LOCAL residents and visitors to the Port Macquarie region are being urged to play it safe on the beach these Easter school holidays – particularly given the large swells being experienced locally.
Senior lifeguard co-ordinator Grant Hudson said Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s primary beach safety message, ‘No flags, no swim’ was just as important now as ever.
He said many people would be heading to the beach over the Easter holidays and it was important for them to recognise the dangers of swimming at an unpatrolled beach or swimming outside of the patrolled area.
Mr Hudson said the conditions at local beaches had been extremely good in recent months and fears beach-goers may be growing complacent.
He said a number of rescues in recent weeks had demonstrated how important it was for people to treat the ocean with respect.
“Even if the swell is really small you need to do the right thing,” Mr Hudson said. “Situations can change in a matter of seconds in the surf and all beach-goers need to be aware of current conditions.”
He encouraged beach-goers to read any signs on the beach, to get used to the conditions before venturing out too far in the water and to speak with council lifeguards or volunteer lifesavers if they have any questions about surf conditions.
Over the holiday period, council lifeguards will be patrolling Town Beach in Port Macquarie seven days a week between 9am and 4.30pm and Flynn’s Beach on weekdays between 9am and 4.30pm. Volunteers from the Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club will patrol Flynn’s on weekends and public holidays.
Council will also patrol Lighthouse Beach, Rainbow Beach at Bonny Hills and North Haven on weekdays between 9am and 4pm with volunteers from the Tacking Point, Wauchope-Bonny Hills and Camden Haven Surfing Life Saving Clubs taking over on weekends and public holidays. Volunteer patrol hours may vary but will generally be from 9am and 4pm (except for North Haven, where patrols will operate between 9am and 2pm).
The patrol season for council and for local surf life saving clubs will end on Sunday 27 April.
