BATHER'S CLOSE CALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21999, 4 January 1935, Page 12

BATHER'S CLOSE CALL

CRAMP IN THE SURF RESCUER'S FINE WORK William Pi ion rushed out of his butcher's shop at Narrabeen the other day, says a Sydney newspaper, in response to a call for aid, supported a surf bather who was in difficulties until assistance arrived, and then quietly returned to work in his shop.

Before a man with a line reached Mr. Pilon and his patient they had been carried 300 yards from the beach, and a large fish, which onlookers believed to be a shark, had passed within a few feet of them.

Ronald Bowyer, aged 25, was overcome by cramp in the surf. A youth rushed into Mr. Pilon's shop, and shouted that a Swimmer was in difficulties. Mr. Pilon tore off a jersej he was wearing, aDd rushed into the surf, clad only in a pair of shorts, while his assistant, Eric Tingle, took his car and drove tc the Narrabeon Surf Club's premises for assistance. "When I reached Bowyer I fonnd him unconscious," said Mr. Pilon. "He is a strong swimmer, but he had been seized by cramp. I did my best to get him ashore, but the surf was so heavy, and the undertow so strong, that we were carried slowly out to sea. \Vhilo I was supporting Bowyer a big black fish slid through a wave only a few feet from us. It might have been a porpoise, but it looked like a shark. "When we were about 300 yards out Tasman King and Tingle, who are both members of the Surf Club, reached us with lines. It was touch and go, because in another few minutes we would have been too far out for lines." The three men brought Mr. Bowyer ashore, but had to apply artificial resuscitation methods for 20 minutes before he recovered consciousness. Mr. Pilon, who is well known in the district, is a strong swimmer. At one time he was permanent life-saver on the beach.