Four plucked from rip

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 1

Four plucked from rip

Four young persons swimming outside the flags at New Brighton beach were rescued after being caught in a strong rip yesterday.

. Two teen-age girls 'and two young boys 1 I were rescued by Mr K. ‘ Baker, the beach patrol- ! man. None of them was i injured. 1 Although New Brighton < bathers are still reluctant to 1 stay within the flags, swim- , mers at the other six main i beaches are keeping within i the patrolled areas. “They seem to be getting i the message about the rips,”!: Mr M. McClurg, the patrol- , man at. Taylors Mistake, said J yesterday. Rips caused by the heavy seas during the winter have swept more than 170 people: l out to sea so far this season.!: However, now that swimmers , are realising the dangers of swimming in unmarked areas, ' the figure is not expected to 1 increase markedly.

Although a cold easterly breeze sprang up late yesterday afternoon, about 650 people went to the city’s seven main beaches. Apart from those at New Brighton, there were no rescues. The rips are at their strongest on an outgoing tide, and this week the tides will be going out late in the morning and during the early evening. Many volunteer surf lifesavers went back to work yesterday, and the number of rescuers on the beaches has decreased considerably. Last week at New Brighton. there were usually eight or nine volunteers. This week, there would be about three, so it was important that swimmers should stay between the flags, said Mr Baker, s