beach was patrolled over summer. However school holidays have ended and patrols are now limited to surf club beaches on weekends and public holidays.
