Daily beach report
North Coast lifeguard co-ordinator Stephen Leahy’s daily beach report:
The first great beach day for quite some time – weather-wise but conditions were still a little tricky with some strong rips and currents around. Here’s what happened on lifeguard patrolled beaches today:
Lennox Head: Nice half metre waves, particularly out behind the sandbank on the falling tide but there were a lot of rips. It was a quiet day with no incidents to report.
Shelly Beach, Ballina: The beach remained closed all day at Shelly due to a number of dangerous rips and strong side sweeping currents. Lifeguard Ruben treated a young child after the lad had a tick lodged in his head.
Other incidents: Lifeguards were called to Byron Bay Main Beach at midday after a surfer reported seeing a 3 metre mako shark. The surfer was in shallow water just north of the surf lifesaving club when he saw the shark swim towards him. As the shark got within 2 metres of the surfer, it turned and swam away. The surfer reported the sighting to a nearby off-duty lifesaver who contacted police and closed the beach. Lifeguards and police attended at the beach which was closed for 15 minutes. Lifeguards remained at the beach until 1.30 pm but there was no further sighting.
Tomorrow’s Forecast: Fine and mostly sunny. Light winds tending moderate north-easterly during the afternoon.
Today’s Water Safety Tip: Young children often get into some difficulty when they are on a body-board. Sometimes the current takes a little too far out and the child panics. Body-boards – or boogie-boards – are great floatation devices and the child should be encouraged to hold on to it until a lifesaver or lifeguard reaches them.
