Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club attend four rescues in one hour on Boxing Day

Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club president Scott McKenzie said a number of tourists required assistance when the Cairns Street foreshore teemed with swimmers on Monday.

"Boxing Day was very busy and saw four rescues with the water being quite rough and lots of tourists swimming," he said.

"Because the sea was so rough, a lot of people in the water who were from out of town didn't understand quite how strong the current could get, even on a little beach like Port Campbell.

"Several of them just got taken by the current, were out of their depth and had to be rescued by patrol members who were there at the time.

"There were four different incidents within an hour, in the afternoon. It was the rough swell which came in, a lot of water movement.

"A lot of people from out of town didn't appreciate just how much the water could get sucked out - quite dramatically - and take the people with them.

"They were a variety of ages. Nobody was hospitalised, but families of the members of the public who had to be brought back to the beach were quite upset and traumatised by the incidents which could've gone quite badly."

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He said the six patrol members were assisted by a quick-thinking nipper.

"On Boxing Day, the first rescue there, one of our young nippers actually spotted the swimmer who was in trouble and was getting sucked out towards the jetty," Mr McKenzie said.

"She was a young girl who happened to be on the rocks nearby and had her boogie board with her. She was quick-thinking enough to throw the boogie board out to the tourist in distress in the water.

"The tourist was able to cling to that and allowed our patrol members to go in with their rescue boards.

"It's just a feather in her cap, a young local girl who's in the nippers, and shows the value of what the kids learn in the program."

Then he said on Tuesday, patrol members were again required.

"Our guys were approached by a lady and her family, the lady had been knocked over in the waves around 4.30pm in the afternoon and had swallowed a bit of water," Mr McKenzie said.

"She was distressed and she and her family approached our patrol team who put her on oxygen and called an ambulance who took over things from there.

"The lady was still walking and talking when she approached our people, but she was in a fairly obvious state of distress."

He re-issued a warning to beach goers this summer.

"Swim between the flags on patrolled days and for people who are not familiar with local waters, think carefully about what you're doing before you decide to go for a swim," Mr McKenzie said.

"Don't underestimate the coastal waters and how quickly you can get yourself in trouble."

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