TWO new warning signs have been erected at one of Port Macquarie’s most popular beaches.
The temporary signs at Flynns Beach are similar to the one being used near the breakwall at Town Beach in Port Macquarie warning swimmers of dangerous currents.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s senior lifeguard Grant Hudson said the new signs were even bigger and brighter than the one in use since the start of the season at Town Beach.
They will be used predominantly at the southern and northern corners of Flynns Beach where there are permanent rip currents and Mr Hudson is confident they will help people make an informed decision to swim between the flags.
Flynns Beach continues to be one of the region’s busiest beaches, attracting approximately 3000 people a day since the start of the patrol season on 18 December.
Town Beach has been attracting the same numbers while the patrolled beaches at Lighthouse Beach, Lake Cathie, Rainbow Beach (Bonny Hills) and North Haven have been attracting approximately 1000 people a day.
Mr Hudson said the new Town Beach sign had made a major difference over the past couple of weeks with a significant reduction in the number of incidents at the northern (breakwall) end of the beach.
In past years, he said, approximately 80 per cent of the rescues conducted at Town Beach had been near the breakwall.
This year, he said, there had only been a couple of incidents near the breakwall with most of the trouble occurring around the rocks to the immediate left of the flags where deep holes often form and swimmers can quickly find themselves out of their depth.
Mr Hudson said there had been relatively few problems at any of the local beaches so far this season but warned people against complacency given the good conditions.
He said most of the minor rescues had involved swimmers and bodyboarders as young as five venturing out past their depth.
Mr Hudson said it was vital for parents and guardians to keep an eye on their children at all times and for bodyboarders to wear flippers to help minimise the risk of exhaustion.
Town Beach and Flynn’s Beach are patrolled daily between the hours of 9am and 5.30pm. Council lifeguards also patrol Lighthouse Beach, Rainbow Beach (Bonny Hills) and North Haven between 9am and 4.30pm and Lake Cathie between 9am and 3pm.
Council will patrol Town Beach and Lake Cathie seven days a week while volunteer surf lifesavers will patrol the other four beaches on weekends and public holidays. Patrol times at these beaches may vary.
Council’s primary beach safety message for the holiday period remains the same: ‘No flags, no swim’.
