SURF LIFE-SAVING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18958, 2 January 1930, Page 2

SURF LIFE-SAVING

NOTES BY

“ BELTMAN.”

FIXTURES. January 12—At North Beach, Ray Blank Cup and Benson Shield. January 28—At Westport, Nelson Shield and Sir William Henry Memorial Trophy. February 9—At Waimairi, Boulton Cup and Newburgh Shield. February 16—At Taylor’s Mistake, Black and White Cup and Kesteven Cup. March 2—At South Brighton, Sumner Cup. HIGH TIDES. a.m. p.m. Saturday. January 4. 7.18 7.42 Sunday, January 5.. 8.00 5.22 (Advance half an hour for summer time). « « Carnival Competitions. The competitions in connection with the Brighton Beach carnival, which were set down for decision on Saturday, were marred to a great extent by a very heavy set towards the pier. New Brighton A team, comprising N. Smith (belt), C. W. Smith (line) and M. Meikle (reel) were first to take the water, but after putting up a good fight the beltman realised that it was useless trying to swim against the drift and gave the haul-in signal. The Maranui Club (Wellington) entered a team, consisting of T. Hewett, A. Christie, both of whom are down on holidays, and C. J. Kite, an exmember of the club, but though they profited to some extent by the previous team’s experience, they did not allow quite enough and found themselves in the same position as Brighton A. Sumner, which won the event, owes its success to the excellent performance in the belt of L. Sutherland, who entered the water right opposite the tripod, and by making the utmost of the seas between the breakers, got out level with the buo3 r , with a few yards to spare, and was easily able to swin down to the subject, who was no doubt glad to see him, as he had been out since the first team's attempt. Sutherland’s team mates were N. Winter and H. Bailey. The competition was not devoid of a. thrill, however, and this was provided when North Beach (A. T. Dalton, G. Griffiths and G. Dew) took the water. When but a few yards from the buoy, Dalton encountered a succession of breakers which carried him away from the subject, J. Carson, of the Brighton Club, who realised that the current was too strong to swim against and released his hold on the buoy in order to drift down to meet the beltman. Owing to the weight of the belt and line and the fact that he was still in the heavy breakers, Dalton did not reach Carson as soon as expected, and before long both were dangerously near the pier, although as far as the former was concerned he had nothing to fear so long as the linesmen did their job. Realising the danger to Carson should he hit the piles, Dalton slipped off the belt and went to assist him should it be necessary. On coming up to the pier, Carson clung to a pile while a huge breaker passed over him, and with Dalton, who had by this time reached him, drifted through and landed up the beach. Both are to be commended for the coolness they displayed in a position which might have been very serious. The Brighton B team (Gallagher, Gowan and Walker) which was selected from the junior ranks, gave quite a good display, and although they did not reach their subject, their line and reel work was well up to the standard of the senior teams. By the time this event was over the set was so strong that the relay race had to be abandoned. Ladies’ Teams or Not? To those interested in the question whether ladies should be encouraged in surf work and allowed to compete, it will no doubt be interesting to know that a team of ladies from one of the affiliated clubs which thought fit to ignore the warning of the club’s instructor that the sea was too rough for them to venture into, .took the first opportunity when his back was turned to get into action. The result was that before long it was necessary for the senior men’s team to go to their assistance owing to the heavy surf having taken more out of the ladies than they had expected. While it is quite possible for even experienced surfers to get into trouble on occasions, the contempt with which the instructor's sound advice was treated should give other clubs which are considering the formation of a ladies’ team ground for some deep thinking before embarking further in this department. After all, the active members of any club are open to sufficient risks in looking after the interests of inexperienced bathers without being subject to further ones through the foolishness of their fellow members. Bathing Areas. The difficulty experienced bv a bather at Cave Rock in getting back to the shore again stresses the necessity for surfers to keep within the areas marked out in front of the pavilions on the various beaches. Though the Sumner Club applied for permission to erect a small shed at Cave Rock and Scarborough to house two reels, their representations were not favourably treated, therefore reels could not be placed at these two places °T in f t 0 being ex P°sed to the weather, would soon render them useless. These would certainly be an asset to anyone handy who had any knowledge of surf work, but to expect the club members to patrol over a mile of beach is asking the impossible. Jottings. Judging by the increase in the membership of the clubs, the sport seems to be receiving the support it deserves from the swimmers of the province. The most notable recruits in the active ranks are E. M’Conville, who was second in the intermediate 100yds championship. to New Brighton, M. Connor an< i J- Frengley to Sumner, and L. Hewland, who holds the R.L.S.S. Award of Merit, to North Beach. Notwithstanding the heavy sea on Saturday, Carl Cauldwell seemed to experience no difficulty in taking the buoy out and fixing it to the permanent float provided by the Brighton Club. Although experienced surfers are ready to give him his due, it still remains a mystery to them how he does it. The single-handed rescue brought off by the patrolman at Brighton emphasises the necessity for having the beaches permanently patrolled. It would not be out of place to acknowledge the sporting action of the rescued man, who took considerable trouble to get hold of his rescuer to express his appreciation, instead of fading into space and treating the event as a matter of course, as is usually done. OPPORTUNITY. Great men should think of opportunitv and not of time. Time is the excuse