Flags are up

Flags go up on Saturday, September 18, with Council lifeguards kicking off the 2021/22 swim season. However, with NSW yet to reach its 70 percent double vaccination target, three local Surf Life Saving clubs – Austinmer, Corrimal and Port Kembla – are not ready to field voluntary patrols this Sunday.

Volunteers from Thirroul SLSC will step in to fill the gaps at Austinmer beach with other patrolling members across the branch assisting to patrol Corrimal and Port Kembla beaches this Sunday.

“Thirroul is a very strong patrolling club,” Anthony Turner, Director of Lifesaving at Surf Life Saving Illawarra, said yesterday. “They're just happy to come along and provide support to a neighbouring club until they’re in a position to fulfil their patrol duties.

“Hopefully once the double vaccination rates have increased in the next couple of weeks in New South Wales and more members have had their chance to be vaccinated, all clubs should resume full patrols to ensure we keep our beaches safe.”

The target that life savers are looking forward to is 70 percent of the adult population aged over 16 being double vaccinated, Anthony said.

Surf Life Saving Illawarra is also looking forward to having its younger members (12-15 age group) vaccinated, now that they are eligible for Pfizer vaccination.

"In the meantime, we continue to support all our Illawarra members.

“It's been a challenging start to the season; however, we will get there. All our 17 Illawarra patrolled beaches will have the flags up this Sunday which is a fantastic outcome.”

The Illawarra Surf Life Saving community is braced for another big summer.

On the 2020 October long weekend, record numbers of beachgoers flocked to Stanwell Park, with Helensburgh-Stanwell Park Surf Life Saving Club recording 8000 beach visitors on the Sunday and Monday. At the time, Steven McDonald, president of Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC, said it was “a massive increase”, more than seven times the number of people who had visited in 2019.

Once the current lockdown restrictions lift and warm sunny days return, Anthony says our beaches will once again be “a very popular location to visit”.

“A lot of people will want to hit the beaches and we're going to be really heavily reliant on people doing the right thing.”

Behind the scenes, Anthony said a lot of planning has already gone into managing large crowds, with one option being to open two patrolled areas at popular beaches.

Anthony, a previous Director of Lifesaving at Surf Life Saving Illawarra, stepped back into the role about two months ago – and has been constantly on the phone or in  Zoom meetings every evening to get the season up and running.

“There is a lot of planning and consideration required before every season starts, but this season has just been extraordinary,” he said.

One thing is for sure – come rain, shine or Covid-19, the flags will be up at our beaches this Sunday, thanks to the dedication of Illawarra surf lifesaving volunteers.

“We’re one big team and together Surf Life Saving Illawarra continues to create a safe environment on our beaches from Helensburgh Stanwell Park to Windang.

“And that's what it's all about.”

UPDATE:  Wollongong City Council has now published its "flags are up" media release. Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM is encouraging people to use the beaches for exercise, rather than socialising, and to wear a mask when not in the water. Sad news for pool goers – other than the rock pools, all of Council's swimming pools are closed in line with the current Public Health Order.