It was just another fun day at the beach for 15-year-old Oakie Greenhalgh and his friends that almost turned to disaster at New Brighton Beach on Monday, 29 September.
‘It was just a normal day at the beach. We were just on a sandbank and suddenly a big wave came in and took me about 30m from shore,’ Oakie told The Echo.
‘My mate Crash managed to swim back in and get close enough for Bodi to grab him. But I was out there for about 20 minutes. I told myself I was dead and was about to sink but then I heard my name being called and Riley was there with a board.’
After saving Crash, Bodi had realised that he didn’t have the strength to go back out with the board he’d borrowed from a lady on the beach. ‘I had nothing left in me,’ he said.
Bodi called Riley who took the board and went out and saved Oakie.
‘When I got out there Oakie couldn’t speak, he was gasping for air,’ said Riley.
‘I managed to pull him up onto the board with me and swam him in.’
‘I was so proud of the boys and Riley for saving my son’s life,’ said Oakie’s mum, Lorelei Berriman.
‘Oakie and Riley have both done Nippers and that really helped them know what to do when this happened.
‘I want to express my gratitude to the rescue helicopter, Brunswick Surf Life Saving, the quad paramedics and all those involved, and especially Riley who had the skills from being a Nipper, the fitness and knowledge of the ocean, to grab a stranger’s board and risk his own life to save my son.’
Don’t swim alone
According to the latest Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report drownings in Australia are up 27 per cent above the 10-year average.
‘While children drownings are down, adult drownings have risen sharply,’ said learn to swim specialist, Graham Dietrich.
‘Even strong swimmers can be caught out by rips, cold water, or unexpected currents. Choosing safe swimming spots, heeding warnings, and knowing your limits are just as important as fitness.’
Scott McCartney, the Surf Life Saving Northern NSW lifeguard coordinator, told The Echo that it is really important that people remember to swim with a friend so you remain safe.
‘It is important that people be able to identify rips because while some are very obvious others aren’t,’ he explained.
‘For example, if you see a calm section of water with white wash on either side that means the calm water is where the water is being sucked out [the rip].
‘If get caught in a rip signal for help by raising your hand and calling out. Remaining calm is the deciding factor. You should float or doggy paddle and remember that most rips will only take you to deep water. Then you can swim parallel to the beach out of the rip and then back in to the beach.’
There is also the Beach Safe app and website (www.beachsafe.org.au) that shows you where the closest flagged beach is and the patrol times.
Boards on the beach
Locals have taken action and put two surfboards at the location in case of similar emergencies.
‘The local community sick of waiting for government action on a notoriously dangerous beach where ambulances and rescue are called to rescue people every year have taken action and placed a rescue board at the location,’ one local told The Echo following the report of the near drowning.
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